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Gears of War E-Day Emergence Walkthrough: Act 1, Chapter 1

Follow Dom through Downtown Kalona, find the three Emergence collectibles, free trapped civilians, and reach Police HQ to complete Act 1, Chapter 1.
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To complete Emergence, follow Dom from the bar through Downtown Kalona, use the maintenance tunnels when the road is blocked, free the civilians beneath the rubble, then take the alley route to Police HQ and interact with its door. Before leaving the bakery near the civilians, pick up the chapter’s easiest-to-miss collectible.

Emergence walkthrough: Act 1, Chapter 1

This route follows the third-party chapter guide’s path from the bar to Police HQ. The chapter is the first playable Act 1 mission after the Prologue, following Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago during the opening moments of the Locust invasion. The walkthrough was updated October 7, 2026; this guide summarizes its route and does not claim personal testing. Chapter-specific walkthrough

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1. Follow Dom and survive the first Wretch encounter

  1. Leave the bar with Dom and head toward the gunfire on the main road.
  2. Continue to Jackson’s Discount Furniture and the Mini Mart. A cutscene leads into the first Wretch fight.
  3. At this point, the chapter guide says you have only a melee weapon. Use it to get through the encounter; the handgun comes later.

2. Pick up the handgun and clear the road

  1. Continue along the road and collect the handgun beside the crashed police car.
  2. Fight the creatures that emerge from the ground as you advance.
  3. When wreckage blocks the road, enter the door on the left to reach the maintenance tunnels.

3. Cross the maintenance tunnels and return to the street

Follow the tunnels down and back up to street level. Near the end of the tunnel route, look on the floor beside a corpse with a lit flashlight for the Bloody Transit Worker’s Helmet collectible.

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4. Free the civilians and search the bakery

  1. Continue to the next emergence hole, then take the opening on the right.
  2. Interact with the rubble to free the civilians pinned beneath it.
  3. Before heading toward Police HQ, enter the nearby Cafe & Bakery. Go through the door to the left of the counter and check the kitchen counter for the Front Page of the Kalona Times.

The bakery is easy to miss because the route toward Police HQ moves away from it after the civilians are freed.

#1 Best Overall
Gears of War: E-Day | Standard Edition | XBOX Series X
  • AN ORIGIN STORY BEGINS — Fight alongside Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago in the gripping origin story of Emergence Day, as the Locust Horde erupts from below.
  • A DARKER, GRITTIER THREAT — Face reimagined enemies and a terrifying underground invasion that restores the fear, dread, and intensity at the heart of the Gears of War series.
  • MULTIPLAYER EVOLVED — Battle in Horde Siege for large‑scale PvE action or prove your skill in refined Versus PvP with greater precision and competitive depth.
  • CLASSIC COMBAT, MODERNIZED — Experience signature cover‑based gameplay enhanced with updated movement, traversal, and controls that feel like Gears while playing like something new.
  • CO‑OP YOUR WAY — Play online with up to four players across Campaign, Horde Siege, and Versus, or team up locally with 2‑player split‑screen co‑op on console.

5. Reach Police HQ to finish the chapter

  1. Return to the road and enter the alley on the right.
  2. Climb the ladder, cross the wall, and clear the ambush outside Police HQ.
  3. Interact with the station door. This ends Emergence and leads directly into Act 1, Chapter 2: Survival of the Fittest.

All three Emergence collectibles

The chapter guide places all three collectibles on or immediately beside the critical route:

Collectible Where to find it
Monster Jaw On the curb by the newsstand next to the Mini Mart, after the first emergence-hole encounter.
Bloody Transit Worker’s Helmet Near the end of the maintenance tunnels, on the floor beside a corpse with a lit flashlight.
Front Page of the Kalona Times After freeing the civilians, enter the Cafe & Bakery by the hole. Go through the door left of the counter and check the kitchen counter.

For campaign completionists, Xbox Wire lists “Memories From E-Day” for finding all campaign collectibles and “Emergence Begins” as an Act 1 achievement. Studio Brand Director Nicole Fawcette also says completing all 54 achievements earns a Mythic Achievement. Xbox Wire’s achievement details

Rank #2
Gears of War E-Day | Premium Edition | XBOX Series X|S and Windows Digital
  • PREMIUM EDITION — Includes Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack, five Seasonal Customization Packs starting with the Emergence Pack, plus 1,000 Iron to unlock additional in‑game content.
  • AN ORIGIN STORY BEGINS — Fight alongside Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago in the gripping origin story of Emergence Day, as the Locust Horde erupts from below.
  • A DARKER, GRITTIER THREAT — Face reimagined enemies and a terrifying underground invasion that restores the fear, dread, and intensity at the heart of the Gears of War series.
  • MULTIPLAYER EVOLVED — Battle in Horde Siege for large‑scale PvE action or prove your skill in refined Versus PvP with greater precision and competitive depth.
  • CLASSIC COMBAT, MODERNIZED — Experience signature cover‑based gameplay enhanced with updated movement, traversal, and controls that feel like Gears while playing like something new.

Chapter endpoint and what comes next

The Police HQ entrance ambush is the final encounter described in the chapter route. Interacting with the station door completes Emergence and starts Survival of the Fittest, Chapter 2 of Act 1. Xbox describes the broader campaign as primarily linear, with larger pockets of space, multiple paths, and optional side missions; its cited example is in Chapter 2, so it should not be taken as evidence of a side mission in Emergence. Xbox Wire launch guide

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Game and co-op context

Xbox lists Gears of War: E-Day for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC and describes it as a third-person cover shooter. Its game page says the campaign can be played solo, in two-player split-screen co-op on console, or with up to four players online. Xbox’s October 6, 2026 launch materials also name Steam and Game Pass availability; access and availability can vary by region and service. Xbox game page · Xbox Wire launch guide

Quick Recap

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Steamforged Games Gears of War The Card Game: Core Game - 2 Players, 30-60 Minutes of Gameplay (English Version)
  • Listen up, soldier. The world is in ruin. The Locust Horde has risen. It’s Human vs Horde, and here’s your mission: Pick a side, build a powerful deck, and win the war. The fate of the world is in your hands!
  • Experience the gritty gunplay of the video game in this official two-player card game. Take command of the COG forces or the Locust horde and seize control of the battlefield, one chapter at a time.
  • Strategise your way through each chapter, bolstering your forces with classic characters like Marcus Fenix, General Raam, August “Cole Train” Cole, Dominic Santiago, and Damon Baird.
  • Every battle counts. Whatever happens in each chapter will change what comes next, so you’d better be ready to dominate. The deck you build and decisions you make will change the way you play each campaign, making this a game you can reload time and time again.
  • Whether you're a hardened vet or a grass-green rookie, get ready to take cover and lay down suppressive fire. Your enemies are trying to take the line, soldier. You’d better shove back hard.
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Gears of War 3 (Renewed)
  • Disc only. Original case and manual not included. Will come packaged in a generic case.
  • This renewed game has been cleaned, tested, and shows minimal wear.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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