Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel set during Emergence Day, the moment the Locust first surfaced and began their assault on humanity, fourteen years before the original Gears of War. Developed by The Coalition and People Can Fly and published by Xbox Game Studios, the game returns to Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as protagonists, with Marcus around 22 and Dom around 21 at this point in the timeline. It releases October 6, 2026 for Xbox Series X/S and Windows, confirmed as an Xbox console exclusive by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. The game is built in Unreal Engine 5 and designed around four-player co-op from launch.
Gears of War: E-Day Open Beta
An open beta runs August 6 to 10, 2026 as early access for pre-orders and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscribers, with a second open weekend to follow for everyone. The beta covers the multiplayer component: Versus, the classic 4v4 competitive mode on new maps set in and around the city of Kalona, and Horde Siege, a new cooperative mode supporting up to twelve players across three squads defending Kalona against waves of Locust.
Gears of War: E-Day Gameplay
The Coalition rebuilt the game from scratch rather than reusing assets from previous entries. The movement system is the most significant change in series history: roadie run is gone, replaced by a proper sprint with sliding, jumping, climbing, and the ability to take low cover by lying down. Returning weapons include the Lancer and Longshot, with the Lancer appearing as a prototype without its later chainsaw bayonet, since that modification has not been invented yet at this point in the timeline. New weapons include the Gutpuncher grenade launcher and the Incinerator shotgun. The campaign runs at 60 frames per second with hardware ray tracing, and multiplayer runs at up to 120 frames per second.
Gears of War: E-Day Summer Game Fest 2024 reveal trailer
Gears of War: E-Day FAQs
What engine is the game using?
The game is using Unreal Engine 5.
Is the game a prequel?
Yes, the trailer featured Dominic Santiago indicating that the game will be a prequel.
How old is Marcus Fenix in Gears of War: E-Day?
The game takes place 14 years before the original Gears of War. Marcus is around 36 in the original game, so he would be around 22 years old.
How old is Dominic Santiago in Gears of War: E-Day?
Dom was 35 in the original game, so he would be 21.
