Open beta
Aug 6 to Aug 10, 2026
For pre-orders and Game Pass members. A retailer listed the window as August 6 to 10. Changes continued through August 15, so both dates stay on the record.
What changed while it ranGears of War: E-Day
Editions and Launch
Beta, early access and launch
Early access
Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 8 AM Pacific
Five days before everyone else, for Premium and Collector’s buyers and for a Standard copy with the Premium Upgrade. Game Pass on its own did not include it.
What the five days meantLaunch
Tue, Oct 6, 2026, 8 AM Pacific
Every edition, on Xbox Series X|S, Steam and Xbox on PC. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass include the game.
Where it shipsWhat playing the beta paid
5 rewards, 16 items
Every date on the record
| Date | What | Written up in |
|---|---|---|
| Release date and platforms set at Xbox’s June 7 show | The gamescom trailer | |
| Open beta early access opened for pre-order and Game Pass players | Beta, early access and launch | |
| End of the beta window as a retailer listed it | Beta, early access and launch | |
| Two beta updates on one day. Seven language packs came out in the morning and 101 subtitle lines that evening | Patch notes | |
| The Coalition lists ten changes. None are confirmed on this site | Patch notes | |
| Last beta change this site recorded | Patch notes | |
| Story trailer at gamescom Opening Night Live, and three campaign previews the same day | An hour of Act 2 | |
| to | Campaign playable by the public at the Xbox booth, gamescom | An hour of Act 2 |
| Pre-install opened | Gone gold | |
| The Limited Edition controller ships and Luke Preece’s artwork reaches Xbox Design Lab | The Gibson guitars | |
| Early access began for Premium and Collector’s buyers | Every edition | |
| Full release, every edition and Game Pass | Every edition | |
| The Gibson guitar draw closes | The Gibson guitars |
Pre-install, early access and launch were all at 8 AM Pacific (10 AM Central).
Where it plays
| Platform | At release | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S | Yes | Play Anywhere carries a purchase between Xbox and PC |
| Xbox on PC | Yes | Play Anywhere, the same purchase as on console |
| Steam | Yes | Day one |
| Game Pass Ultimate | Included | No purchase needed |
| PC Game Pass | Included | No purchase needed |
| PlayStation 5 | – | No version announced, and none ruled out |
Co-op is two players split-screen (console only) and up to four online.
Four ways to buy it
| Edition | Format | Early access | Iron | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Digital and physical | – | – | $69.99 |
| Premium | Digital | 5 days | 1,000 | $99.99 |
| Premium Upgrade | Digital, added to a Standard copy | 5 days | 1,000 | – |
| Collector’s | Xbox Series X and Steam, in a box with a 15-inch diorama statue, metal replica COG tags, a SteelBook case and an art print | 5 days | 1,000 | $299.99 |
Standard and Premium are Xbox’s listed starting prices, so expect regional variation. Collector’s was listed as out of stock in the US and the EU on August 30, 2026.
What Premium adds
- The Emergence Customization Pack: character skins and weapon sets
- Four seasonal customization packs, one per season
- The Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack, campaign only
What every edition includes
- The Exfil Dom Legendary character skin
- The Exfil Legendary weapon skin set
Seen a date that is wrong?
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