Microsoft’s purchase of a struggling Gears of War franchise requires some necessary pointers for the company.

“Gears of War” has become infamous for its stale storyline featuring a horde of aliens trying to destroy the humans. However, one of the series’ greatest strengths came with its brutal and competitive online multiplayer mode. Rebranding the series as a competitive player’s game allows a familiar and comfortable vibe to the franchise. ESports has become a great way to expand the games’ marketability past traditional means. If developers become more involved in the eSports communities, they can create an audience even more passionate about “Gears.”

It would be interesting to see a new game with massive multiplayer maps. Creating expansive and detailed maps bring a whole new dynamic to gameplay. Modes like 20-on-20 player team death matches create an epic battle while optimizing the hardware in next-gen consoles.

A larger co-op multiplayer online campaign would be a step forward for the franchise, too. Teaming up with a group of four friends to take on an engaging story would be a game mode I would play for days. Putting this mode into an open-world type map would send this campaign over the top in a grandiose style.

One major complaint about the series I have is its lackluster single player. “Gears of War: Judgment” put the players on rails and opted for little exploration or depth. An open-world campaign mode would give the players the chance to become part of the war tearing the world apart. Maybe not in the style of “Grand Theft Auto V,” but giving players room for adventure emphasizes the scale of destruction in the war zone.

I can only dream that the new developers at Black Tusk Studios will not fall into the same problems they did at Epic Games.