Gears of War: E-Day First Impressions – Multiplayer evolves the classic formula without losing its identity

Since its debut on Xbox 360 nearly 20 years ago, Gears of War has become one of Xbox’s defining franchises. Its weighty cover-based combat, the iconic Lancer chainsaw, and a story centered on flawed soldiers fighting an endless war captivated an entire generation of players. Combined with a story where none of the characters were perfect heroes and where it seemed they would never have a day of peace, everything pointed to a steady stream of new installments. However, as this generation progressed, the wait felt longer.

That changed when Microsoft revealed Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel that takes the series back to Emergence Day—the beginning of humanity’s war against the Locust Horde. Ahead of its October launch, I had the opportunity to play the multiplayer beta, offering an early look at where the franchise is headed.

The gears of war are turning once again

It’s been a very long time since I played Gears of War multiplayer—especially Versus mode—and while my lack of practice was evident, there were several aspects that immediately stood out. The preview gave us a glimpse of what will essentially be the core gameplay, and although there are a few changes here and there, jumping back into matches as either the COG or the Locust Horde felt instantly familiar. The franchise’s signature mechanics remain intact, from snapping into cover and using Active Reload to crawling while downed in hopes that a teammate reaches you before the enemy finishes the job. All of that remains intact.

But there are also some new abilities, ranging from sliding while running to a new way of jumping over obstacles—or, in some cases, even being able to revive yourself after you’ve been knocked down. Another welcome improvement is the slightly wider field of view, which pulls the camera back just enough to provide better awareness without sacrificing the series’ signature perspective.

Versus mode is still pretty fast-paced. The demo let us play Team Deathmatch, the classic mode where teams compete to rack up the most kills within a time limit. The standout mode during the beta was Conquest, which blends team combat with objective control. Teams battle to capture and defend shifting control points, encouraging constant movement and far more tactical decision-making than Team Deathmatch. It also reaffirmed one timeless truth: the Gnasher shotgun is still king in close-quarters combat.

One thing worth noting is that before each match, you can customize your character by choosing their weapons, skin, and pose. Plus, as you play more matches, you level up and unlock new items, including both cosmetic items and weapons. Progression resembles a modern multiplayer progression system, with cosmetic rewards, weapon unlocks, and account levels, although the beta didn’t appear to include a traditional Battle Pass.

The Horde Expands

While Versus is the cornerstone of Gears of War’s competitive multiplayer experience, Horde is its cooperative mode—and, surprisingly, receives the most significant overhaul in E-Day. Rather than defending a fixed location for dozens of waves, the mode now adopts a much more objective-driven structure. Whereas Horde previously placed us on a map with an area to defend and points to build on, E-Day now offers a more dynamic map that transforms the Horde mechanics from previous installments into something even bigger.

Players deploy into a large open battlefield, complete objectives, activate RIG devices, gather resources, and eventually fight their way to an extraction zone. The structure makes every match feel closer to an actual COG military operation than a traditional survival mode.

Horde Mode is divided into three options: Blitz, where the missions are short and simple; Siege, with slightly longer missions that take you across more of the map; and Horde, which is the most classic mode where you have to survive waves of enemies. These game modes vary in length, so you can choose the one that fits the amount of time you want to spend playing, whether with strangers or with your friends. Before starting—just like in Versus mode—you can customize your character, but with the option to choose from four different classes, each with its own set of weapons and a special ability. At the end of each match, you’ll earn experience points that let you level up your class and even unlock new weapons, additional customization slots, and upgrades for your character’s armor.

One of the aspects this new mode preserves best is the feeling of being part of a much larger conflict. The larger maps also reinforce the feeling that you’re fighting in a much larger war. Multiple squads can occupy the same battlefield simultaneously, supporting up to 12 players at once. Crossing paths with another squad while both teams pursue separate objectives creates some of the beta’s most memorable moments. This not only gives you the feeling that it’s your squad against the world, but it also means you might end up helping complete strangers with their mission before you can get back to your own. Of course, larger maps also invite distractions. During one match, a teammate abandoned our squad after running into another group, leaving the rest of us scrambling to finish the objective short-handed.

Based on this technical beta, Gears of War: E-Day feels less like a reinvention and more like a confident evolution of one of Xbox’s most iconic multiplayer shooters. It preserves the cover-based gunplay that defined the franchise while introducing enough new ideas—particularly in Horde—to make the experience feel fresh. Technical issues remain, as expected for a beta, but the foundation is undeniably strong. If the full release delivers on what this preview promises, E-Day could mark the return longtime fans have been waiting for.

Gears of War: E-Day will be released on October 6 on Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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