Gears of War: E-Day Overhauls Active Reload System With Centered Bar and Weapon Tweaks

The upcoming shooter Gears of War: E-Day from The Coalition will overhaul its iconic Active Reload system by moving the reload bar to the center of the screen by default, instead of the traditional top right corner. Players who prefer the classic setup can still revert to the original position through the settings.

According to creative director Matt Searcy, extensive playtesting revealed that players naturally focus on the center of the screen when using Active Reload, prompting the team to make the system more intuitive and responsive to player habits.

E-Day will also introduce unique Active Reload effects for certain weapons. For instance, the legendary Gnasher shotgun will allow players to interrupt the reload at any point, letting them fire the shells they've already loaded — though this means forfeiting the perfect reload bonus.

For the first time in over a decade, the mainline series will feature a four-player online co-op campaign, as well as a two-player split-screen mode. Each player can select one of the four main characters and experience the story entirely from their own perspective.

Set 14 years before the original Gears of War, E-Day follows Bravo Squad during the catastrophic Emergence Day. The Coalition is rebuilding the game from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, with all systems, mechanics, and art assets created anew. Gears of War: E-Day will launch on October 6, 2026, for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Game Pass. The game will be an Xbox console exclusive and will not be available on PlayStation 5.

Do you think the new Active Reload system will improve the gameplay experience, or should the classic setup remain the standard?