Gears of War: E-Day is finally here, with developer The Coalition giving us another banger. This is the biggest Xbox release in October 2026 (sorry, Modern Warfare fans), as the fresh entry to a franchise that helped define modern shooters has already taken critics by storm.
Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel to the Gears story, showing how the series mainstays Dom and Marcus handled the war in its earliest days. It's not only gory and action-packed, but its story is pretty grim and serious too. However, even if I personally can't get enough of this one, let's be honest, there are plenty of other new games looking at your wallet right now, and you may be wondering if this Xbox exclusive is really for you.
Well, to help you decide what to throw in your shopping cart, I've made a complete round-up of all the information that you need to know about Gears of War: E-Day. From reviews, gameplay details, price breakdowns, and more, all your sci-fi soldier needs are sorted down below.
Gears of War: E-Day reviews and release date
Gears of War: E-Day releases on October 6, 2026, after five days of early access for Premium Edition players. And at the time of writing, reviews are very positive.
Right now, the game has an 87 rating on Metacritic. Many critics are praising both the campaign and multiplayer modes for being sleek and fun. In our own Gears of War: E-Day review-in-progress, Andrew Brown states that the title is "The best cover shooter" that he has played since the Xbox 360.
We weren't massive fans of melee combat, but the Band of Brothers-esque cast and level design are blowing us away. I also think it is worth the cash currently, if you are a shooter fan.
Gears of War: E-Day platforms
Gears of War: E-Day is now available on PC and Xbox Series X/S. The new game is also included on day one as part of Xbox Game Pass.
That means the new Gears of War game is one of the rare few Xbox exclusives on the publisher's menu. Given that the Gears of War: Reloaded remake also released on PS5 at launch, and more Xbox timed exclusives like Avowed and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle landed on Sony's console in recent times, many were hopeful E-Day would follow suit. But during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 event, the prequel was confirmed to be an Xbox exclusive that won't be coming to PS5.
Is Gears of War: E-Day a prequel?
If you're wondering if Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel, yes, yes, it is. In fact, it's set 14 years before the original action game and stars younger versions of both Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, with both John DiMaggio and Carlos Ferro reprising their roles.
We are so back. 🤜🤛 On today's 18th anniversary of Gears of War, we're proud to share that John DiMaggio and @RealCarlosFerro are reprising their roles as the iconic voices of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in Gears of War: E-Day. pic.twitter.com/x9uaH9R0sRNovember 7, 2024
The story takes place during Emergence Day and sees our heroes having to face the Locust Horde (a race of genetically altered humans). In case you need a lore refresher, Emergence Day is a full-scale and coordinated planet-wide assault on Sera. It took place only a few weeks after the Pendulum Wars ended (a devastating conflict that claimed millions of lives and left the environment of Sera in shambles). Basically, Sera was in a weak position, and Emergence Day was everyone's worst nightmare come to life.
E-Day also signaled the start of The Locust War in the Gears of War timeline. In terms of the Locust Horde, we got a brief description of them thanks to a post on Xbox Wire. The baddies of the story are labeled as "subterranean monsters" who are "grotesque and relentless" as they "erupt from below, laying siege on humanity itself."
Gears of War: E-Day trailers
The Gears of War: E-Day trailer that debuted during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 stream is described as a gameplay demo reveal by publisher Xbox, and it more than delivers on the meaty gunplay and bullet-slinging violence we can expect once we boot up the title.
This is our first proper look at what Gears of War: E-Day looks and feels like to play, from glimpsing The Locust once again to checking out some of the awesome new heavy artillery at our fingertips. It also shows off some cool new traversal mechanics, like sliding and crawling, which are sure to make those moments where agility is super necessary feel a lot smoother than in past installments.
We got to see the first Gears of War: E-Day trailer during the Xbox Showcase 2024 presentation, and it was a weird, somber affair. In the clip above, we see a young Marcus Fenix struggle against a Locust Horde Drone and pretty much watch him get his butt handed to him until the very last second when he finally manages to blow the enemy's head into smithereens.
We also see Dom make an appearance and a brief glimpse at the fallen city of Kalona, showing us the horrific results of the Locust Horde's last assault. It's all very moody and thematic but also packed with some nostalgia as well. For example, the soundtrack used in the teaser is the Gary Jules version of Tears For Fears' 'Mad World'.
Now, if you remember the first Gears of War trailer, it also used Tears For Fears' ‘Mad World.' However, Gary Jules's version of the song is a lot slower in tempo, and the effect is that the trailer seems a lot bleaker as a result, but in a good way. I mean, war isn't meant to be sunshine and rainbows, right?
Gears of War: E-Day gameplay
As per the Gears of War: E-Day gameplay demo trailer, there are plenty of changes to the prequel shooter. You can now officially slide for the first time, strange as that sounds, and say goodbye to those conveniently waist-high walls to hide behind, because you can now crawl or jump between cover.
There is a greater emphasis on the horror aspect of the story, in some aspects taking us back to the roots of the series itself, as confirmed by creative director Matt Searcy during an interview with IGN.
"We looked back at what people felt like when they played Gears of War or any of the Gears - Gears 4 included," Searcy explained. "But when people tell you what they remember playing, the things that stood out to them, the feelings, a lot of it is about these, kind of dark, almost horror-esque, scary moments."
The trailer from the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 event also showed off some brutal executions, like literally bursting an enemy's head with the stock of your weapon or shooting arms off your enemies while blood explodes from the shoulder socket. We also see a Locust getting chainsawed in half, if that floats your boat.
Developed with Unreal Engine 5, the series that defined a lot of third-person shooters made today is (you guessed it) still a third-person shooter. However, a post on Xbox Wire has also said that "The Coalition is working to recreate and improve the series’ trademark third-person action", with new technology. You'll still be charging between cover in life-or-death situations during the game's campaign. However, we may see tweaks and innovations in how the team weaves storytelling into all the action.
"It's us revisiting the tone and the feeling of what makes Gears great, but we're tapping into new techniques, new processes, and new technology that’s going to make the gameplay feel better than ever. It’s going to be awesome, a game that feels both truly new, and authentically Gears," Searcy said.
Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer
The Coalition dropped a Gears of War E-Day multiplayer trailer (which you can watch above) along with a deep-dive blog. Set to see the return of Horde mode, which has been a mainstay PvE wave-based survival mode in the Gears of War series, E-Day brings us an "evolution" of it in Horde Siege.
With support for 12 players, multiple squads will now fight together in new, larger maps set within the city of Kalona. With every squad having their own mission objectives to complete (with various mission types), you'll also have to take on emergent challenges before fighting your way to extraction zones.
You can also choose from four different classes in the multiplayer mode, including Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic for your squad. With different mission playlists to select from, difficulty options are also included, so you can decide to work towards taking on more challenging missions.
Gears of War: E-Day price
Gears of War: E-Day has two editions to choose from. The Standard Edition costs $69.99/£59.99, while the Gears of War: E-Day Premium Edition costs a pretty eye-watering $99.99/£89.99.
You can later buy a $30/£30 upgrade pack if you don't want to pay for the Premium Edition right away. The Premium Edition does contain a few extras, as well as a bunch of in-game currency. However, I will say a lot of its benefits came from the pre-order period, such as early access. Most of the add-ons are for customization, so keep that in mind before you pick this one up.
If you're after more titles, read our lists of the best shooters and the best Xbox Series X games to play right now.
