Every Gears of War: E-Day player can claim RAAM as a free multiplayer character by logging in on November 7, the exact 20th anniversary of the series, according to The Coalition. The studio also confirmed that Season 2, titled Legacy, begins on December 1.
The announcement comes in a post on Xbox Wire by Nicole Fawcette, studio brand director at The Coalition. It looks back at two decades of the franchise, from Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago to the community that grew up around the games, and then lays out what players get now and next.
What is in the 20th anniversary event?
A two-week anniversary event started this week in E-Day with two limited-time modes and new rewards:
- Versus: Guardian. Only one leader makes it out alive.
- Horde Siege: For the Queen. The supply cache is disabled, so you and your squad rely on your loadouts.
The event is separate from the free character. The Coalition says it is giving RAAM to every E-Day player as a gift, and that players just need to log in to claim him instantly.
What is Season 2: Legacy?
Season 2 starts on December 1 and continues the anniversary theme. The Coalition says it honours the greatest hits of the series across maps, modes and multiplayer skins, and brings back some fan favourites from the franchise’s history.
It will also reimagine characters. The one example the studio gives is Solemn Memories Dom, a skin that shows Dom in the suit he wears in the well-known photo of him and Maria from Gears of War 2. Gaming Trend’s roundup of the seasonal plans adds that a Legendary character skin, the franchise’s first, debuts at the start of Season 2 and is tied to the returning Dead Serious achievement. The Coalition’s post does not list the Season 2 maps and modes.
What does Gears of War: E-Day include?
The anniversary post repeats the store description of the game. E-Day is an origin story set fourteen years before the original Gears of War, in which Marcus and Dom face the Locust Horde as it first erupts from below.
- Campaign. Play alone, in two-player split-screen, or with up to four players online.
- Horde Siege. A co-op wave mode for four-player squads with four classes: Assault, Marksman, Medic and Breacher. Several squads can team up on shared objectives and world bosses.
- Versus. Refined 4v4 modes on new maps, with Ranked and Social playlists.
- Technology. Built in Unreal Engine 5, with 4K resolution and up to 60FPS across campaign and multiplayer on a compatible display.
Online campaign co-op, Horde Siege and Versus require a Game Pass subscription that includes online multiplayer, sold separately. Two-player split-screen is available on console only.
Prices
The Xbox Wire post lists these prices in US dollars:
| Edition | Price |
|---|---|
| Gears of War: E-Day | $69.99, shown at a reduced $62.99 at the time of the post |
| Premium Edition | $99.99 |
The Premium Edition includes the base game, the Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack, five seasonal customization packs starting with the Emergence Pack, and 1,000 Iron, the premium in-game currency. The post does not say how long the reduced price lasts or what prices apply in other countries, so check your regional Xbox or Steam listing. The game is also listed with PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass.
Who it suits
Existing E-Day players. Log in on November 7 to collect RAAM, and try Guardian and For the Queen before the two-week event ends.
Lapsed Gears fans. The anniversary skins and the Legacy season are aimed at long-time players who want older maps, modes and looks back.
Horde fans. For the Queen removes the supply cache, which pushes squads to plan loadouts around the classes.
Anyone who has not bought the game. The campaign works alone or in split-screen, but online modes need a Game Pass subscription that includes online multiplayer, sold separately.
What we do not know
The post does not say which maps and modes return in Season 2, what the other Legacy skins look like, or how long the event runs after its start this week. It also gives no pricing outside US dollars and no date for the Legendary skin beyond the start of Season 2, which comes from Gaming Trend rather than The Coalition.
What to do next
Log in to E-Day on November 7 to claim RAAM, and watch Xbox Wire and The Coalition’s channels for the Season 2 details closer to December 1.
