Gears of War: E-Day Is Out Now — Game Pass, Platforms, Co-Op and Launch Details

Gears of War: E-Day is available now on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, via Microsoft Store or Steam. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass include it, according to Xbox. The worldwide standard unlock was October 6, 2026, at 15:00 UTC.

Is E-Day on Game Pass, and where can you play?

Xbox Play Anywhere shares progression and achievements across supported Xbox and Microsoft Store PC access; Steam purchases are separate. PS5 and Switch are not listed launch platforms.

The Coalition’s launch update confirms cloud support through Game Pass Ultimate and GeForce NOW. Xbox’s current store says Ultimate includes cloud play; Essential and Premium subscribers must buy the game to stream it. Cloud access depends on service entitlement, supported devices and region.

When did Gears of War: E-Day unlock?

These are historical synchronized times from The Coalition’s schedule. Pre-install opened on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Steam; downloading did not grant early-play entitlement. These were simultaneous worldwide unlock times; local clock times depend on the reader’s time zone.

Who had early access?

The October 1 early-access window has ended. Premium Edition owners and eligible Game Pass subscribers with the Premium Upgrade could play up to five days early. A standard purchase or subscription alone did not include that edition benefit.

Watch the official launch trailer

Watch the official XBOX upload on YouTube. YouTube may require sign-in and age confirmation. The October 1 launch trailer features Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” according to The Coalition.

Does the campaign have split-screen and online co-op?

The campaign supports solo play, two-player split-screen on console, or up to four players online, as detailed in The Coalition’s E-Day Direct. PC split-screen is not advertised. Console online multiplayer requires Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate.

What are Horde Siege and Versus?

Horde Siege is 12-player PvE: three squads defend Kalona on larger city maps. Versus is 4v4 PvP on new maps, with Ranked and Social playlists. Those player counts describe different modes; campaign co-op remains four online or two locally on console.

What PC hardware does the game require?

The final PC specification chart requires an SSD with 115 GB available and a hardware ray-tracing-capable GPU. Minimum memory is 12 GB RAM and 6 GB VRAM; recommended memory is 16 GB RAM and 8 GB VRAM. Check the chart’s CPU and GPU combinations before comparing your PC; meeting the memory figures alone is insufficient.

E-Day takes place 14 years before the original Gears of War, following Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during the first Locust assault. Find more coverage in Gaming and dated releases in the Red Reactions release calendar.

Photo: Der. Bellemer, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. The full photograph was rotated to match its orientation metadata, resized and converted to WebP; this image and its responsive versions retain the same license.