Microsoft has finally revealed the release date for "Gears of War 4." Fans can expect the global rollout of the franchise installment on October 11.

According to an announcement on the Xbox Newswire, the global release of "Gears of War 4" will begin on October 11. Fans have been waiting for this development as early as last year, since the franchise installment was revealed at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. The October 11 release marks more than a year of development.

"Gears of War 4" is an anticipated franchise installment, particularly for hardcore fans of the series. The fourth installment marks the transition of a new story in the franchise. The announcement highlighted this main game feature, stating that, "'Gears of War 4' marks the beginning of an epic new saga for one of gaming's most celebrated franchises, as a new band of heroes rises to confront a fearsome new threat."

The story is not the only strong point of "Gears of War 4." The new series installment also makes the transition to smoother gameplay and improved interface dynamics, as well as tweaked graphics. According to developer The Coalition, the new installment is "Harkening back to the dark and intense roots of the original classic, fans can expect a familiar, yet distinct evolution of gameplay, including brutal and intimate action, a heart-pounding campaign, genre-defining multiplayer and stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 4."

As part of the ongoing final stages of the development, The Coalition also announced that the upcoming beta for "Gears of War 4" is going live soon. Those who have ordered the "Gears of War: Ultimate Edition" on the Xbox One and Windows 10 will get the first chance to check out the beta, which will go live on April 18. Meanwhile, fans who are subscribers to the Xbox Live Gold program will also have the chance to get into the action as the beta will be unlocked for members on April 25.

However, the surprises leading to the release of "Gears of War 4" are not stopping with the beta. New tweets from The Coalition said that there will be a "big reveal" on the game on Monday, April 11.