Gears of War: E-Day is a third-person cover shooter from The Coalition and People Can Fly, published by Xbox Game Studios and released on October 6, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. You finish the story campaign, complete objectives and extract in 12-player Horde Siege, or beat the other team's objective in 4v4 Versus.
What is Gears of War: E-Day?
Gears of War: E-Day is a third-person cover shooter and a prequel to the original Gears of War trilogy. It tells the story of Emergence Day, when the Locust war began. It is not a battle royale: you play a story campaign, a large co-op mode against the Locust, and small-team PvP.
The game is made by The Coalition together with People Can Fly and published by Xbox Game Studios. It launched worldwide on October 6, 2026, after Premium Edition owners got five days of early access from October 1. As of October 2026 it is on Xbox Series X|S and PC (the Xbox app and Steam), with no PlayStation version.
| Fact | Gears of War: E-Day (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Developer | The Coalition and People Can Fly |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Release | October 6, 2026 (Premium early access from October 1) |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X|S, PC via the Xbox app and Steam |
| Price | $69.99 Standard, $99.99 Premium; included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Genre | Third-person cover shooter |
| Modes | Campaign (solo or co-op), Horde Siege (PvE), Versus (4v4 PvP) |
There is no battle pass at launch; paid cosmetics are limited to the Premium Edition and a few partner and charity packs.
What is the objective of Gears of War: E-Day?
The overall goal depends on which part of the game you open. In the campaign, the aim is to survive the first day of the Locust war and see the story through to the end, on your own or with friends. The campaign supports up to four players online, and two players can share one console in split-screen.
In Horde Siege, the aim is for your squad and two other squads to complete enough objectives on a big map, buy upgrades along the way, beat any giant Locust that turns up, and get out by helicopter. In Versus, the aim is simply to beat the other team of four at the mode's objective, whether that is kills, territory, a bomb or a power source.
How do you win a match in Gears of War: E-Day?
Each mode has its own win condition. The table sums up what has been confirmed for launch. Exact score targets and round counts are shown on the scoreboard before each match, so check there for the numbers.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign | 1 player, up to 4 online co-op, 2 split-screen | Clear each chapter and finish the story on your chosen difficulty |
| Horde Siege | 12 players: three squads of four | Complete enough objectives to call in a helicopter extraction, and survive to reach it |
| Team Deathmatch | 4v4 | Keep killing the other team until they have run out of lives |
| Conquest | 4v4 | Capture and hold zones to score points; a zone stays live until a team holds it long enough to score |
| Demolition | 4v4 | Carry a neutral bomb to one of the enemy's two bomb sites, plant it and make it explode |
| Crucible | 4v4 | Take the Power Core and hold it inside the scoring zone, which shrinks, to earn points for your team |
How does ranked or progression work?
In Versus Ranked, your rank is tracked separately for each mode. You play a set of placement matches in a mode first, and the game then gives you a starting rank for it. That means you can be strong in Team Deathmatch and still be placing in Conquest.
Social is the relaxed Versus playlist, with limited-time modes, bot playlists and events. In Horde Siege, progress comes from four classes (Assault, Breacher, Marksman and Medic), each with 30 levels that unlock loadouts and mods. Completing squad missions earns Energy to spend on upgrades at cache stations during a run.
For the detail, read our complete Gears of War: E-Day guide for the campaign, Horde Siege and Versus, and the Horde Siege classes and Allfather guide for co-op. Every Gears post we publish is collected under the Gears of War: E-Day guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more
- Learn cover first. Sliding into cover, popping out to shoot and moving to the next piece of cover is the core skill. Standing in the open gets you knocked down in every mode.
- Start in Social or against bots. Learn the six Kalona maps and their sightlines before you play placement matches that set your starting rank.
- Stay near your team. Being close lets you revive downed teammates and trade kills together, which wins more Team Deathmatch rounds than solo flanks.
- Play the objective. In Conquest, Demolition and Crucible, points come from zones, bombs and the Power Core, not your kill count.
- Pick one Horde Siege class. Levelling one class to a high level gets you to harder difficulties faster than spreading time across four.
