Xbox reports that Gears of War: E-Day has reached gold status as the team heads toward release.

September 29 is the pre-install date for Gears of War: E-Day, Xbox confirms. Downloads begin at 15:00 UTC across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Steam, ahead of the dates when players can start playing.

Players with the Premium Edition get up to five days of early access, starting October 1 at 15:00 UTC, according to Xbox. The wider launch follows on October 6 at 15:00 UTC, which is also the start date for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members.

An underground Locust invasion sets the campaign in motion. Xbox describes an origin story following Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as they fight to survive, with the events taking place fourteen years before the original Gears of War.

Squads in Horde Siege contain four players, Xbox says, with Assault, Marksman, Medic and Breacher as class options. Groups can cooperate on shared objectives and world bosses. Online Horde Siege needs a separately sold Game Pass subscription including online multiplayer; the same requirement covers Open Beta.