To play the Gears of War games in order of release, start with Gears of War (2006) and finish with Gears of War: E-Day (2026). In story order, E-Day comes first, because it is set on Emergence Day, 14 years before the original game. For most new players, the best place to start is Gears of War: Reloaded, the modern remaster of the first game, followed by Gears 2 and Gears 3.

Below are both orders, where the spin-offs fit, which versions are remakes and the mistakes that confuse newcomers. Release dates and settings were checked against official store pages and Xbox Wire in November 2026.

Official Gears of War: E-Day gameplay screenshot
Gears of War: E-Day is the newest game in the series and the earliest in the timeline. Image: Xbox Game Studios

Gears of War games in release order

  1. Gears of War (2006) — Xbox 360, with a PC version in 2007.
  2. Gears of War 2 (2008) — Xbox 360.
  3. Gears of War 3 (2011) — Xbox 360.
  4. Gears of War: Judgment (2013) — Xbox 360 prequel spin-off.
  5. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (2015) — remake of the first game for Xbox One, later on PC.
  6. Gears of War 4 (2016) — Xbox One and PC.
  7. Gears 5 (2019) — Xbox One and PC, later enhanced for Xbox Series X|S.
  8. Gears Tactics (2020) — turn-based strategy spin-off, first on PC and later on Xbox.
  9. Gears of War: Reloaded (2025) — remaster of the first game for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5.
  10. Gears of War: E-Day (2026) — prequel for Xbox Series X|S and PC, released on October 6, 2026.

There was also Gears POP!, a mobile and PC spin-off from 2019 that has since been shut down, so it is not playable today and has no impact on the story.

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Gears of War games in story order (timeline)

  1. Gears of War: E-Day — Emergence Day, 14 years before the first game, when the Locust Horde first breaks through. You play as a young Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago.
  2. Gears of War: Judgment — the early months of the war after Emergence Day, following Baird and Cole's Kilo Squad.
  3. Gears Tactics — set 12 years before the first Gears of War, as Gabe Diaz hunts a scientist creating monsters.
  4. Gears of War (original, Ultimate Edition or Reloaded) — Marcus is freed from prison and joins Delta Squad.
  5. Gears of War 2 — about six months later.
  6. Gears of War 3 — about 18 months after Gears 2, closing Marcus's original trilogy. Judgment's short Aftermath epilogue also takes place during this game.
  7. Gears of War 4 — 25 years after Gears 3, starring JD Fenix, Kait Diaz and Del Walker.
  8. Gears 5 — directly after Gears 4, focused on Kait's connection to the Locust.
Official Gears Tactics screenshot of a turn-based battle
Gears Tactics is set 12 years before the first Gears of War. Image: Xbox Game Studios

Where should you start with Gears of War?

Start with Gears of War: Reloaded if you want the full story the way it was told. It is the most accessible version of the first game, available on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5, and it sets up the characters every later game builds on. Then continue with Gears 2, Gears 3, Gears 4 and Gears 5.

If you only want the newest game, Gears of War: E-Day works as a starting point because it is a prequel, though some moments land harder if you already know what happens to Marcus and Dom later. Our Gears of War: E-Day beginner's guide helps with the first hours.

Judgment and Tactics are optional. Play them after the main trilogy if you enjoy the world and want more backstory.

Official Gears of War: Reloaded gameplay screenshot
Gears of War: Reloaded is the easiest way to play the original story on modern hardware. Image: Xbox Game Studios

How to play the older Gears of War games

Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3 and Judgment were never remastered. On Xbox, they are playable through backward compatibility, which Microsoft added for the whole Xbox 360 collection in 2015. Those three never came to PC, so on a computer you jump from Reloaded straight to Gears 4, and PlayStation players currently only have Reloaded. Gears 4, Gears 5 and E-Day run natively on current Xbox consoles and PC.

Common mistakes when playing Gears in order

  • Buying the first game twice: the original, Ultimate Edition and Reloaded all tell the same story. Pick one.
  • Skipping Gears 3 before Gears 4: Gears 4 jumps 25 years ahead and assumes you know how the original war ended.
  • Starting with Gears 5: it continues Gears 4 directly, so you miss the setup for Kait and JD.
Official Gears 5 gameplay screenshot
Gears 5 picks up directly after Gears of War 4. Image: Xbox Game Studios

Gears of War order FAQ

Do I need to play the old games before E-Day?

No. E-Day is set before everything else, so it is understandable on its own. It is still being updated, with Season 2: Legacy starting on December 1.

How many Gears of War games are there?

There are eight distinct games with a campaign: six main entries (Gears of War, 2, 3, 4, Gears 5 and E-Day) and two spin-offs (Judgment and Tactics), plus two remakes of the first game.

Is Gears of War on PS5?

Only Gears of War: Reloaded. E-Day launched on Xbox Series X|S and PC.