Gears Of War: E-Day–How’s It Selling? Let’s Unpack Things

Release · 13 Oct 2026

Gears of War: E-Day, Microsoft's latest console exclusive, is a prequel to the 2006 original — and the early verdict from one reviewer is mixed.

What is Gears of War: E-Day

Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel to the 2006 original, developed by The Coalition and described as Microsoft's latest console exclusive. It is set 14 years before the surprise Locust attack that ignited the series, and follows Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as the human surface world is invaded by the subterranean Locust. Much of the action takes place in and around the city of Kalona.

How it's being received

GameSpot published its review on October 1, 2026. The site's main criticism is that the prequel's campaign re-treads familiar ground: the review says the best prequels recontextualize what came before, and that "Gears of War: E-Day doesn't do anything like this," calling the story "fairly boilerplate" and aimed more at newcomers than longtime fans.

Combat is described as the game's strong point — the Gnasher shotgun, Longshot sniper rifle and the Lancer's chainsaw bayonet remain satisfying — and this time players can equip weapon mods and alter perfect-reload bonuses. Marcus and his squad are more agile than in past games, with sliding, jumping, mantle moves and climbing, tied to a renewed focus on verticality.

• Versus multiplayer is classic 4v4, but GameSpot notes only six maps, no skill-based matchmaking, no server browser or private lobbies, and an in-game cosmetics store.
• The new Horde Siege mode drops three teams of four into Kalona to fight the Locust on multiple fronts, and is described as faring "much better".

What about sales

Specific sales figures for Gears of War: E-Day were not confirmed in the sources reviewed for this article, so its commercial performance is unknown here.

Where to get it

GameSpot's review and further coverage are available at gamespot.com. Platform and pricing details were not detailed in the sources reviewed.

Sources

• GameSpot — Gears Of War: E-Day's Campaign Is Buried In The Past (review)
• GameSpot — Gears of War: E-Day (game hub)