For a first playthrough, follow release order through the numbered campaigns: Gears of War (or Gears of War: Reloaded), Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, Gears of War 4, then Gears 5. Add Gears 5: Hivebusters after Gears 5 if you want its extra campaign. Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel set much earlier, but playing the original saga first preserves the series’ release-order introductions and reveals.
Recommended order for a first playthrough
- Gears of War — or Gears of War: Reloaded, the remastered version of the original.
- Gears of War 2
- Gears of War 3
- Gears of War 4
- Gears 5
This route follows the numbered story as players first encountered it, introducing the characters, conflicts and major developments in release order. Reloaded occupies the original game’s slot; it is not an additional story chapter. The official franchise catalog lists the games, while Xbox’s announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded describes the original returning in remastered form.
Optional games and expansion
Gears of War: Judgment
Judgment is an optional prequel set in the period immediately after Emergence Day. It follows a young Damon Baird and Kilo Squad. It offers earlier-era context, but it is not required to follow the numbered campaigns. See the official game page.
Gears Tactics
Gears Tactics is an optional turn-based strategy spin-off set twelve years before the first Gears of War. It gives you an earlier look at the conflict without being a necessary step in the numbered saga. The Coalition’s November 10, 2020 announcement describes it as a strategy game and says it is set 12 years before the first game.
The Tool Desk
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Play Hivebusters after Gears 5. This additional campaign follows Lahni, Mac and Keegan, characters introduced as Scorpio Squad in Gears 5‘s Escape mode. The official Hivebusters page identifies it as an expansion; the Gears 5 page provides the Escape-mode context.
Where Gears of War: E-Day fits
E-Day is set fourteen years before the original game and tells an origin story about Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during the Locust emergence. Xbox Wire reported its worldwide launch on October 6, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Game Pass and Steam. See the E-Day announcement.
Rank #2
- Disc only. Original case and manual not included. Will come packaged in a generic case.
- This renewed game has been cleaned, tested, and shows minimal wear.
If you want strict story chronology, start with E-Day, then continue with the older-era games and the main saga. For a newcomer who wants to experience the series in the order its main story unfolded for players, use the release-order route above and play E-Day as a prequel afterward.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you play the campaigns in co-op?
Yes, but the options depend on the individual game and edition. The official pages list the original Gears of War campaign as playable solo or cooperatively with one friend as Dominic Santiago, while Gears 5 supports three-player online or split-screen campaign co-op. Check the original game page and Gears 5 page for those details; verify the specific title and platform you plan to use for other co-op options.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Listen up, soldier. The world is in ruin. The Locust Horde has risen. It’s Human vs Horde, and here’s your mission: Pick a side, build a powerful deck, and win the war. The fate of the world is in your hands!
- Experience the gritty gunplay of the video game in this official two-player card game. Take command of the COG forces or the Locust horde and seize control of the battlefield, one chapter at a time.
- Strategise your way through each chapter, bolstering your forces with classic characters like Marcus Fenix, General Raam, August “Cole Train” Cole, Dominic Santiago, and Damon Baird.
- Every battle counts. Whatever happens in each chapter will change what comes next, so you’d better be ready to dominate. The deck you build and decisions you make will change the way you play each campaign, making this a game you can reload time and time again.
- Whether you're a hardened vet or a grass-green rookie, get ready to take cover and lay down suppressive fire. Your enemies are trying to take the line, soldier. You’d better shove back hard.
Rank #4
- This item does not work outside US. We cannot guarantee compatibility. You can contact the call center for more information on compatibility.
- Enthralling cinematic story. Experience the epic finale to the Gears of War trilogy
- Unparalleled gameplay
- One of the definitive multiplayer experiences on Xbox LIVE
- Gears of War 3 pushes the envelope for stunning visuals on Xbox 360
Rank #3
- Engaging and disturbing cinematic story
- Never Fight Alone
- Gears of War Extras: Map Packs 1 & 2, Theme - Emergence Day, Gamer Pics - Gears of War, Emergence Day
- Engaging and disturbing cinematic story
- Never Fight Alone
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