James Hawkin's GOW3 concept artwork

Industrial Decadence: The Gears of War 3 Concept Art of James Hawkins

Master Boomer concept art for Gears of War 3 showcasing the Savage Locust aesthetic with weathered armor — The 'Master Boomer': A heavier, more rugged take on the Locust heavy hitters.

You might have seen us poke a little fun at the 'Savage Grenadier' in the past, but if you look past the jokes, you'll find the brilliant architectural mind of concept artist James Hawkins. A veteran of Epic Games who also left his mark on Unreal Tournament III, Hawkins was instrumental in defining the "Savage" and "Stranded" visual language of Gears of War 3.

By the time the third game begins, the world of Sera is in absolute tatters. The formal COG military has collapsed, and the Locust are no longer a disciplined underground army but a desperate, scavenging force. Hawkins' art perfectly captures this transition from high-tech industrialism to "rust-tech" survivalism.

The Scavenger's War: Vehicles and Vessels

In Gears 3, transportation became a character in itself. Whether it was the improvised cargo trucks of the Stranded or the massive aquatic fortresses of the remaining COG forces, everything had to look like it was held together by spit, prayer, and heavy-duty welds.

Improvised cargo truck concept design for Gears of War 3 showing armored plates and survivalist modifications — The 'Cargo Truck': Essential for moving supplies through the Charred Wasteland.

Locust Dreadnaught concept art from Gears of War 3 featuring a massive, biomechanical naval vessel — The Locust Dreadnaught: A brutal fusion of creature and machine.

Gears Lore: The Raven's Nest

One of Hawkins' most iconic environmental designs is the Raven's Nest, officially known as the CNV Sovereign. Following the sinking of Jacinto and the collapse of the government, the Sovereign became a floating city-ship—the last bastion of the COG. Hawkins' art managed to make a massive aircraft carrier feel like a claustrophobic, lived-in home for Delta Squad.

Concept art for the CNV Sovereign (Raven's Nest) floating carrier from the opening of Gears of War 3

Weaponry of the Final Stand

The weapons also saw a visual overhaul. The Gnasher Shotgun—the undisputed king of the Gears multiplayer sandbox—was refined to look even more utilitarian. Meanwhile, the Locust were utilizing "Siege Beasts"—massive, catapult-wielding creatures that showed how the underground army was returning to its primal, biological roots.

Refined Gnasher Shotgun concept art for Gears of War 3 highlighting mechanical details and rugged finish — The classic Gnasher. Simple, lethal, and virtually unchanged across the trilogy.

Locust Siege Beast concept art showing a large creature carrying a catapult mechanism on its back — The 'Siege Beast': Combining Locust biology with archaic warfare.

The Silverback: COG’s Final Exoskeleton

Finally, we have the Silverback. Introduced in Gears 3, this mobile exoskeleton unit represented the final push of COG engineering. It was designed to give a single soldier the firepower of a tank, featuring a front-facing shield and a deployable turret mode. Hawkins' design manages to make the mech feel heavy and industrial, fitting perfectly into the "oversized" aesthetic of the franchise.

Silverback exoskeleton suit concept art for Gears of War 3 showing its heavy armored plating and weapon mounts — Silverback design: Heavy armor for the end of the world.

You can check out the full set of James Hawkins' incredible work over at his official portfolio site. It's a goldmine for fans of high-octane sci-fi design.