PSA: Gears of War 4 Launches Today for Ultimate Edition Owners

Gears of War 4's official release date isn't until October 11, but people who buy the $100 Ultimate Edition can start playing the Xbox One and PC shooter right now.

In addition to early access, the Ultimate Edition comes with Gears of War 4's season pass and bonuses like weapon and character skins. The season pass, which goes for $50 on its own, includes a Vintage VIP Pack, entry to a developer playlist for multiplayer, and permanent access to 24 DLC maps--two will be released every month for a year. As announced previously, Gears of War 4 multiplayer DLC maps will be free, but are offered on a rotating basis. You can learn more about how this works on the Gears of War website.

Microsoft also today launched a $450 Gears of War 4-themed Xbox One S console that has laser-engraved claw marks on it. This bundle comes with a copy of the Ultimate Edition.

Gears of War 4 was developed by Microsoft's The Coalition, under the direction of series veteran Rod Fergusson. He worked on the franchise at Epic Games before Microsoft purchased the rights in 2014.

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As an Xbox Play Anywhere title, buying Gears of War 4 digitally on Xbox One or PC gets you access to the other version free. Progress moves between platforms, so you can start playing on one and switch to the other at any time without needing to start over.

GameSpot's Gears of War 4 review scored the game a 7/10.

"This is a shooter teetering on the edge of something greater, but despite the improvements it makes to the storied franchise, its missteps hold it back," critic Mike Mahardy said. "There is inspiration here, and creativity in the way Gears of War 4 rethinks its multiplayer modes. But the lackluster campaign and technical issues are blights on an otherwise exhilarating shooter. The result is a whole that doesn't reflect the quality of its often stellar parts."

For more on Gears of War 4's critical reaction, check out this roundup of review scores.

In other news about Gears of War, Microsoft announced this week that it's working with Jurassic World studio Universal on a movie based on the game. A movie has been brewing for a long time now; the late Tony Scott (Man on Fire, Top Gun) was apparently eager to direct an earlier version.