Contrary to expectations for a sequel, The Coalition’s next entry in the Gears of War series is a prequel. Set 14 years before the events of the first game, Gears of War: E-Day is about Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, who deal with the sudden emergence of the Locust Horde.
However, don’t let the “Day” in “E-Day” catch you off guard – the story occurs over multiple days, per creative director Matt Searcy, who confirmed the same while speaking with GamesRadar at Summer Game Fest 2024. Players will experience everything through their eyes, from the moment of the invasion to the downfall of the city and its people.
“It’s not a day, it’s multiple days,” Searcy said. “But it is about the event like it’s about sticking with these characters from the moment, you know, setting up the moment it happens, and being with them every minute, through the days that play out of the city and really experiencing it through their eyes, both what’s happening to them, and also what’s happening to the city around them, the people around them, the other characters.”
While Gears of War: E-Day returns to the series’ horror roots, its fidelity is far beyond the first game. It features next-gen destruction, new animation tech, and even hardware raytraced lighting, reflections and shadows. Studio technical director Kate Rayner also said that compared to Gears 5, players can expect “over 100 times more environment and character details.”
Gears of War: E-Day is coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC, though a release date is unknown. Perhaps we’ll learn more at Gamescom, with Microsoft rumored to be showcasing more titles. Stay tuned for further updates until then.