Developed by The Coalition and released in early access for Windows PC and Xbox Series X ahead of its full launch on Oct. 6, 2026, Gears of War: E-Day serves as the latest entry in the long-running third-person shooter franchise. As the series’ first prequel, the game explores Emergence Day, the inciting event that triggered the franchise’s storyline involving characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago.
The return of local co-op
While playable as a single-player campaign, Gears of War: E-Day includes a splitscreen local co-op mode. According to developers, incorporating local co-op was a deliberate choice despite the feature becoming less common in contemporary video games due to shifting player preferences, technical constraints, and development economics.
“Splitscreen, specifically on console, that’s core to Gears,” brand director Nicole Fawcette said during an interview at Gamescom 2026. “That’s always been the DNA of the game. Like we are… We’ve always been a co-op game.”
Design details and technical limits
The title aims to capture the feel of the original trilogy released during the Xbox 360 era. Dialogue between Marcus and Dom includes contextual lines, such as Dom shouting “Dibs!” if he picks up a sniper rifle first, reflecting the cooperative banter between players.
While the game supports parties of up to four players online, technical limitations restrict local splitscreen play to two players per screen. In addition to local co-op, the game’s launch version features certain omissions compared to past series entries, arriving without leaderboards, private lobbies, and the “meat shields” mechanic.
Art director Aryan Hanbeck noted that maintaining local co-op remained a priority for the development team despite its declining prevalence across the broader industry. “Having different ways to play with friends is so integral, so part of Gears, that it feels weird to remove one of those,” Hanbeck said.
