Responding to widespread community feedback, developer The Coalition has confirmed that PvP Versus mode will be included during the initial early-access weekend for the Gears of War: E-Day open beta.

Early access runs from August 6 through August 10 for players who pre-ordered the title or subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, with a second open beta weekend scheduled for all players from August 13 through August 17. The decision follows player frustration after pre-loads revealed that the opening weekend was originally restricted to the cooperative Horde Siege mode.

In Gears of War: E-Day, the competitive Versus experience shifts to 4v4 matches built around equal starting loadouts, map-controlled Power Weapons, and modernized traversal mechanics. Alongside PvP combat, the beta features Horde Siege—a 12-player cooperative mode across expanded environments—on the Golden Quarter map. Gears of War: E-Day is scheduled to launch on October 6, 2026, for Xbox Series X and S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass.