The early access playtest for Gears of War: E-Day has delivered the first hands-on look at how The Coalition is revitalizing the franchise on Unreal Engine 5.
Horde Siege: 12-Player Squad Warfare
The centerpiece of the playtest is Horde Siege, a reimagining of classic Horde mode set on expansive maps like Golden Quarter.
- Three 4-Player Squads: Instead of five players holding a single choke point, 12 players operate simultaneously as three distinct 4-player squads. Squads roam the map to secure supply caches, complete timed secondary objectives, and buy shared squad perks.
- Class Synergies: Players select from four dedicated roles—Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic—each with unique tactical abilities and non-paid upgrade trees.
Versus PvP & Technical Performance
On the competitive side, the playtest features 4v4 combat running at up to 120 FPS on Xbox Series X|S. New and returning modes include:
- Crucible: A new objective mode where teams fight to hold a portable “Power Core” that discharges electrical attacks against incoming enemies.
- Conquest & Demolition: Updated twists on King of the Hill and Search & Destroy mechanics.
- Engine Tech: The campaign and Horde Siege modes run at 60 FPS with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, fully dynamic lighting, and destructible geometry.
Next Phase: The closed early access period concludes mid-week before expanding into a global Open Beta running August 13–17 on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
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