Gears of War: E-Day is finally out today, October 1, for anyone who bought early access to the newest Xbox console exclusive. But the cover-based shooter doesn’t have every feature fans might expect at launch. The developers say that’s partly because E-Day was an effort to rebuild the Gears formula from the ground up using new tech.
“We started E-Day with an empty hard drive building our entire gameplay sandbox from scratch to ensure a more unified gameplay experience across Campaign, PVE and PVP,” reads a blog post released last night. “This new sandbox also allowed for innovation in cover, combat and enemies. The trade-off being that including every legacy feature from Gears of War was not possible for launch.”
It continued, “Those features, like Meat Shields, Chainsaw Duels, select weapons from the franchise’s past, and online work like Private Lobbies and leaderboards — are not gone from the franchise. Our team is working hard to deliver the strongest and most stable launch experience we can with an eye to how, and what, to deliver and improve on fan-favorite features either post-launch or in our next title.”
The Missing Features
Some players were upset and confused by the delay, particularly for private lobbies and ranked gameplay, a core part of the series’ multiplayer experience for long-time fans. E-Day is the first new entry since Gears 5, which released seven years ago.
The devs are explicit about the trade-off: a clean rebuild meant cutting some older stuff to make room for new systems. The blog post lists the missing features directly:
- Meat Shields
- Chainsaw Duels
- Select weapons from the franchise’s past
- Private Lobbies
- Leaderboards
Those features aren’t dead, the devs promise. They’re coming later, either post-launch or in the next title.
Why the Devs Were Empty
The Coalition was rumored to be working on two smaller projects before the new Gears entry, both of which were reportedly canceled. The devs framed the rebuild as a strength, not a failure. They built the whole game, campaign, PVE and PVP, on a blank drive. That allowed them to innovate in cover, combat and enemy design. The blog post describes it as ensuring a more unified gameplay experience across all three modes.
But the cost was real. A unified sandbox meant the devs couldn’t fit every legacy feature in at once. The result is a game that launches without private lobbies or ranked play, and without some classic weapons and systems.
What Players Get Now
The devs have a plan for bringing those things back. Versus Ranked will arrive on October 13. The season structure is set out clearly, with themed events tied to Gears history.
| Season | Dates | Events |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Starts now, wraps December 1 | Halloween, 20 Years of Gears, Thanksgibbing |
| Season 2 | Legacy and Beyond | 20-year celebration of the franchise’s greatest hits |
| Season 3 | Infiltration | Not yet dated |
| Season 4 | Pendulum | Not yet dated |
| Season 5 | Devotion | Not yet dated |
The schedule shows a live-service cadence, with themed events tied to Gears history. The devs are also previewing balance tweaks to mechanics and weapons following feedback from the beta.
The devs have promised that these features will return, either post-launch or in the next title. For now, players have to accept the game as it is.
Key Facts Box
- E-Day launched October 1
- Early access purchasers get it now
- Ranked Versus arrives October 13
- Next five seasons: Infiltration, Pendulum, Devotion
- Missing features: Shields, Chainsaw Duels, select weapons, Private Lobbies, leaderboards
The devs chose to rebuild from scratch, and they’re describing the process openly in their blog post. The cost is real, but the devs have plans for the missing features.
Source material: “Gears Of War Devs Explain Missing Features: ‘We Started E-Day With An Empty Hard Drive Building Our Entire Gameplay Sandbox From Scratch’,” Kotaku.
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