If you've been wondering whether or not Gears of War 4 can live up to the reputation set by (most) of its ancestors, you won't have to wait long to get a good sense of where it's going. Microsoft and The Coalition have revealed that the Gears 4 multiplayer beta for Xbox One starts on April 18th, when existing Gears of War: Ultimate Edition players will get their first shot. An open beta for any Xbox Live Gold member will start a week later, on April 25th, and the whole shebang will wind down on May 1st. Two weeks (at best) isn't a long time to try the game, and there's no single player in the beta, but this test run should let you know whether Gears 4's late-year launch will fill you with hope or dread.