Gears of War: E-Day beta launches Aug 6, added to Xbox Game Pass

The Coalition announced that the multiplayer beta for Gears of War: E-Day will begin on 6 August 2026 for pre‑order customers and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate/PC Game Pass members, running until 10 August. A second open‑beta window from 13 to 17 August will be available to all players, featuring the new Horde Siege co‑op mode and a Versus PvP mode.

The beta will showcase NVIDIA technologies such as Reflex, DLSS Super‑Resolution and, in the full release, DLSS 4.5. NVIDIA will also host demo competitions at QuakeCon (6‑9 August) with prizes including GeForce RTX 50‑series cards.

Microsoft’s August Game Pass wave adds the beta alongside dozens of new titles, including Heretic + Hexen, Beast of Reincarnation, Monsters are Coming!, PowerWash Simulator 2, Bounty Star, Date Everything!, Grounded 2, Ball x Pit, Cricket 26, Mio: Memories in Orbit and Sandustry. Several games will leave the service on 15 August, with discount offers for subscribers.

The developers confirmed that Gears of War: E-Day will not use a Battle Pass; most cosmetic items will be earned through gameplay, challenges and in‑game currency, with a limited selection of premium content purchasable with real money.