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Seasons and Post-Launch Content
October 2, 2026 at 08:04 AM
Added Season 1 dates and events, the Ranked start date and the names of Seasons 2 to 5; updated what is still unannounced
Gears of War: E-Day ships with a stated post-launch commitment rather than an open-ended one. The studio is committed to at least five themed post-launch multiplayer seasons, and on September 30, 2026 it named all five: Season 1: Emergence, Season 2: Legacy, Season 3: Infiltration, Season 4: Pendulum and Season 5: Devotion. Season 1 began with the early access release on October 1, 2026 and runs for eight weeks, until December 1, 2026.
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Number of seasons | At least five themed post-launch multiplayer seasons |
Launch season | Season 1: Emergence |
Scope | Multiplayer. The commitment is stated for Horde Siege and Versus. No post-launch Campaign content has been announced |
Content types | New maps, modes, characters, skins, Horde Siege classes and limited time events |
Season themes | All five are named: Emergence, Legacy, Infiltration, Pendulum and Devotion. Season 2: Legacy is dedicated to the series' 20th anniversary; no theme has been described for Seasons 3 to 5 |
Dates | Season 1: Emergence began with the early access release on October 1, 2026 and runs for eight weeks, until December 1, 2026. Later seasons will vary in length, and their dates are to be announced closer to each one |
The studio's September 30, 2026 season post set out what the launch season contains. It carries all of the launch maps, modes and cosmetics, plus three limited themed events, and it brings the competitive playlist online a week after the worldwide launch.
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Dates | From the early access release on October 1, 2026 until December 1, 2026, eight weeks in all |
Ranked | Versus Ranked opens on October 13, 2026, one week after the worldwide launch, to give players time to learn the maps, modes and sandbox first. See Versus |
Weekly challenges | The weekly challenges early access players receive on October 1 are the same set every player receives at launch on October 6. Weekly challenges then refresh on October 13 |
Shop | Offers rotate every Tuesday, with free featured gifts to check for each week. See Cosmetics and Currencies |
Charity | All net revenue from the Never Fight Alone Year 5 bundle, which includes an exclusive character skin and weapon skin set, and from the Never Fight Alone Legacy set goes to Crisis Text Line |
Partnership items | Cosmetics sold or granted through limited time partnerships move into the Barracks for Coins and Iron once the partnership's exclusivity term lapses |
Anniversary rewards | Two reward sets mark the series' 20th anniversary and are tied to Xbox achievements in Gears of War: Reloaded: the Fire and Fenix Pose (for its Prison Breakout achievement), and the Old Guard Medal with the Locked n' Reloaded Player Title (for its Re-Up achievement). See Progression and Medals |
Three limited themed events run during Season 1. Each lasts two weeks and brings its own Versus Event mode, a Horde Siege Event mission and exclusive rewards. Start dates for the individual events had not been published as of October 2, 2026.
Event | Length | Contents |
|---|---|---|
Halloween | Two weeks | A Versus Event mode, a Horde Siege Event mission and exclusive rewards |
20 Years of Gears | Two weeks | A Versus Event mode, a Horde Siege Event mission and exclusive rewards |
Thanksgibbing | Two weeks | A Versus Event mode, a Horde Siege Event mission and exclusive rewards |
Season 2 is called Legacy and is dedicated to the series' 20th anniversary, with new content themed around the most memorable moments of earlier Gears of War games. Every player receives a birthday gift on November 7, 2026, the anniversary date itself, ahead of the season. The Legendary Character Skin awarded for the Dead Serious achievement also debuts at the start of Season 2. See Achievements. No start date has been published for the season.
Season | Name | Published detail |
|---|---|---|
Season 3 | Infiltration | Name only |
Season 4 | Pendulum | Name only |
Season 5 | Devotion | Name only |
The launch figures below double as the baseline: each one is published alongside a statement that more arrives after launch.
System | At launch | After launch |
|---|---|---|
Horde Siege maps | Three, each covering a different district of Kalona | More maps, covering further districts |
Four: Assault, Marksman, Medic and Breacher | More classes arrive in seasonal updates | |
Horde Siege objective types | Five | More objective types, plus new missions and modifiers |
Versus modes | Four core modes plus rotating featured experiences | Regular limited time modes, including returning modes from earlier games in the series reworked for this one |
Six, all new and all set in and around Kalona | More maps, confirmed but unnamed | |
Characters | Over 60 character skins across COG and Locust characters | New characters and additional skins every season |
Medals | Over 80 unique medal series | More medal series each season. See Progression and Medals |
Menu Music | Four equippable pieces | More after launch |
Seasonal challenges | Not applicable at launch | 20 challenges per season, spanning both multiplayer modes |
Limited time modes are the stated vehicle for in-game events, and the one named example is a Trick or Treat mode running during a Halloween event. Events also carry their own challenge set, five per event, awarding themed customisation items. The challenge structure is broken down on Progression and Medals.
Limited time rewards do not disappear permanently. Once a seasonal or event challenge expires, the item it awarded enters the Barracks after a cooldown, where it can be bought with Coins or Iron. Players who completed the challenge while it was live keep the distinction of having earned it, and players who missed it get a later route to the item. The full economy is on Cosmetics and Currencies.
The seasons also have a paid track that runs parallel to them. The Premium Edition, the Premium Edition Upgrade and the Collector’s Edition each include five Seasonal Customization Packs. The first, the Emergence Pack, is available at launch, and the remaining four are released as each season arrives.
Pack | Availability | Contents |
|---|---|---|
Emergence Pack | At launch, with Season 1: Emergence | Eight items, itemised on Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses |
Four remaining packs | Released alongside later seasons | Each contains two character skins, two weapon skin sets, two poses, and one banner, emblem and icon |
These packs are one of the three categories of item in the game that cannot be earned by playing. Everything else in the seasonal reward tracks can be, because there is no battle pass and no tour of duty.
A Never Fight Alone Charity Bundle arrives with the game on October 6, 2026, containing a character skin, a weapon skin set, an emblem, a banner and an icon. It is a pay-only bundle and all net revenue from it goes to the studio’s suicide prevention partner. The wider charity programme is on Limited Edition Controllers and Merchandise.
As of October 2, 2026, the season names and Season 1's dates are published, but no dated roadmap covers Seasons 2 to 5. That was checked against the official news index, the storefront announcement feed, the publisher news tag for this game and both storefront product pages.
No start dates for Seasons 2 to 5, and no start dates for the three Season 1 events beyond their two-week length.
No themes for Seasons 3, 4 and 5 beyond their names.
No names for post-launch maps, modes, classes or objective types, only the commitment that they exist.
No post-launch campaign content has been announced, and nothing rules it out either.
No pricing has been published for Iron bundles or for individual shop items.
