Netflix has rapidly become the Thanos of video-game adaptations, and the latest gem for its shiny streaming gauntlet is none other than Gears of War.
In the wake of everything from animated series like Castlevania and Sonic Prime to live-action shows such as Resident Evil and future acquisitions like Horizon Zero Dawn, The Division, and more, today — the 16th anniversary of the franchise, dubbed “Emergence Day” for the cataclysmic events that kick off Gears’ primary conflict — Netflix confirmed that it is producing two series set in the Gears of War universe. The first is a live-action movie adaptation of the franchise — presumably finally killing the long-in-limbo plan by Universal to adapt the franchise — and the second is an adult animated series.
Gears of War follows the human civilisation on the planet Sera, after a devastating war over resources led to the various factions of humanity uniting under the banner of the Coalition of Ordered Governments. Sera finds itself rocked again when a subterranean civilisation known as the Locust erupts beneath humanity’s feet, declaring war on the surface dwellers and pushing them to near extinction. As the footsoldiers of the COG, known as Gears, begin a last-ditch effort to save their species, they engage in conveniently-chest-high-cover-strewn battlefield fighting, chainsaw-gunning their way through the hordes intent on bloodily wiping them out.
Gears marks the newest high-profile gaming adaptation around, a push largely driven by Netflix itself after its own cracks at gaming-adjacent franchises like The Witcher, or the aforementioned animated series covering everything from Castlevania to Tekken. Gears is the latest in a long line of upcoming announced gaming adaptations from the streamer, and alongside its own forays into gaming itself, it’s clear Netflix is making a big bet on games as part of its future.
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