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Does Gears of War: E-Day Have Horde Mode? Horde Siege Explained

Will 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.

Published 2026-10-046 cited sources
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Short answer

Yes. Horde returns as Horde Siege, a 12-player version

E-Day’s Horde mode is called Horde Siege. Three squads of four share one large map in Kalona, each with its own mission, and the match ends with an extraction by Raven helicopter rather than a final wave count.

If you want the traditional experience, pick the Horde playlist: your squad digs in at one spot and survives ten waves. The other two playlists, Blitz and Siege, send you across the map between objectives.

Players
12, in 3 squads of 4
Launch maps
3
Classes
4, each with 30 levels
Video cover reading Official Multiplayer Reveal, with two Gears firing at a giant multi-legged Locust creature in a city plaza
Cover image of the official multiplayer reveal video from July 30, 2026, showing two Gears firing at a giant Locust creature in a city plaza.

The three playlists

Horde Siege mission playlists and their official lengths
PlaylistStructureLength
Blitz1–2 objectivesAbout 15–20 minutes
SiegeSeveral objectives across the map20–40 minutes
HordeHold one position for 10 waves with limited supportUp to 50–60 minutes

IGN’s guide, written from the launch build, gives slightly longer ranges for Blitz and Siege.

How a mission flows

  1. Pick a class and a playlist, then a difficulty. The game suggests one from your class level.
  2. Deploy. Your squad joins a battle already in progress, with two other squads on the same map.
  3. Complete your main objectives. Most involve a R.I.G., a piece of COG scanning equipment.
  4. Take optional Secondary Objectives for Weapon Parts, free equipment and Squad Perks.
  5. Spend your squad’s shared Energy at Supply Caches on equipment, perks, weapons and turrets.
  6. Respond to Invasion Events, when a Corpser or Brumak arrives and affects every squad.
  7. Clear the landing zone and board the Raven before it leaves.

Objective types

The five objective types available at launch
ObjectiveWhat your squad does
SecurePush into a Locust-held area and drive them out.
CalibrateDefend a series of zones near a R.I.G.
RepairCollect scattered parts and reinstall them.
DefendProtect an active R.I.G. until its mapping finishes.
HordeSurvive 10 waves attacking a single R.I.G.

Death, revives and extraction

When you die you drop your COG tags. A squadmate can carry them to any Supply Cache to bring you back, and a player from another squad can pick them up to revive you instantly. If the whole squad dies, you lose a Squad Life; run out and the mission fails with partial XP.

Only one member of your squad has to extract for the mission to count. That matters because Weapon Parts, the currency for permanent weapon mods, are kept only if someone gets out. Miss the helicopter and you lose the ride.

Each boss wave you clear applies a Poison that makes the Locust you face stronger, so squads have to weigh extra objectives against a harder finish.

Difficulty levels

Difficulty recommendations named by The Coalition
DifficultyRecommended class level
Infantry10–20
Commander20–30
AllfatherMaximum level only

Higher difficulties pay more and add Mission Modifiers, such as health regenerating only in cover. Invasions, Commander and Allfather were all made harder after the beta.

Can you play it solo?

Horde Siege is built around matchmade squads, and the official material does not describe an offline or solo-only option. The launch notes mention improved backfill AI bots, which indicates bots can fill empty squad slots, and Private Lobbies are listed as not available at launch.

Console players need Game Pass Essential or higher for online multiplayer, which includes this mode.

Quick questions

Is Horde Siege the same as classic Horde?

No. It adds multiple squads, objectives and extraction on larger maps. The Horde playlist inside it is the closest match: ten waves defending one position.

How many maps does Horde Siege have?

Three at launch, each covering a district of Kalona, with more planned after launch. The beta used Golden Quarter.

Is there an Escape mode?

No Escape mode has been announced for E-Day. Horde Siege and Versus are the two multiplayer modes.

Next step

Best Class in Gears of War: E-Day Horde SiegeKnow the mode? Pick a class before your first mission.

Sources

Where these answers come from

  • Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Deep DiveHorde Siege rules, classes, difficulties and objectives, Versus modes and maps, ranked play, progression, Coins and Iron.Published 2026-07-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
  • Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Emergence Begins – TomorrowSeason 1 dates, ranked start date, changes since the beta, features missing at launch and the launch known issues list.Published 2026-09-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
  • Press or guide · GuideIGN Guide: Horde SiegeDefault loadouts and stat focus for each Horde Siege class, how gear upgrades work and practical match tips.Published 2026-10-03 · Checked 2026-10-04
  • Press or guide · PreviewIGN: Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer First PreviewHands-on description of the default controls: cover on A, sprint on a left-stick click and jump or vault on Y.Published 2026-07-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
  • Official · Official videoYouTube: Gears of War: E-Day Official Multiplayer RevealDeveloper walkthrough of Horde Siege, classes, Versus modes and maps, training modes and the customization approach, with timestamps.Published 2026-07-30 · Checked 2026-10-04
  • Official · Official siteGearsofWar.com: Open Beta Details and FAQBeta dates, access rules, reward challenges, what carried over, account linking steps and the beta-era PC known issues.Published 2026-08-03 · Checked 2026-10-04