After a 7-year hiatus, Gears return with Gears of War: E-Day on October 6, 2026. You can also play it five days early, though the Coalition is holding an open beta, which lets you try the game even sooner.
Gears of War: E-Day open beta will take place across two weeks. You can start playing early in the first week of beta by pre-ordering any edition of the game. This includes both digital and physical versions. Depending on your region, expect to get a beta code at the time of purchase from the participating physical retailer.
Alternatively, you can subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass to gain early access to the beta.
As for digital purchases, there will be no beta codes. You can simply hop on at launch time. Below, we reveal more details about the Gears of War: E-Day open beta, including its start time, what content you can play, rewards, and more.
Gears of War E-Day open beta start time
Gears of War E-Day open beta begins on August 6, 2026. Exact timings for the beta, including its duration, will be revealed at a later date. The Coalition hasn’t confirmed beta platforms either, but you could expect it first on Xbox. We will update this section of the article once The Coalition provides more details.
What to expect from Gears of War E-Day open beta?
According to the Gears of War website, you could expect to try multiplayer modes such as Horde Siege and Versus. Additionally, the open beta may require a Game Pass subscription. The Coalition should provide more details closer to the beta’s start time.
Can you unlock rewards from playing Gears of War E-Day open beta?
While nothing’s confirmed yet, you can, at least, unlock the Legendary Exfil Dom Character Skin and Legendary Exfil Dom Weapon Skin set. Both are cosmetic rewards you gain by pre-ordering any edition of Gears of War: E-Day.
