What it is
Gears of War: E-Day is The Coalition’s prequel to the original Gears of War, set during the first hours of the Locust invasion. It follows younger versions of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as Emergence Day tears apart the planet Sera. The full release is scheduled for Tuesday 6 October 2026, with Premium and Collector’s Edition owners able to start on Thursday 1 October. In the UK, the game is due to unlock at 4pm BST on both dates. It is an Xbox console exclusive, although it will also be available on PC.
- UK release
- 6 October 2026 at 4pm BST; Premium and Collector’s Edition early access from 1 October at 4pm BST
- Platforms
- Xbox Series X|S, PC via Xbox app and Steam, Xbox Cloud Gaming; no PS5 version announced
- Developer
- The Coalition
- Publisher
- Xbox Game Studios
- Genre / perspective
- Third-person cover shooter; action/adventure
- PEGI
- 18 — bad language and violence
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- UK price
- £59.99 Standard; £89.99 Premium; £30 Premium Upgrade; £249.99 Collector’s Edition when available
- Game Pass
- Day one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
- Online mode
- Yes — online campaign co-op for up to 4, 12-player Horde Siege and 4v4 Versus
Story and setting
E-Day takes place 14 years before the first Gears of War. Marcus and Dom are young veterans recently returned from the Pendulum Wars, attending a memorial in the city of Kalona when the ground opens and the Locust Horde erupts into the human world. The invasion begins as a terrifying first contact: civilians and soldiers do not yet understand what they are fighting, while the Locust gradually reveal themselves as an organised army rather than a mindless monster horde.
The campaign stays with Bravo Squad throughout. Marcus and Dom are joined by Mags Carter, a former Gear working at Kalona’s Imulsion refinery, and Lucas Reyes, a young cadet and communications officer. All four characters are playable from the start, with the story told entirely from the squad’s perspective. The Coalition has also confirmed that the campaign can be played solo, in two-player split-screen on console or with up to four players online.
How it plays
E-Day remains a third-person cover shooter, but its movement and cover systems have been rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5. Cover can be lower, damaged or destroyed, forcing characters to drop into more exposed positions. Sprinting now flows into sliding, while jumping, climbing and new gaps in cover create more vertical flanking routes. The aim is to preserve Gears’ deliberate weight without making movement feel as rigid as in earlier games.
The usual close-range brutality returns alongside reworked weapons and new equipment. The Lancer’s chainsaw origin is part of the story, while the Gnasher and Longshot remain familiar pillars of the arsenal. Multiplayer includes Campaign co-op, Horde Siege and Versus. Horde Siege is a 12-player PvE mode built around three squads of four, shared maps, class choices including Assault, Marksman, Medic and Breacher, optional objectives and large enemy encounters. Versus supports refined 4v4 competitive play with Ranked and Social playlists.
Trailers and showcases
The 9 June 2024 Xbox Games Showcase announcement trailer established the premise and tone. It showed Marcus fighting a Locust Drone with a bayonet-equipped Lancer, falling into an emergence hole and meeting a young Dom. The in-engine trailer also made clear that E-Day is an origin story built around fear, vulnerability and the first appearance of the Locust, rather than another chapter in the established war.
The 7 June 2026 Xbox Games Showcase and Gears of War: E-Day Direct provided the first substantial gameplay look. It showed Kalona before and during the invasion, the formation of Bravo Squad, new movement options, destructible environments, early Locust encounters and the return of Tai Kaliso. On 30 July, the multiplayer trailer and deep dive introduced the three-squad structure of Horde Siege, its classes and objectives, and the updated 4v4 Versus modes. A 31 July developer update then detailed the rebuilt cover system, sliding, jumping, climbing and tighter movement rules.
Platforms, editions and UK price
The confirmed platforms are Xbox Series X|S, PC through the Xbox app and Steam, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Xbox Play Anywhere applies to purchases through the Xbox ecosystem, allowing one purchase to cover Xbox console and PC. There is no PS5 version: Xbox has described E-Day as an Xbox console exclusive, and current official platform listings do not include Sony’s console.
The UK Standard Edition is £59.99 and is available digitally and physically. The digital Premium Edition is £89.99 and includes up to five days of early access, the Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack, 1,000 Iron and five seasonal customisation packs. The £30 Premium Edition Upgrade is available separately for owners of the base game or eligible Game Pass access. The Collector’s Edition is listed at £249.99 in the UK when available, includes the game, a 15-inch Marcus and Dom statue, Carlos Santiago’s COG tags, a SteelBook case and other physical items, and is currently subject to limited stock. E-Day launches day one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Console multiplayer requires a Game Pass plan that includes online multiplayer.
What remains unconfirmed
The campaign’s length, mission count and total story content have not been announced. The complete launch line-up of Versus maps and modes has also not been published in full, although 4v4 play, Ranked and Social playlists are confirmed. The Coalition and Xbox have not yet provided a detailed post-launch roadmap covering future maps, modes or seasonal release dates.
The open beta ran in August 2026 and was focused on Horde Siege and Versus rather than the campaign. There is no confirmed standalone campaign demo. Any future PlayStation version remains unconfirmed; the current position from Xbox is that E-Day is an Xbox console exclusive rather than a timed exclusive.
Not yet confirmed
- Campaign length, mission count and total story content have not been announced.
- The complete launch line-up of Versus maps and modes has not been published in full.
- Specific post-launch maps, modes, seasons and support dates remain unannounced.
- Any future PlayStation version or port is unconfirmed; Xbox currently describes the game as an Xbox console exclusive.
- There is no confirmed standalone campaign demo.
Gears of War: E-Day: your questions
When is Gears of War: E-Day released in the UK?
The full release is Tuesday 6 October 2026, scheduled for 4pm BST in the UK. Premium and Collector’s Edition owners receive up to five days of early access from Thursday 1 October at 4pm BST.
Is Gears of War: E-Day coming to PS5?
No PS5 version has been announced. Xbox has confirmed E-Day as an Xbox console exclusive, with PC versions available through the Xbox app and Steam.
Is Gears of War: E-Day on Game Pass?
Yes. It launches day one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on 6 October 2026. Premium Edition early access is not included with the standard Game Pass launch entitlement.
Does Gears of War: E-Day have online co-op?
Yes. The campaign supports online co-op for up to four players, while Horde Siege supports 12 players across three squads. Versus is built around 4v4 competitive matches.
Is there a Gears of War: E-Day demo?
There is no confirmed standalone campaign demo. The open beta held in August 2026 offered multiplayer content from Horde Siege and Versus, not the full story campaign.
