The latest installment in the series from The Coalition, *Gears of War: E-Day*, has officially launched. On Steam, the game has already surpassed 20,000 concurrent players, marking a strong start and setting a new series record for a full-release title.
20,374 Concurrent Players on Steam! Roughly Double That of *Gears 5*
SteamDBAccording to reports, the peak concurrent users for *Gears of War: E-Day* on Steam stood at 30,127 as of this writing and continues to rise in real time.
Compared to other titles in the series released on Steam, “Gears 5” had a peak of 10,196 concurrent users, “Gears Tactics” had 7,351, and “Gears of War: Reloaded,” set for release in 2025, had 4,819.*E-Day* has reached approximately twice the number of *Gears 5*, setting a new record for the highest concurrent users among full-fledged series titles released on Steam.
“Our Gears is back!” Japanese reviews welcome the “return to its roots”
It seems the game is being well-received not only in terms of numbers but also by series fans.
A look at the Japanese reviews on Steam reveals praise for the story centered on Marcus Phoenix and Dominic Santiago, the intense firefights, and the dark atmosphere reminiscent of the series’ early days. Many voices express delight at the return to the series’ roots, with comments like “Gears is back.”
The game is set 14 years before the original *Gears of War*. It’s a prequel depicting “Emergence Day”—the day the Locust suddenly emerged from underground—and follows a young Marcus and Dom as they fight in a city on the brink of collapse.
Characterized by a darker, more gritty tone, the presence of the Locust, the series’ signature cover-based combat, intense gore, and the return of Japanese voice acting by the original cast, this shift back to the series’ roots—away from recent entries—seems to be resonating deeply with longtime fans.
With over 3,500 Steam reviews, the game is rated “Somewhat Positive” with a 76% approval rating.
However, the reception on Steam isn’t entirely unanimous.
As of this writing, 3,548 user reviews have been posted, 75% of which are positive. The overall rating is “Somewhat Positive.” While the approval rating exceeded 80% immediately after the Early Access launch, it has dropped slightly as the number of reviews has increased.
While some praise the series’ signature combat, visuals, and campaign, others have raised concerns about performance and certain aspects of the game design, resulting in mixed reviews.
Nevertheless, *Gears of War: E-Day* has significantly surpassed previous series titles in terms of peak concurrent users on Steam. In particular, the fact that the number is roughly double that of *Gears 5* suggests that this new title, which depicts the series’ “origins,” is attracting a great deal of attention.
*Gears of War: E-Day* is now available for PC (Steam/Microsoft Store) andXBOX Series X|S.
