Close-up of a snarling Locust with pale skin and glowing ammunition belts across its shoulders

Ways to play

Multiplayer and Modes

Gears of War: E-Day modes explained: the campaign, four-player co-op and split-screen, Horde Siege, 4v4 Versus, crossplay and what happened in the beta.

E-Day ships with three ways to play. The campaign is a five-act story for one to four players. Horde Siege is a 12-player co-operative mode with three squads on one map. Versus is 4v4 competitive play across four modes and six maps.

All three share one combat sandbox and, on the multiplayer side, one progression system with no battle pass. Xbox and PC players are matched together.

Start with whichever mode you bought the game for. Each page lists player counts, what is confirmed at launch and what The Coalition has said is coming later.

Start here

Video cover reading Official Multiplayer Reveal, with two Gears firing at a giant multi-legged Locust creature in a city plaza

Does Gears of War: E-Day Have Horde Mode? Horde Siege ExplainedWill Gears of War: E-Day have Horde mode? Yes, as Horde Siege: 12 players in three squads, three playlists, four classes and an extraction to finish.

A COG soldier jumps over rubble firing a rifle while two other Gears fight through red smoke

Gears of War: E-Day Co-op and Split-ScreenGears of War: E-Day co-op explained: four-player online campaign co-op, two-player split-screen on Xbox, and four-player squads in Horde Siege and training.

A Gear takes cover behind a police car on a city street while another soldier crouches beside blue machinery

Does Gears of War: E-Day Have a Campaign?Will Gears of War: E-Day have a campaign? Yes: a five-act, sixteen-chapter story playable solo, in four-player online co-op or two-player split-screen.

Versus and online play

Versus, crossplay and the beta

Competitive modes, cross-platform rules and beta rewards.

Gears of War: E-Day Open Beta: Dates, Rewards and ChangesThe Gears of War: E-Day beta ran August 6–17, 2026 and is now closed. See who had access, which rewards carry into the full game and what changed afterwards.Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer: Versus Modes and MapsGears of War: E-Day multiplayer explained: 4v4 Versus with four modes and six maps, Ranked from October 13, plus progression, Coins, Iron and the season plan.Is Gears of War: E-Day Crossplay?Will Gears of War: E-Day be crossplay? Yes. Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox PC app and Steam play together in co-op and multiplayer, with optional account linking.