Gears of War: E-Day launches on October 6, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and it is available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate. Premium Edition owners can start playing up to five days early, from October 1. Developed by The Coalition with People Can Fly on Unreal Engine 5, E-Day is a prequel set 14 years before the original Gears of War, following a young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago through the day the Locust emerged. Here is what is confirmed about the story, gameplay, modes, performance targets and editions, as of September 14, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Release date: October 6, 2026. Up to 5 days early access from October 1 with the Premium Edition.
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC (Xbox app and Steam), and day one with Game Pass Ultimate.
- Developer and engine: The Coalition and People Can Fly, Unreal Engine 5.
- Price: $69.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the Premium Edition on Steam (US).
- Modes: campaign with four-player online co-op and two-player split-screen on consoles, 4v4 Versus, and Horde Siege for up to 12 players.
- Performance targets: up to 60 fps with ray tracing in the campaign and Horde Siege, and up to 120 fps in multiplayer.
Release Timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| August 6, 2026 | Open beta begins; pre-ordering any edition grants early beta access |
| October 1, 2026 | Early access for Premium Edition and Collector’s Edition owners |
| October 6, 2026 | Launch on Xbox Series X|S, PC and Game Pass Ultimate |
Story and Setting: Emergence Day
E-Day is set on the planet Sera, 14 years before the events of the first Gears of War. It follows young COG veterans Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as they fight to survive the Locust invasion in the city of Kalona — the catastrophe the rest of the series has only ever looked back on. For newcomers, that makes it the natural starting point; for long-time fans, it is the first time the series has shown Emergence Day as it happened.
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Gameplay: What Is Changing
E-Day keeps the series’ cover-based third-person combat, with changes to how you move and how the world reacts.
Movement
Movement has been redesigned, adding sprint sliding, jumping, climbing and enhanced traversal options — a noticeable step away from the heavier, more locked-down movement of earlier games.
Destruction
The environment can come apart around you, with large-scale structural collapses, sinkholes and localized damage. Cover is no longer guaranteed to stay where you left it.
Weapons
The Lancer and Longshot return, joined by two new weapons: the Gutpuncher grenade launcher and the Incinerator shotgun. Because E-Day is an origin story, the Chainsaw Lancer also appears in an origin-story role.
Game Modes
- Campaign: playable solo, with up to four players in online co-op, or two players in split-screen co-op on consoles.
- Versus: 4v4 competitive matches, including Team Deathmatch and Conquest.
- Horde Siege: a new cooperative player-versus-environment mode for up to 12 players.
Competitive players weighing up this autumn’s shooters can compare it with our guide to Modern Warfare 4’s release date, editions and maps.
Platforms and Performance
E-Day releases on Xbox Series X|S and on PC through the Xbox app and Steam. The published performance targets are up to 60 frames per second with ray tracing in the campaign and Horde Siege, and up to 120 frames per second in multiplayer. Xbox has not published per-console resolution targets, and we will update this section when it does.
Editions and Pricing
| Edition | Price (US) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $69.99 (Steam) | Base game. Also included with Game Pass Ultimate on day one |
| Premium Edition | $99.99 (Steam) | Base game, up to 5 days early access, Emergence Customization Pack, 4 additional seasonal customization packs, 1,000 Iron (premium currency), Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack |
| Premium Edition Upgrade | Not yet listed in our sources | Adds the Premium content, including early access |
| Collector’s Edition | Not yet listed in our sources | Xbox Series X and Steam only, limited quantities: 15-inch Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago statue, metal COG tags replica, SteelBook case, art print, thank-you note, and a disc (Xbox) or code (Steam) |
The value math: the Premium Edition costs $30 more than the Standard Edition on Steam. That buys five days of early access, 1,000 Iron and a stack of cosmetic packs — worth it if you want to play on October 1 or you know you will spend on cosmetics anyway. If you have Game Pass Ultimate, the base game is already included on day one.
Pre-order bonus: every edition includes the Exfil Dom Legendary Character Skin and the Exfil Legendary Weapon Skin Set, available from October 1. Pre-ordering also granted early access to the open beta.
Who Should Buy It
If you already have Game Pass Ultimate, there is little reason not to try E-Day on launch day. Series fans who want to start on October 1 are the audience for the Premium Edition. Newcomers do not need to have played earlier games: as a prequel set 14 years before the original, E-Day is the story’s starting point. For more Xbox and PC coverage, see our Console hub and PC section.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Gears of War: E-Day come out?
October 6, 2026. Premium Edition owners can play up to five days early, from October 1.
Is Gears of War: E-Day on Game Pass?
Yes. It is available on day one with Game Pass Ultimate.
Does Gears of War: E-Day have split-screen co-op?
Yes. The campaign supports two-player split-screen co-op on consoles, as well as up to four-player co-op online.
What platforms is Gears of War: E-Day on?
Xbox Series X|S and PC, through the Xbox app and Steam.
How much is Gears of War: E-Day?
On Steam in the US, the Standard Edition is $69.99 and the Premium Edition is $99.99.
Sources
- Gears of War: E-Day editions, pre-order bonus and open beta (Gears of War official site)
- Gears of War: E-Day on Xbox.com — release date and Game Pass
- Gears of War: E-Day on Steam — Standard and Premium Edition prices, official screenshots
- Gears of War: E-Day (Wikipedia) — developers, setting, gameplay changes, modes and performance targets
Updated September 14, 2026: removed edition prices, performance figures, modes and gameplay details that official sources do not support, corrected the Collector’s Edition statue and the Versus modes, and replaced an image from an earlier Gears game with an official E-Day screenshot.
