Recommended Free Tools
Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel set 14 years before the original game, while Gears 5 follows Kait Diaz later in the series. E-Day lists Campaign, Horde Siege, and Versus; Gears 5 lists Campaign, Horde, Escape, and Versus. On PC, E-Day has substantially newer published minimum requirements, including a hardware-ray-tracing-capable GPU and an SSD. Those requirement lists describe compatibility tiers, not matched performance tests.
How do the stories and timelines differ?
Xbox Wire’s E-Day announcement and the E-Day Steam listing place E-Day 14 years before the original Gears of War. Its named leads are Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, as the Locust Horde emerges and humanity faces the invasion’s first days.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Gears of War: E-Day | Standard Edition | XBOX Series X | $67.84 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Gears of War 2 - Xbox 360 (Renewed) | $18.72 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Gears of War 3 (Renewed) | $20.48 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition - Xbox One (Renewed) | $18.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Gears of War 4 - Xbox One (Renewed) | $31.03 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Gears 5 takes place later in the series. Its Steam description follows Kait Diaz as she breaks away amid the war to investigate her connection to the enemy and the danger facing Sera. In short, E-Day is an origin-era story centered on Marcus and Dom; Gears 5 is a later chapter focused on Kait. The official descriptions establish that contrast but are not full plot summaries.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What gameplay and modes does each game list?
| Feature | Gears of War: E-Day | Gears 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Combat and movement | Cover-based combat with described movement and traversal actions including jumping, vaulting, sliding, and flanking. | The cited Steam feature summary lists its modes and campaign features; it does not provide a directly comparable movement description. |
| Campaign co-op | Play alone or with up to four players online; two-player split-screen is listed for console only. | Up to three-player online or split-screen co-op. |
| Named PvE modes | Horde Siege, described as co-op wave survival. | Horde and Escape. |
| Named PvP mode | Versus, including 4v4 modes and Ranked and Social playlists. | Versus PvP. |
These are the features identified on the E-Day and Gears 5 Steam listings, not evidence that one game has better combat, more balanced playlists, more maps, or a longer-lived community. Gears 5’s listing also notes campaign progression features, including carrying character and weapon skins into new playthroughs.
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
Can your PC run E-Day or Gears 5?
The table compares the currently published Steam requirement tiers as reported in the listings accessed for this article on October 7, 2026. E-Day’s detailed specifications are on its Steam page; Xbox Wire said final launch PC specifications were revealed September 17, with a note that the specifications image was updated September 28. Gears 5’s figures come from its Steam page. Store listings can change and may vary by country.
| Published requirement | Gears of War: E-Day | Gears 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum OS | Windows 10 64-bit 22H 19045.7291 | Windows 7 SP1 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit |
| Minimum CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel i7-6850K / i5-10400 | AMD FX-6000 series / Intel i3 Skylake |
| Minimum memory | 12 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Minimum GPU | Hardware ray tracing required; listed GPUs: NVIDIA RTX 5050 / RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 6600 / RX 9060 | AMD Radeon R9 280 / NVIDIA GTX 760 (Windows 10) / GTX 1050 (Windows 7) |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 115 GB available; SSD required | 80 GB |
| Recommended OS | Windows 11 64-bit (25H2) or newer | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Recommended CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel i5-11600K | AMD Ryzen 3 / Intel i5 Skylake |
| Recommended memory | 16 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Recommended GPU | NVIDIA RTX 5060 / RTX 3060 Ti; AMD RX 6700 XT / RX 9060 XT | AMD RX 570 / NVIDIA GTX 970 (Windows 10) / GTX 1660 Ti (Windows 7) |
| Recommended storage | 115 GB available; SSD required | 80 GB |
Gears 5’s Steam listing says the Steam client supports Windows 10 and later from January 1, 2024. That client note is separate from the game’s listed Windows 7 requirement, so a PC’s ability to meet the game’s historical minimum does not by itself settle current storefront compatibility.
Rank #2
- 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.
Check your PC before buying or upgrading
- Check your Windows version and 64-bit status in Windows Settings under System > About.
- Check the processor, installed memory, and graphics adapter in Windows Settings under System > About and Device Manager > Display adapters.
- For E-Day, verify that the GPU supports hardware ray tracing and compare its model with the listed minimum GPUs; a GPU name alone does not establish the performance you will get.
- Check that the installation drive is an SSD with at least 115 GB free for E-Day, or 80 GB available for Gears 5, according to the respective listing.
- Recheck the relevant Steam listing before purchase because requirements may change or vary by country.
A requirement list cannot predict an individual PC’s frame rate, and these two lists are not benchmark results from the same test system.
What PC features does E-Day list?
The E-Day Steam page lists uncapped frame rates on capable hardware, ultrawide support, keyboard-and-mouse and controller remapping, HDR10, hardware ray-traced lighting, reflections and shadows, NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR Redstone, optional frame generation, and a built-in benchmark. The listing says compatible hardware and displays are required. It also identifies Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X, and Xbox Ally as handheld targets. These are storefront feature claims; check the current listing for implementation and support details.
Rank #3
- 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.
When and where are the games available?
Xbox Wire’s September 17, 2026 announcement said E-Day would launch October 6, 2026, with early access from October 1 for Premium Edition players, on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Steam. It also announced day-one availability with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The Steam listing records October 6, 2026 as the release date. Gears 5’s Steam listing records September 9, 2019. Platform availability and subscription terms can change, so check the relevant storefront for current regional details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 25 Years after Gears of War 3, spurred by a series of strange disappearances, JD Fenix must embrace his father’s legacy and battle a terrifying new enemy
- Never Fight Alone: Enjoy two-player co-op with friends locally via split-screen, over Xbox Live or LAN. Player 2 can select either Kait or Del
- Redefined Cover Gameplay: New close-cover combat moves and combat-knife executions turn each piece of cover into an offensive opportunity
- Brutal New Weapons: An incredible arsenal of new weapons includes the Buzzkill and Dropshot, which can shoot around and over cover, raining destruction from all angles
Rank #4
- This Certified Refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic cleaning, inspection, and repackaging. The product ships with all relevant accessories, a minimum 90-day warranty, and may arrive in a generic box. Only select sellers who maintain a high performance bar may offer Certified Refurbished products on Amazon.com
- Includes full game of the original Gears of War remastered in 1080p.
- Play five campaign chapters never released on console.
- Experience competitive multiplayer in 60FPS with 19 maps and six game modes.
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.
