Gears of War: E-Day release: Everything we know so far

You’re not alone if you’ve been wondering when the Gears of War: E-Day release date will finally be upon us. It’s been nearly a full year since Microsoft first revealed the next instalment in the third-person shooter franchise, with few new details since outside of speculation and rumors. 

The one thing we do know is that you’re out of luck if you’re expecting a Gears 6 release date. That’s because Gears of War: E-Day isn’t a sequel to the mainline games that came before; instead, it’s a prequel that will explore the horrors of Emergence Day, of which we’ve only ever seen (and played through) the aftermath throughout the series to date. There’s also the return of some familiar faces after a handful of sequels went in wild directions, so that’s something to look forward to. 

We’ve combed through all the confusion to bring you everything you need to know about The Coalition’s latest release. However, note that the following combines confirmed details and industry speculation. 

Gears of War: E-Day is rumored to launch by the end of 2025; could be delayed to 2026.

It’s been a long time since we last had a new Gears of War game. The most recent entry in the franchise was Gears 5, which was released nearly six years ago; it even predates the current Xbox Series X/S console generation, being released for the Xbox One before receiving a next-gen port. 

As such, hype is through the roof for Gears of War: E-Day, the role it will fill for the series, a reunion between fan favorite characters, and the full utilization of today’s powerful computing and console technology. 

While no specific Gears of War: E-Day release date has been confirmed by Microsoft, current market estimates claim that the hotly anticipated prequel will be released before the end of 2025. The latest in the long-running third-person shooter franchise was first announced back in June 2024 with no mention of a rough time frame since, outside of rumors and speculation. 

While it’s believed that the Gears of War: E-Day release window will be in 2025, some credible gaming leakers have alleged that Microsoft could be pushing the game to 2026 instead. The speculation was sparked in a Reddit thread after a well-known content creator, eXtas1s, claimed that the prequel could be pushed back due to conflicting plans around the license, which are said to be happening before the end of this year. 

That’s because it’s believed that 2025 will see the announcement and launch of the Gears of War Remastered Collection instead of rolling out E-Day as originally planned. Lending a degree of credence to this rumor is the fact that eXtas1s alleges this collection will be coming to not only the Xbox Series X/S and PC but also the PS5, as Microsoft has a recent history of lending its IP to Sony’s hardware, as we’ve seen with the likes of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Sea of Thieves, and Forza Horizon 5 this year. 

Likely, the Gears of War: E-Day Xbox and PS5 release date will differ, should Microsoft’s premier franchise make the jump over to Sony’s console; we could see E-Day launch in late 2025 (or early 2026) on its native Xbox and PC platforms, with a later launch window for PS5 gamers. 

It’s currently unknown whether Microsoft will delay the game to next year, making room for the remastered collection instead, or whether it will launch alongside. We’ve seen something similar with Team Ninja’s Year of the Ninja initiative, as Ninja Gaiden 2: Black, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and Ninja Gaiden 4 are expected all within 2025; Gears could follow suit. 

However, what we do know for sure is that the original voice actors for Marcus Fenix and Dom (John DiMaggio and Carlos Ferro) would be reprising their roles for the prequel. Given how much of a focus the game seems to place on their relationship, this is a welcome comfort for fans throughout the years. We also know that Gears of War: E-Day on Xbox Game Pass is confirmed as well.