E3 2018: Xbox Announce Gears POP! In The Trolliest Way Possible

Today was Microsoft’s E3 press briefing, and with it came a ton of surprise reveals, gameplay footage, and unexpectedly, a little bit of pranking on the company’s part. Fans have been anxiously waiting for a Gears of War 5 announcement for a long time now. It’s been two years since we last saw our favorite team of Locust-killing, chainsaw-wielding COG soldiers, and we’ve been itching to see them again.

Luckily, Microsoft is aware of this, and officially revealed Gears of War 5, along with some gameplay footage, at this year’s E3. But not before playing a little bit of a bait and switch prank on everyone watching the conference. Viewers tuning in to the event joined in an enormous round of applause and incoherent yelling as the familiar gears symbol showed up on a wall on Microsoft’s big screen, only for that wall to be torn down by a chainsaw attached to…a Funko POP! figure Marcus.

Gears of War and Funko POP! join forces to bring a new Gears game to mobile devices for the first time. Coming in 2019.

Your eyes are not deceiving you, that is in fact a collection of Gears of War POP! Figurines, but this isn’t a big-budget marketing campaign for new action figures. Rather, it’s an announcement trailer for the new mobile game, Gears POP! Obviously, this came as a huge shock to everyone watching and expecting Gears of War 5. Luckily, Gears 5 was announced shortly after the controversial POP! trailer.

Honestly, this has to be one of the greatest pranks a developer has pulled on its fanbase. While there are some who are going to be a little upset about the bait and switch, we can all at least rest easy knowing that Microsoft announced Gears POP! alongside Gears of War 5, instead of in place of it. Gears POP! will release for iOS and Android devices in 2019.

Stay tuned for more E3 news and coverage as the gaming expo continues.