The Gears of War: E-Day early access multiplayer beta begins on Thursday, 6 August. Access is available to players who pre-ordered the game or have Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass.
The full game is scheduled to launch on 6 October, but this test offers an early look at its multiplayer content. Participants can also work towards exclusive cosmetic rewards by completing specific challenges during the beta period.
Here are the start and finish times, plus the modes, progression limits and rewards included in the test. For more gaming and arcade news, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
When does the Gears of War: E-Day beta start?
Eligible players can begin playing at 3pm EDT on Thursday, 6 August. For Australian players on the east coast, that translates to 5am AEST on Friday, 7 August.
- 12pm PDT, Thursday, 6 August — west coast of North America
- 3pm EDT, Thursday, 6 August — east coast of North America
- 4pm BRT, Thursday, 6 August — Brazil
- 8pm BST, Thursday, 6 August — United Kingdom
- 9pm CEST, Thursday, 6 August — western Europe
- 4am JST, Friday, 7 August — Japan
- 5am AEST, Friday, 7 August — east coast of Australia
When does the Gears of War: E-Day beta end?
The early access multiplayer beta closes at 1pm EDT on Monday, 10 August. On the east coast of Australia, the end time is 3am AEST on Tuesday, 11 August.
- 10am PDT, Monday, 10 August — west coast of North America
- 1pm EDT, Monday, 10 August — east coast of North America
- 2pm BRT, Monday, 10 August — Brazil
- 6pm BST, Monday, 10 August — United Kingdom
- 7pm CEST, Monday, 10 August — western Europe
- 2am JST, Tuesday, 11 August — Japan
- 3am AEST, Tuesday, 11 August — east coast of Australia
What is included in the Gears of War: E-Day beta?
The early access weekend centres on Horde Siege, which the official blog post describes as an evolution of the series’ iconic player-versus-environment mode. That post also includes recommended PC specifications and an additional FAQ.
The beta features four classes and two invasion bosses. Player progression is capped at level 10 during the test, making this a limited preview of the larger launch package. The full release is set to include Versus modes, additional Horde Siege maps, medals, invasion bosses and more.
Players can earn the following items by completing their associated challenges:
- Epic “Blast Damage Mags” character skin: reach player level 20.
- Rare “Crush the Bug Weapon” skin set: extract from Horde Siege eight times on Infantry difficulty or higher.
- “Crush the Bug” banner: score 25 headshots.
- “Crush the Bug” emblem: perform 10 revives.
- “Crush the Bug” icon: perform five Prototype Lancer Chainsaw executions.
- “Open Beta” medal and “First in the Fight” title: launch the multiplayer beta.
The beta is available to preload, so eligible players can install it before the opening time. If you are comparing screen-based gaming with a dedicated cabinet, RETROCADE’s arcade machines and compact bartop arcades offer different ways to set up a games room.
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