Playing the Gears of War: E-Day open beta early requires meeting specific access criteria ahead of the August release window. Following a 7-year hiatus, the game arrives on October 6, 2026, but the Coalition is running a two-week beta period starting in August 2026.
Here is how to secure early entry, along with the schedule, contents, and system requirements for the multi-platform test.
How to Join the Gears of War: E-Day Early Access Beta
- Pre-order the game: Purchase any physical or digital edition of Gears of War: E-Day. Physical retailers provide beta codes at purchase depending on your region, while digital purchases grant direct access at launch time without a code.
- Subscribe to Game Pass: Alternatively, subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass to gain early access to the beta.
- Log in during the early access window: Access begins on August 6, 2026, at 12pm PT and runs until August 10 at 10am PT.
Open Beta Schedule
The testing period is split into two distinct phases:
- Early Access Beta: August 6 at 12pm PT to August 10 at 10am PT (requires pre-order or Game Pass Ultimate / PC Game Pass).
- Open Beta (Free for all): August 13 at 12pm PT to August 17 at 10am PT (no subscription or pre-order required).
Beta Content and Game Modes
During the early access week, players can try the 12-player PvE mode Horde Siege and the 4v4 Versus mode following updates from the Coalition. The open beta features both Horde Siege and 4v4 Versus.
| Content | Beta Details |
|---|---|
| Horde Siege Maps | 1 Map |
| Horde Siege Classes | 4 Classes (Capped at level 10) |
| Invasion Events | 2 Invasion Bosses |
| Versus Modes | 2 Modes |
| Versus Maps | 2 Maps |
| Weapons | All |
| Medals | 5 |
| Player Level | Capped at level 50 |
| Customization | Limited Characters & Beta Rewards |
Beta Rewards and Tasks
Completing specific objectives during the beta unlocks rewards that carry over to the full game launch:
- Hit player level 20: Epic Blast Damage Mags Character Skin
- Extract from Horde Siege 8 Times on Infantry difficulty or higher: Rare Crush the Bug Weapon Skin Set
- Get 25 Headshots: Crush the Bug Banner
- Perform 10 Revives: Crush the Bug Emblem
- Perform 5 Prototype Lancer Chainsaw Executions: Crush the Bug Icon
- Launch the Multiplayer Beta: Open Beta Medal & First in the Fight Title
Beta System Requirements
The beta system requirements match the full game, detailing expected performance across different graphics presets on Windows 10/11 (Minimum 22H2):
- Minimum (Medium Preset, 1080p 60 FPS with DLSS/FSR/TSR/XeSS): AMD Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel i7-6850K / i5-10400 CPU; NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 or RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 9060 or RX 6600 GPU; 12GB RAM; 80GB SSD storage.
- Recommended (High Preset, 1440p 60 FPS with DLSS/FSR/TSR/XeSS): AMD Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel i5-11600K CPU; NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 or RTX 3060 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT or 6700 XT GPU; 16GB RAM; 80GB SSD storage.