Gears of War: E-Day director says the new shooter will "absolutely be doing more" linear levels instead of Gear 5's open-ended maps

Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago look up, covered in shadows, in the announcement trailer for Gears of War: E-Day.

Gears of War: E-Day is ditching Gears 5's open-world levels for a more linear experience. 

That's according to Gears creative director Matt Searcy, speaking to GamesRadar+ during a group interview at Summer Game Fest 2024. The director revealed that Gears of War: E-Day, the new prequel game taking place years before the original third-person shooter, is set in the city of Kalona, a brand new location for the Gears of War franchise.