Solo queue humbled me fast. Then I landed with a normal group, grabbed the Boomshot and won a Demolition round that felt glorious. Here's our multiplayer review.
This review covers Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer only. We reviewed the campaign separately: read our Gears of War: E-Day campaign review.
Here’s the secret to Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer: play with your group. My first matches in a sweaty lobby were rough. Then I landed with a normal group of players, and it turned into one of the most intense, fun sessions I’ve had in a while.
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Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Review: Grab Your Squad, This Is Really DopeWant to play it? Check the price on Amazon or see every option in Where to buy.
What you get
Gears of War: E-Day launched worldwide October 6, 2026 (early access started October 1) on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Steam, with cloud play through Game Pass Ultimate. It’s on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass day one. Online multiplayer needs a Game Pass tier that includes online play.
- Versus: 4v4 with everyone starting on the same loadout, no weapon mods, and power weapons on the map to fight over.
- Versus modes at launch: Team Deathmatch, Conquest, Demolition and the new Crucible.
- Demolition: teams fight over a neutral bomb, plant it at one of two enemy sites and defend it with no respawns. Three detonations win.
- Maps: six new Versus maps around the city of Kalona: Outpost, Battleship, Park, Precinct, Market and Skyward.
- Ranked and Social playlists, plus a Combat Training mode for practice.
- Horde Siege: a 12-player take on Horde with three four-player squads, four classes (Assault, Breacher, Marksman, Medic) and world bosses.
- Unlocks: The Coalition says nearly every cosmetic can be earned by playing, with no battle pass.
It will humble you
I’ll be real. Going in solo, the other team was just too good. I got sniped out of nowhere more than once, and as the lowest ranked player in the lobby, I felt it. If you queue alone into a lobby full of grinders, expect to take some lumps before it clicks.
Then it clicks
Once I was with a regular group of people, everything changed. You could just have fun. I got back up after going down, grabbed the Boomshot for early kills, messed with people’s heads and got some revenge kills of my own.
Demolition is the star
Demolition, the bomb mode, is where it got really good. We grabbed the bomb, fought around the site and I was screaming at my team to defuse it. Winning that round felt glorious. I finished second on the scoreboard, got the final kill and was named the most revived member of the squad, which I’ll take. That was really dope and really intense.
Verdict
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When you play with a normal group of people, Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer is really dope. It can humble you fast in solo queue, and I hit a moment of lag, but with a squad it’s intense, chaotic and a blast. Demolition alone is worth jumping in for. The Coalition says nearly every cosmetic is earnable by playing, with no battle pass. It’s on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so grab your group, grab the Boomshot and jump in.
Sources
- Xbox Wire, Oct 1 2026 (launch dates, platforms, online play requirement): https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/10/01/gears-of-war-e-day-early-access-launch-trailer-xbox/
- Xbox Wire, Sep 15 2026 (Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass day one): https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/09/15/xbox-game-pass-september-2026-wave-2/
- Gears of War multiplayer deep dive, Jul 30 2026 (Versus, modes, Demolition rules, maps, playlists, Horde Siege, unlocks): https://www.gearsofwar.com/en-us/news/multiplayer/
Screenshots captured by OnPoint 4 Gamers from multiplayer gameplay. Featured image: OnPoint 4 Gamers.
The verdict: Must Play
When you play with a normal group of people, Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer is really dope.
Pros
- Demolition rounds are intense and glorious when you win
- With a normal squad, matches are chaotic and a blast
- Power weapons like the Boomshot are worth fighting over
- Nearly every cosmetic is earnable by playing, with no battle pass
- On Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass day one
Cons
- Solo queue against highly skilled teams can be brutal
- I hit a moment of lag during a match
Where to buy
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