Gears of War: E-Day reviews: the best Gears score since 2011
Gears of War: E-Day reviews put it at 87 on Metacritic, the series' best since 2011. Why that number reportedly decides staff bonuses at The Coalition.
Source-based. Written from the documents, reporting and reviews linked in the text. Nothing here was tested hands-on by The Ruling Desk. How we work
Gears of War: E-Day reviews are in, and they are the strongest the series has had in 15 years. As of 12:41 p.m. (UTC-6) on October 1, 2026, the Xbox Series X version holds an 87 on Metacritic, higher than every Gears game since Gears of War 3 in 2011. That number matters beyond bragging rights: Eurogamer reports that a bonus for the developers at The Coalition is tied to the game's Metacritic score, and that staff fear layoffs before it pays out in late October. This is a roundup of other outlets' reviews and reporting; The Ruling Desk has not played the game.
Key takeaways
- On Metacritic, the Xbox Series X version scores 87 from 28 scored reviews (26 positive, 2 mixed, none negative), and the PC version 84 from 19. OpenCritic shows an 87 Top Critic Average with 90% of critics recommending it. All figures as of about 12:41 p.m. (UTC-6) on October 1, and still moving.
- Critics praise the combat, the visuals and the story of Marcus and Dom. The doubts center on the larger semi-open areas, filler side content and a formula some call old-fashioned.
- Eurogamer reports, from anonymous sources at the studio and an internal email it verified, that staff must be full-time employees when the Metacritic bonus pays out near the end of October, and that they fear cuts after launch. This is not confirmed by Microsoft as of October 1, 2026; Xbox declined to comment on the record.
- Premium Edition owners can play now. Everyone else, including Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, gets it on October 6 on Xbox Series X|S and PC. There is no PS5 version.
What the Gears of War: E-Day reviews score
The Metacritic page for Gears of War: E-Day shows an 87 Metascore, "generally favorable", for the Xbox Series X version, based on 28 critic reviews with a score. Twenty-six are positive and two are mixed. The PC page is lower at the same moment: 84 from 19 scored reviews.
OpenCritic lands in the same place: an 87 Top Critic Average from 39 reviews, with 90% of critics recommending it, as of 12:42 p.m. (UTC-6). The two sites count different outlets, but this time they agree.
One thing to keep in mind about the Gears of War: E-Day Metacritic score: it is early. Metacritic lists 52 reviews for the Xbox version, but 24 of them carry no score yet, including IGN, GameSpot, Eurogamer, The Verge and Game Informer. Several of those are labeled campaign reviews or reviews in progress, so the number can still move once outlets score the full package with multiplayer.
Here is a sample of the scored reviews, from the top of the range to the bottom:
| Outlet | Score | The short version |
|---|---|---|
| Eurogamer Germany | 100 | The best Gears story to date |
| MondoXbox | 95 | Arguably the series' strongest campaign |
| GamingBible | 8/10 | A must-play prequel with bloated open areas |
| VGC | 80 | Great gunplay, too little Marcus and Dom |
| Metro GameCentral | 70 | Fun in co-op, but old-fashioned |
| Gamekult | 50 | A franchise on autopilot |
The best-reviewed Gears game since 2011
An 87 doesn't beat the original trilogy, but it beats everything after it. These are the Metacritic scores for each main release, checked on October 1:
| Game | Year | Metascore |
|---|---|---|
| Gears of War | 2006 | 94 |
| Gears of War 2 | 2008 | 93 |
| Gears of War 3 | 2011 | 91 |
| Gears of War: Judgment | 2013 | 79 |
| Gears of War 4 | 2016 | 84 |
| Gears 5 | 2019 | 84 |
| Gears of War: E-Day | 2026 | 87 |
That makes E-Day The Coalition's best-reviewed Gears game. The studio took over the series from Epic Games, which made the first three; Judgment came from People Can Fly. The spin-offs score lower too: Gears Tactics has an 80 and last year's Gears of War: Reloaded remaster a 79.
Where critics agree, and where they split
The praise is consistent. Reviewers single out the combat, the new jump button that adds movement to cover shooting, the set pieces and the visuals. GamingBible's review, an 8/10 on Xbox Series X|S, calls it a must-play prequel and gives Dom Santiago's arc real emotional weight.
The complaints cluster around everything between the fights. GamingBible found the semi-open areas "bloated and unnecessary" and the side missions repetitive, arguing Gears works best as a linear game. VGC wanted more time on the Marcus and Dom relationship. Metro GameCentral, at 70, calls it "worryingly old-fashioned" outside co-op. The harshest score so far, Gamekult's 50, compares it unfavorably with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
The first verdict was a negative one. The Guardian briefly published a 3 out of 5 review before the embargo lifted, then took it down; Power Up Gaming summarized it as praising the combat as the series' best while calling the rest repetitive, with too many collectibles and sprawling levels. Now that the full wave of Gears of War: E-Day reviews is out, that score looks like an outlier.
