Gears of War: E-Day preload goes live ahead of multiplayer beta
Hennadiy Chemеris
Eligible players can now install the Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta on Xbox Series X|S and through the Xbox PC app, with access tied to pre-order customers, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, and PC Game Pass subscribers. The Coalition has opened preloads ahead of the test, which now includes Versus after fan criticism.
On Xbox Series X, the download is a little over 62GB. The beta runs across two weekends: Early Access is scheduled for August 6 to August 10, 2026, and the Open Beta follows from August 13 to August 17, 2026.
The Coalition also changed course after fan criticism. Early Access was originally set to leave Versus out, but the studio later enabled it, so testers will now get Horde Siege and 4v4 Versus in the beta.
Horde Siege is a 12-player co-op mode, while Versus covers the competitive side of the test. According to the current plan, the beta content will differ across both weekends: the first one will focus on Horde Siege, and the second will add 4v4 Versus into the mix.
The studio summed up the change in a short statement:
We heard you. We acted.
Gears of War: E-Day itself is still slated for release on October 6, 2026.
By the way, the new Xbox Game Pass games for August were recently revealed.
Will adding Versus to Early Access be enough to make this beta feel more generous than the original plan?
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