Gears 5 Adds Dave Bautista As Free Playable Character, Paired With WWE Event

Dave Bautista is getting his dream after all--sort of. The wrestler turned actor has been openly campaigning to get cast for a role in the Gears of War movie, an effort that seemed all but doomed. But despite that, he still gets to don the COG armor, with the announcement that he'll be a playable character in Gears 5. You can grab him for free between September 15 and October 28.

Bautista announced the news on Twitter, saying that he'll be playable on September 15 after the WWE Clash of Champions event. The teaser shows the actor in full armor, and according to the announcement he recorded more than 700 lines for the game.

Bautista has had his sights set on the role of Marcus Fenix. The Coalition head Rod Fergusson has said he agrees Bautista "would be awesome" but noted he has no role in casting decisions. Besides that, there's no guarantee a Gears of War movie would feature Marcus Fenix at all.

The two games made under The Coalition, Gears of War 4 and the upcoming Gears 5, take place years after the originals. Fenix still features prominently, but he's no longer the main protagonist. In Gears 5, that role will belong instead to Kait Diaz. The game launches soon, and pre-loading is now available. For much more on Gears 5, check out our interview with Rod Fergusson.

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