Why the review score matters inside The Coalition
Here is where the number stops being a talking point. In a report published October 1, Eurogamer says multiple sources at The Coalition, the Vancouver studio behind the game, fear layoffs soon after launch. This section is Eurogamer's reporting, from anonymous sources, and it is not confirmed by Microsoft as of October 1, 2026. Xbox declined to comment on the record.
What Eurogamer reports:
- A bonus tied to Metacritic. The studio has a bonus linked to the game's critical reception, which Eurogamer says an internal email it verified confirms. The report does not say what score the game has to reach.
- You have to be there to get paid. Developers must be full-time employees when the bonus pays out, and leadership told staff that should be "near the end of October."
- The fear. Staff worry that being laid off right after the October 6 launch would cost them the bonus. Eurogamer understands that people already let go, such as story director Juan Vaca, will still be paid if the target is met, but it remains unclear for anyone cut after launch.
- Cuts already happened. Vaca said he was laid off last week, barely two weeks before release, and multiple sources told Eurogamer other staff were quietly let go in recent weeks. One source also told Eurogamer the team had been "crunching hard" in the final months.
These fears follow Microsoft's July plan to cut 3,200 jobs across its gaming business and a second round in September that moved Halo and Rare under Activision. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has since said Xbox is not for sale, and Eurogamer says more cuts are still planned across Xbox. A strong Metacritic score is good news for the studio either way; according to Eurogamer's sources, whether it turns into money for current staff depends on who still works there at the end of October.
Soft Steam pre-orders and the missing PS5 version
Reviews are one pressure; sales are another. Rhys Elliott, an analyst at Alinea Analytics, estimates about 120,000 Steam pre-orders for E-Day, and told CBR that "they shouldn't have canceled that PlayStation port." Earlier reports claimed a PS5 version was close to done when Microsoft made E-Day an Xbox console exclusive; Xbox denied those reports. Elliott's figure is an outside estimate, not a sales number from Microsoft, and it doesn't count Xbox sales or Game Pass players.
How to play it: early access, editions and Game Pass
According to Xbox Wire's launch post, early access went live worldwide on October 1 at 8:00 a.m. PT, and the full launch is October 6 at the same time. An earlier Xbox Wire post confirms day-one availability in Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
| Option | US price | When you can play |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Edition | US$99.99 | October 1 (up to five days early) |
| Standard Edition | US$69.99 | October 6 |
| Premium upgrade for Standard owners | US$30 | October 1 |
| Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass | Included | October 6 |
Prices are from Xbox's US store page on October 1. It runs on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Steam, with cloud play through Game Pass Ultimate and GeForce NOW. Xbox also says the game joins its Disc to Digital program.
What it means for you
If you have Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, the reviews make E-Day an easy October 6 download: the risk is your time, not US$70. If you're weighing the US$99.99 Premium Edition only for five early days, the reviews don't change that math; the other extras are a weapon pack, customization packs and in-game currency.
If you skipped Gears 4 and Gears 5, the critics' consensus suggests this is closer to the original trilogy, for better and worse: tighter campaign, louder set pieces, more old-school design. And if you care about the people who make games, watch The Coalition after October 6. Whether the studio is cut before the bonus pays out is the next real test of Xbox's "reset."
Bottom line
Gears of War: E-Day is the best-reviewed Gears game since 2011, at 87 on Metacritic for Xbox as of October 1, with critics agreeing on the combat and splitting on the open areas. The score could still shift as unscored reviews land. Eurogamer's report that staff bonuses hinge on that score, and that developers fear layoffs before the payout, is not confirmed by Microsoft as of October 1, 2026. The two dates to watch: October 6 for the full launch, and the end of October for the bonus.
FAQ
What is Gears of War: E-Day's review score?
As of 12:41 p.m. (UTC-6) on October 1, 2026, it is 87 for Xbox Series X, from 28 scored reviews, and 84 for PC from 19. OpenCritic shows an 87 with 90% of critics recommending it. Many reviews were still unscored, so these numbers can change.
When does Gears of War: E-Day come out?
It launches on October 6, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. PT on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and Steam. Premium Edition owners got early access on October 1.
Is Gears of War: E-Day on Game Pass?
Yes. It is included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from October 6. The October 1 early access is a Premium Edition perk, so Game Pass members start on launch day.
Is Gears of War: E-Day coming to PS5?
No version has been announced for PlayStation 5. Microsoft made it an Xbox console exclusive, and Xbox denied reports that a PS5 port was nearly finished.