Gears of War: E-Day launched to an 88 Metacritic score, making it the best-reviewed entry in over a decade. Yet Alinea Analytics estimates only 230,000 copies sold during early access, while 1.7 million players accessed the game through Xbox Game Pass.
Gears of War: E-Day has attracted 1.7 million Xbox Game Pass subscribers since its early access launch, with over 722,000 of those players purchasing the $30 Premium Edition upgrade. Total revenue across sales, microtransactions, and upgrades has surpassed $37 million, though traditional copy sales sit at just 230,000 units.
Gears of War: E-Day enters Early Access today for Premium Edition owners and Game Pass subscribers, bringing players back to the series' origins 14 years before the first game. The launch is accompanied by a new gameplay trailer set to Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" that showcases the reimagined Horde Siege mode and modernized combat movement.
The Coalition has not officially revealed how long Gears of War: E-Day will take to complete or how many missions the campaign will contain. Speculation continues to build as the prequel approaches its 2025 release window on Xbox Series X/S and PC. Players eager for concrete details will need to wait for future updates from the studio.
The Coalition revealed new details about Gears of War: E-Day during the Official Xbox Podcast at gamescom, discussing the game's focus on brotherhood, the new antagonist Vraahk, and how the campaign explores the first two days of the Locust invasion in the city of Kalona. Creative Director Matt Searcy and Campaign Design Director Raul Figueroa explained how the prequel setting allows players to witness the world before its destruction, making the loss more poignant.
Microsoft has unveiled its 25th anniversary celebration for Xbox, rolling out a commemorative hardware collection, new community-designed gear, and a FanFest tour across multiple cities. The lineup also includes a custom Gibson guitar collaboration tied to the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day. Here is everything announced so far.
Gibson Guitars and The Coalition have revealed a limited-edition collection of four hand-painted custom guitars inspired by Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago from Gears of War: E-Day. The instruments debut publicly at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, with a giveaway offering fans a chance to win three of the unique pieces.
Xbox's latest news roundup covers NBA 2K26 free play days and indie highlights for August 2026, but contains no mention of a Gears of War: E-Day Early Access Open Beta. The Coalition has not announced any beta timeline for the upcoming prequel.
The Gears of War: E-Day open beta launches August 6 for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers, bringing a new Horde Siege PvE mode to the service. The first half of August also adds over a dozen titles including Beast of Reincarnation, Date Everything!, Cricket 26, and Sandustry, while four games depart on August 15.
The Summer of Gaming 2026 showcased several exciting titles, including Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Gears of War: E-Day, Stuntman Hollywood, God of War: Laufey, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. These games promise to deliver innovative gameplay, rich storytelling, and stunning visuals across PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2. From throwback fun to epic sequels, there's something for every gamer.
