E-Day’s Ties to a Long-Lost Shooter Could Be Good

The Gears of War series has needed to reinvent itself for some time now, but not so much in a way that it forgets who it is. Gears of War 4 and Gears 5 both made attempts at innovating the series, but the main issue with each of those games is that they might have put their foot a little too far forward, with Gears 5 doing the most damage in that regard. In other words, the Gears of War series is in need of some balanced renovations — a remodeling that is still housed within the framework of the series’ past and yet has a new coat of paint slapped on it to make it feel new again. That’s where Gears of War: E-Day comes in, as it has the opportunity more than ever to change everything for the series in a way that previous installments have been unable to.

The only question is how Gears of War: E-Day can succeed in doing what Gears of War 4 and Gears 5 both fell short of. It has already been confirmed that Gears of War: E-Day will return to the series’ horror roots, which is a good sign of being faithful to the past, especially after the most recent entries proved to lack a lot of the grit that defined the original trilogy. Where it might need to innovate, however, is in its gameplay. Fortunately, as it turns out, The Coalition is co-developing Gears of War: E-Day with Outriders developer People Can Fly. While Outriders might not have been successful from a live-service standpoint, it offered gameplay mechanics that Gears of War: E-Day might benefit from.

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Gears of War: E-Day Is a Gold Mine for DLC

Gears of War: E-Day’s premise being what it is, it’s hard to deny the potential that it holds for DLC to tell its story from different perspectives.

Gears of War: E-Day’s Ties to Outriders Could Be a Huge Boon

Gears of War: E-Day Could Benefit From the Fluidity of Outriders’ Movement and Combat

The Gears of War series has long been known for its cover-based combat, and while Gears of War: E-Day potentially going back to this would mean maintaining one of the franchise’s core elements, modern gameplay trends suggest that E-Day might benefit from the more fluid, aggressive combat of Outriders. As a complement to its environments and class-based gameplay, Outriders encourages fast-paced combat where players are on the move much more than they typically are in a Gears of War game, and implementing mechanics such as these could make Gears of War: E-Day a more engaging experience overall.

Such gameplay mechanics would also make sense in light of Gears of War: E-Day‘s premise, which sees the Locust Horde emerging from Sera’s surface and pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. The surprise of the Emergence Day event is enough to suggest a more frantic style of play, as Gears of War: E-Day‘s protagonists, Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, were largely unprepared for the catastrophe when it started. As such, perhaps a little bit of Outriders‘ combat DNA might find its way into Gears of War: E-Day, on account of People Can Fly’s involvement.

Gears of War: E-Day’s Outriders Ties Could Lead to an Overhaul in Level Design

Something else Gears of War: E-Day‘s ties to Outriders through People Can Fly could mean is an overhaul in level design. For the most part, the Gears of War series has relied on close-quarter arenas that emphasize its cover-based gameplay. Outriders, on the other hand, embraced larger, more open spaces with increased verticality and destructible cover. If Outriders DNA finds its way into Gears of War: E-Day, that could mean more multi-layered combat arenas, a mix of urban and natural battlegrounds, and perhaps even environmental hazards that might happen in real-time.

Gears of War: E-Day‘s co-developer People Can Fly suggests it has the potential to be the reinvention the series has needed, but only if it strikes the right balance between honoring its roots and embracing innovation. If The Coalition and People Can Fly can successfully blend the tactical, weighty combat that defines Gears with the more fluid, aggressive mechanics of Outriders, E-Day could deliver an experience that feels both familiar and fresh. Additionally, expanding level design to incorporate verticality and destructible environments would further emphasize the chaos of Emergence Day, making every battle feel dynamic and unpredictable.

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2025

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Xbox Game Studios