- Spend your Energy. In Horde Siege, buying upgrades at cache stations is part of winning the run; do not sit on unused Energy.
- Help the other squads. The run succeeds as a group, and giant Locust are built to need every squad at once.
How can Boosting Games help with Gears of War: E-Day?
Boosting Games offers fixed-price Gears of War: E-Day services, and you can browse them all in the Gears of War: E-Day services collection. Prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for your option shows before checkout.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gears of War: E-Day Campaign Completion | Help finishing the campaign | From $7 |
| Gears of War: E-Day Horde Siege Mission Carry | An experienced squad for your Horde Siege missions | From $15 |
| Gears of War: E-Day Horde Siege Class Leveling | Levels for a Horde Siege class | From $12 |
| Gears of War: E-Day Versus Wins | A set number of Versus wins | From $12 |
| Gears of War: E-Day Ranked Placement Matches | Your ranked placement matches played | From $19 |
| Gears of War: E-Day Coaching | Live coaching from an experienced player | From $19 |
Honest risk note: Gears of War: E-Day is played through Xbox and Steam accounts, whose rules do not allow you to share your login, and breaking platform rules can lead to an account suspension. A piloted order, where a booster signs in to your account, carries the most risk. Duo and self-play orders, where you stay on your own account, carry less, and coaching carries none. Please read our account safety notice before you order. We never sell accounts, currency, items, cheats or mods.
Get help with Gears of War: E-Day
Pick a service, see the exact price before you pay, and follow every session on your private order page.
See Gears of War: E-Day servicesAsk Boost Up AIOur Gears of War: E-Day boosting page explains each option, and how it works covers the order steps from checkout to completion. Not sure which service fits? Boost Up AI can suggest one. New to the other games we cover? Start with every game explained.
Related reading: Gears of War: E-Day Guide: Campaign, Horde Siege and Versus, Gears of War: E-Day Horde Siege Guide: Classes and Allfather Tips, What is Battlefield 6 and how do you win? and What is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and how do you win?
Gears of War: E-Day FAQ
Is Gears of War: E-Day free to play?
No. Gears of War: E-Day is a paid game. The Standard Edition costs $69.99 and the Premium Edition $99.99, and Game Pass members can upgrade to Premium for $30. It is also included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from launch day, so if you already have one of those plans you can play the Standard Edition without buying it separately.
Is Gears of War: E-Day a battle royale?
No. E-Day has no battle royale mode. It is a third-person cover shooter with a story campaign, a 12-player co-op mode called Horde Siege, and 4v4 Versus PvP. In Versus you win by meeting the mode's objective, such as kills, zones, a bomb or the Power Core, not by being the last squad alive on a shrinking map.
Can I play Gears of War: E-Day on PlayStation?
Not as of October 2026. The game launched on Xbox Series X|S and on PC through the Xbox app and Steam. Microsoft has described it as an Xbox console exclusive, so there is no PS5 version. PC and Xbox players get the same campaign, Horde Siege and Versus modes.
Can I play the campaign in co-op?
Yes. The campaign can be played alone, with up to four players online, or with two players in split-screen on the same console. Co-op is a relaxed way for new players to learn cover, weapons and reviving before they try Versus. It is also the easiest way to try the game with a friend who has never played Gears before.
How does ranked work in Gears of War: E-Day?
Ranked is one of the two Versus playlists, next to Social. Your rank is kept separately for each mode, such as Team Deathmatch or Conquest. You start by playing placement matches in a mode, and the game then gives you a starting rank based on how they went. Social is the better place to warm up first.
What is the best mode for beginners?
Start with the campaign or the Social playlist. The campaign teaches the cover system at your own pace, and Social includes playlists against bots and limited-time modes with no rank at stake. Horde Siege on a low difficulty is also friendly, because the whole lobby of twelve works together against the Locust instead of against you.
Sources: KeenGamer: E-Day launch, editions and prices, Wikipedia: Gears of War: E-Day, Gfinity: Horde Siege and Versus modes, Windows Central: E-Day multiplayer preview, OpenCritic/DualShockers: multiplayer modes and beta.