Do you need to play Gears of War before E-Day? A guide for new players

02 / Story context

The only story context that actually helps

You can start E-Day knowing nothing about Gears of War. The setup is explained in the game, and the official pages give you the same frame: a planet called Sera, a human war that has just ended, and a monster army that has been living underground until the day it breaks through. The campaign takes place in one city, Kalona, over three days as it falls apart.

There is a small bonus for newcomers here. PC Gamer points out that the original Gears of War covers Emergence Day in its opening cutscene, and its reviewer felt E-Day adds little to what that scene already showed. That reads as a criticism for veterans, but for a new player it means playing E-Day first spoils almost nothing in the older games.

• SeraThe planet where E-Day is set. Xbox describes the Locust Horde erupting from beneath it.
• The Pendulum WarsThe human war that has just ended when E-Day begins. Xbox Wire says Marcus and Dom are recently back from it.
• Emergence DayThe day the Locust surface and attack. The whole campaign is about surviving it.
• Bravo SquadMarcus, Dom and two new playable characters, Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes, according to Xbox Wire.

03 / Solo or co-op

Solo, split-screen or online co-op

Xbox Wire confirms three ways to play the campaign: alone, with two players in split-screen on console, or with up to four players online. It also says the entire campaign can be played as any of the four Bravo Squad characters from the start, so newcomers can pick whoever they like.

On Steam, the store page describes optional account linking that carries progress with roaming saves and lets you send cross-platform invites. Xbox's store page adds a condition worth knowing before game night: online campaign co-op, Horde Siege and Versus require a Game Pass subscription that includes online multiplayer, sold separately. Console players without one are limited to solo and split-screen.

Difficulty changes the feel a lot. PC Gamer's reviewer argues that Normal can feel like whack-a-mole, while Hardcore punishes you for sitting in one spot of cover and turns fights into constant repositioning. Oruvai's read: newcomers should start on Normal, but if the combat starts to feel flat, raising the difficulty is the first fix to try.

04 / Length

How long the campaign is, and why that splits opinion

Before launch, creative director Matt Searcy told IGN the campaign would run over 14 hours, longer than any campaign the studio had built, according to GamingBolt's report. PC Gamer's review landed longer: its reviewer described a 20+ hour campaign and called it far too long for how one-note it becomes.

The structure matters as much as the hour count. PC Gamer describes the city as wide but linear, not an open world, with objectives that rarely go beyond clearing or surviving waves of Locust. New weapon and armour mods and side objectives add some reasons to explore. The same review praises the gunplay and says Gears has never felt better to play.

Oruvai's read: plan for something between 15 and 20+ hours depending on difficulty and how much you explore. If you enjoy cover shooting for its own sake, that is a lot of good content. If you need regular changes of pace, play it in shorter sessions or with friends.

05 / Multiplayer

Horde Siege and Versus after the campaign

E-Day keeps going after the credits. Xbox Wire describes Horde Siege as a 12-player PvE mode in which three squads defend Kalona across larger city maps. Versus is the competitive side, with 4v4 modes on new maps and both Ranked and Social playlists, according to the Steam page.

Steam lists in-app purchases, and Xbox's store page lists an in-game currency called Iron in the Premium Edition. Neither is needed to play the campaign.

• Horde SiegeWave survival against the Locust in four-player squads, with Assault, Marksman, Medic and Breacher classes, shared objectives and world bosses.
• Versus SocialRelaxed 4v4 matches. Oruvai's read: the easier entry point if you are new to Gears PvP.
• Versus RankedCompetitive 4v4 where you climb the ranks. Oruvai's read: expect series veterans here.
• Cross-playSteam describes cross-platform invites, co-op for two to four players and competitive matches for up to eight players across supported platforms.

06 / Game Pass or buy

Game Pass or buy it outright

Xbox's store page lists E-Day as included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. For a campaign many players will finish once, that is the cheapest way in, and it lets you stop after a few acts without regret.

Buying makes sense if you plan to stay for Horde Siege and Versus for months. Steam lists the standard game at 69.99 USD and the Premium Edition at 99.99 USD, with a 30 USD Premium Upgrade for existing owners (US store, checked on 23 October 2026). Xbox lists the Premium Edition's extras as the Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack, five Seasonal Customization Packs and 1,000 Iron. Oruvai's read: unless you plan to play the multiplayer seasons, the standard edition or Game Pass covers everything the campaign offers.

• Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game PassIncluded. The best choice if you mainly want the campaign or want to test it first.
• Microsoft Store or Xbox purchaseXbox Play Anywhere: buy once and play on Xbox console and PC with shared progression, according to Xbox.
• Steam purchaseA separate Steam copy. A Microsoft account is still required, according to the Steam page.

07 / PC and Deck

PC requirements and the Steam Deck catch

Check your PC before you buy. Steam's minimum requirements call for a graphics card with hardware ray tracing, such as an RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 6600, plus 12 GB of RAM and 115 GB of space on an SSD, which the page marks as required.

The Steam Deck is the confusing part. The store text says the game is optimised for handheld play on Steam Deck and Xbox Ally devices, but Valve's own compatibility check rated it Unsupported on 23 October 2026, citing graphics performance. Oruvai's read: if a Steam Deck is your main way to play, use Game Pass or wait until that rating changes rather than paying full price.

08 / Verdict

Who should start with E-Day, and who should skip it

Start with E-Day if you are curious about Gears of War and want a heavy, tactile cover shooter. You lose nothing by beginning at the start of the timeline, the campaign supports a friend on the couch or three online, and even PC Gamer, one of the cooler reviews, says Gears has never felt better to play.

Skip it or keep it to Game Pass if you want a story with lots of variety, if 20 hours of firefights sounds like a chore, or if your hardware is a Steam Deck or an older PC without ray tracing. The gap between critic scores and Steam reviews suggests the experience depends heavily on what you came for.

Best fit: newcomers and co-op groups who enjoy cover based combat and want the earliest Gears story. Think twice if: you need story variety, play mainly on Steam Deck, or only want a short campaign.