Gears of War: E-Day Launch: Reviews, Modes and Game Pass

Pull on the armor, because Gears of War: E-Day is out today, October 6, 2026. The Coalition's prequel takes the series back to Emergence Day, the moment the Locust first burst out of the ground, and early reviews say the wait was worth it. Gears of War: E-Day launches on Xbox Series X/S and PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store, and it is included with Game Pass from day one.

• Platforms: Xbox Series X/S and PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), with Game Pass at launch and cross-play.
• Reviews: an 87 Top Critic Average on OpenCritic, with 91% of critics recommending it.
• Campaign: about 16 hours across five acts and 16 chapters, according to Pure Xbox.
• Modes: campaign with online and split-screen co-op, Horde Siege co-op and 4v4 Versus.

What Is Gears of War: E-Day About?

E-Day is set 14 years before the original 2006 game. Players follow a young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as the Locust Horde erupts beneath the city of Kalona and the long war begins. It is an origin story in the best sense: you see the friendship that anchors the whole saga before everything goes sideways. Gematsu reports the game is built on Unreal Engine 5, targeting 4K and up to 60fps, with Steam Deck optimization on PC.

What Are Critics Saying About Gears of War: E-Day?

The reception is strong. OpenCritic lists an 87 Top Critic Average with 91% of critics recommending the game, which puts it in the site's 98th percentile. Pure Xbox went all the way with a 10/10, calling it the best combat in the series so far and praising new movement options such as sprinting and mantling, the striking city of Kalona and genuinely scary Locust. Not every outlet was quite that effusive: GameSpot scored it 7/10, while GameRant and The Games Machine landed at 9/10. Most reviews covered the campaign only, since multiplayer was not fully open before launch.

What Modes Does Gears of War: E-Day Include?

Beyond the story, there is a lot to chew on:

• Campaign co-op: play online or in two-player split-screen, which Pure Xbox notes runs at 30fps.
• Horde Siege: the evolved wave-survival mode for squads of up to four.
• Versus: classic 4v4 multiplayer with cross-play.
• Performance options: on Series X, a 30fps Quality mode or a 60fps Performance mode.

How Do I Get the Best Performance on PC?

If you are playing on PC, check your hardware against our Gears of War: E-Day PC requirements guide before you download, and it is a good weekend to chase your next Xbox Mythic achievement too. For more launches, visit our gaming hub.

Sources: Gematsu — June 7, 2026; Pure Xbox — October 1, 2026; OpenCritic — October 6, 2026.