Gears of War: E-Day officially launched on October 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, including Steam. It's also included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from day one. It's the first Xbox-exclusive release under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, and the first mainline Gears game of this console generation, so a lot is riding on it.

What the game is

E-Day is a prequel set 14 years before the original Gears of War. It follows Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago on Emergence Day, when the Locust Horde first erupts from underground. The campaign supports up to three-player co-op.

What critics are saying

The overall response is strong. The Xbox version sits in the high 80s on Metacritic, with the PC version a few points lower. Several outlets gave it perfect or near-perfect scores, and IGN scored it 9/10. The most common praise is for the combat, which reviewers describe as the best the series has felt in years.

Where critics pushed back

Not everyone was sold. Some reviewers found the story thin and the campaign repetitive, and the semi-open-world sections drew mixed reactions. The Guardian gave it a 6/10 while still calling the combat a highlight. PC Gamer's review-in-progress was also more critical than the consensus.

Multiplayer wasn't reviewed

The Coalition didn't make competitive multiplayer available to press before launch. Most scores only cover the campaign. The new Horde Siege mode supports up to 12 players across three squads, and launch day also kicked off Season 1 of the game's multiplayer content. Crossplay between Xbox and PC is supported.

Before you play

Gears is a demanding game, and a co-op campaign plus Horde Siege means long sessions. If your Xbox or gaming PC has been running loud, freezing, or overheating, a big launch week is when you'll notice it. Controller problems like stick drift or sticky buttons matter even more in a cover shooter that depends on precise aiming.

If your setup isn't up to it

At Mobile2Fix, we repair consoles, controllers, and gaming PCs. If something has been off with your hardware, it's better to get it looked at now than to find out mid-campaign.

Bottom line: E-Day looks like a strong return to form for Gears, especially on the combat side. Whether you're playing solo, in co-op, or waiting to see how Horde Siege holds up, make sure your hardware is ready for it.