It’s finally time to jump into the action in Gears of War: Reloaded, out on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5 and Steam today. For many of us, it’s a welcome return to one of gaming’s most iconic stories, but for many more, it’s the first time you’ll be stepping into the extra-large boots of Marcus and Dom. We’re thrilled that so many new players can experience their story for the first time ever – and whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the Locust War or picking up a Lancer for the first time – here’s everything you need to know, plus some exclusive extra insight from inside The Coalition.

The Classic Returns, Better than Ever

It’s been almost 20 years since Gears of War first made its way onto the Xbox 360, and the release of Reloaded is just the start of how the studio plans to honor the milestone, says Mike Crump, Studio Head at The Coalition.

“We really felt that bringing back the game that started it all – and bringing it to more players and more platforms than ever before – was the perfect way to kick off a celebration of 20 years of Gears,” Crump adds. “I’m jealous of everyone who’s about to experience Gears for the first time because I remember what an amazing experience that was!”

In Gears of War: Reloaded, every aspect of the original game has been brought to modern standards – art, audio, cinematics… everything – to deliver a new, enhanced experience. With stunning 4K resolution, assets and textures, a 60 FPS campaign with lightning-fast load times and 120 FPS in multiplayer, this the ultimate way to play Gears of War, and it’ll feel spectacular no matter how many times you’ve experienced this story before.

“It’s always fascinating to see the difference between what you remember your favourite games looking like and what they actually looked like,” Crump says. “Gears of War set a new bar for graphical fidelity in 2006, and that’s what I remember about it – being in awe of how great it looked. Of course, the bar has moved a lot higher since then. Upgrading and enhancing such a beloved game for today’s generation of hardware has been a labor of love for The Coalition.”

Squad Up Across Platforms

With so many new platforms joining the fight, Gears of War: Reloaded is built to support squads without restriction. Cross-play functionality means that players across Xbox, PlayStation and Steam can party up together, whether its to take on the Campaign in two-player co-op mode, or team up in Versus Multiplayer, which supports up to 8 players, providing all party members are signed into a Microsoft account.

Not only does signing in with a Microsoft account allow for cross-platform parties, it also enables cross-progression. Allowing your Campaign and multiplayer progress to carry across devices for a seamless experience wherever you play. It also allows you to send invites and play with friends across platforms — like Xbox to PlayStation or Steam to Xbox.

With the 20^th anniversary of Gears of War around the corner, we couldn’t help but ask Crump to share one of his favourite Gears moments (and we’ve kept it spoiler-free).

“The terror of encountering the Berserker will be forever etched into my memory,” says Crump. “The way she’s introduced is an ‘oh shit’ moment for the ages!”

A Thank You to Xbox Players

As a token of gratitude for longtime fans, Gears of War Reloaded will be available as a free upgrade if you purchased the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition prior to 16:00 UTC on May 5, 2025.

And for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, Gears of War: Reloaded will be available as part of the Game Pass library today.

Gears of War: Reloaded

Xbox Game Studios

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★★★★★

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THE DEFINITIVE RELEASE

The Original, Remastered: Powered by Unreal Engine, Gears of War: Reloaded is a remaster of the blockbuster first Gears of War, now fully optimized for the latest generation of gaming platforms.

All Included: Gears of War: Reloaded delivers all post-launch content for the original title, including a bonus campaign act, multiplayer maps, plus characters and cosmetics, at no additional cost.

Refined Controls: Newcomers can choose a modern, streamlined control layout, while veterans can relive the classic feel they love.

BUILT FOR BROTHERHOOD

Campaign Co-Op: Crush the Locust threat together through campaign split-screen or online co-op. Fight on with your squad in Versus multiplayer running at up to 120fps with unmatched clarity and visual fidelity.*

Cross Play: Gears of War: Reloaded supports cross-play across all platforms, allowing you and your friends to squad-up, regardless of where you play.*

Cross Progression: Jump from one platform to another and your campaign saves as well as multiplayer progression will come with you. Signing in with your Microsoft Account required is for cross progression.*

OPTIMIZED FOR XBOX & PC:

Natively Optimized for Xbox Series X|S: The iconic original now looks and plays better than ever with lightning-fast load times, 4K assets plus remastered textures, lighting, shadows and reflections, HDR and Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, as well as up to 120 FPS in multiplayer.*

Optimized for PC & Handhelds: In addition to stunning remastered visuals, Gears of War: Reloaded also delivers PC-first features such as ultrawide support, a benchmark mode, variable refresh rate, mouse and keyboard support, FSR3.1 and DLSS3.5 Super Resolution support as well as controller remapping.

*4K, HDR & 144FPS: requires capable display. Co-Op: campaign split-screen not available on PC or handhelds.