Gears 5 Has Microtransactions, But No Loot Boxes

Good news: when Gears 5 releases on Xbox One and PC this September, it won't have loot boxes. Bad [...]

Good news: when Gears 5 releases on Xbox One and PC this September, it won't have loot boxes. Bad news: it will have microtransactions. In Gears 5, there are Supply Drops, which you'll earn by playing the game. These Supply Drops will feature a random item drop. But you can't buy these with real money. Supply Drops are 100 percent only earnable via playing. Meanwhile, if you draw a duplcate item, you can turn it into Scrap, which can be spent on crafting Supply Items you don't have or character skills you want to upgrade.

That said, players can buy a thing called Iron, which is an in-game currency, and this can also be earned, in a limited amount, via each Tour of Duty. Content found in the store is direct purchase only, meaning there is no randomness.

"We are committed to ensuring we preserve a fair competitive environment across our modes, so there will be no items in the store that provide a competitive advantage for real-money purchasers, i.e. no pay to win," says The Coalition.

Players can also buy a new optional purchasable dubbed "Boost," which accelerates progression for a period of real-world time. It offers double multiplayer XP, double character XP in Escape and Horde mode, and double speed for Supply Drop progression. Boost is not required to unlock any content, it just gets you there faster.

As you can see, there's no pay-to-win shenanigans or loot boxes, but it isn't the most ideal monetization model. Alas, it's a pretty common model though.

Gears 5 will be available on PC and Xbox One when it releases later this year on September 10. And for the first time in the series' history, the game will be available on Steam, at launch no less.

For more news and media on the upcoming shooter, be sure to peep all of our previous and extensive coverage of the title by clicking right here.

"From one of gaming's most acclaimed sagas, Gears is bigger than ever, with five thrilling modes and the deepest campaign yet. With all-out war descending, Kait Diaz breaks away to uncover her connection to the enemy and discovers the true danger to Sera – herself. "

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