Gears of War: E-Day
The origin story of Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, set 14 years before the first game on the day the Locust Horde erupted. Built in Unreal Engine 5 by The Coalition, out now on Xbox and PC.
Gears of War: E-Day launched October 6, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Microsoft Store) and Steam, and is included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on day one. Pre-order and Premium Edition players got in early on October 1. Xbox Play Anywhere means one purchase covers both Xbox and PC with shared progression.
Editions and what you get
Three ways to buy. Game Pass players need no pre-order at all.
| Edition | Price | What's in it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $69.99 (digital & physical) | Full game: campaign, Horde Siege, Versus |
| Premium | $99.99 (digital) | Base game + Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack + five Seasonal Customization Packs (starting with the Emergence Pack) + 1,000 Iron premium currency |
| Premium Upgrade | $29.99 | Adds the Premium extras if you already own Standard |
| Pre-order bonus | Any edition | Exfil Dom character skin + Exfil Weapon Skin Set, usable from early access |
Horde Siege: the new co-op mode
Horde is back and rebuilt for scale — up to 12 players in three squads of four, defending the city of Kalona across larger maps.
Assault
Front-line class built around close-range pressure and survivability. Holds lanes and revives under fire.
Marksman
Long-range damage dealer. Picks off elite Locust before they reach the line and handles priority targets.
Medic
Keeps squads alive through heavy waves. The glue of any 12-player run — coordinate heals across squads.
Breacher
Explosives and crowd control. Shreds clustered waves and opens up fortified positions for the team.
Campaign and co-op
The story of Emergence Day itself — how the Locust first broke through and how Marcus and Dom survived it.
| Mode | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign | 1–4 | Solo, 2-player split-screen, or up to 4 online |
| Horde Siege | 4–12 | PvE wave survival, classes, shared objectives, world bosses |
| Versus | 4v4 | Refined competitive PvP on all-new maps, cross-platform |
Common questions
Is Gears of War E-Day on Game Pass?
Yes. It launched day one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Cloud streaming is available through Game Pass Ultimate and GeForce Now.
Is E-Day a remake of the first Gears?
No. It is a prequel set on Emergence Day itself, 14 years before the original game — a brand-new campaign built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5, not a remaster.
Does it support cross-play and cross-progression?
Yes. Multiplayer is cross-platform between Xbox and PC, and Xbox Play Anywhere carries your progression and achievements between the console and the Microsoft Store PC version.
Do I need to play the older games first?
No — as an origin story it is a natural entry point. Returning fans get context on Marcus, Dom and the Locust war's first day, but nothing requires prior knowledge.
Is there split-screen co-op?
Yes, the campaign supports 2-player split-screen locally, plus up to 4 players online.