Microsoft just dropped an absolutely gorgeous new limited edition Xbox controller ahead of Gears of War E-Day's launch in October. Your typical Emergence Hole design, with dry, cracked concrete splitting open to reveal a blood-red crater within, this thing looks fantastic already. From its textured surface to the Crimson Omen underneath, this is one of the better-looking Xbox Series X controllers we've seen for some time.
Before anyone gets too excited, though, this is just a pre-order. The official Gears of War: E-Day limited edition Xbox controller officially launches just a few days after the game, on October 9, but is now available for $89.99 at Microsoft itself. Interestingly, the UK's Amazon listing seems to suggest a slightly earlier drop on September 30. It'll soon be accompanied by an Xbox Design Labs version featuring art from Luke Preece, a UK-based heavy metal illustrator.
Microsoft seems to be hiding its pre-order button for the Gears of War E-Day gamepad, but scroll a little down this landing page, and you'll see the option to add the $89.99 gamepad to your cart.
Thankfully, the UK is all set up with an £84.99 listing at Amazon.
There's one thing I hope for the Gears of War E-Day Xbox controller. I just want those textured craters to be real. Microsoft states that the cracks and gouges from that crater surface are "3D molded", and by the looks of the press shots so far, this could be a grooved 3D design.
All signs point to being able to feel those fractures under hand - big if true.
There's something about a special edition controller that goes beyond the art to actually build something new into its design. Maybe it's the attention to detail or the feeling that you're getting more than a regular $60 Xbox controller in a new shrink wrap, but it certainly goes a long way to justifying a higher 'limited edition' price.
Either that, or this is a very convincing set of press photos, and a particularly realistic 2D design. I would be surprised if that was the case, though. None of Microsoft's other limited edition drops have mentioned that 3D molding production technique, and the texture of that concrete looks impressively detailed.
The Gears of War E-Day Xbox controller carries its design all the way through, from blacked-out (and one solo red) face buttons to COG tags on the battery panel, transparent triggers, and that glowing red Xbox logo at the top.
This is still a standard Xbox gamepad underneath all that, which might be a little difficult to swallow if you're in the market for more pro features (more achievable with a wired device like the GameSir G7 Pro at this price tag). For the Gears looking to update their shelves ahead of launch, though, it's well worth investigating.
- See all Xbox controllers at Amazon
PlayStation fans can hop over to the best PS5 controllers for something more Sony-shaped, but we're also rounding up the best PC controllers and the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers as well.
