By Paula Beaton Gears of War: E-Day is coming to Los Angeles with a special Emergence Day event for fans on September 30th, allowing them to play the game before early access opens on October 1st.
The Emergence Day event will be held at Hollywood & Vine from 3pm to 10pm PDT, with queueing for access opening from 12pm. Entry is only for those aged 18 or over, since the game is rated M for mature.
Up to 500 attendees will get the exciting opportunity to meet other fans and play Gears of War: E-Day before the game’s early access opens next month. There will also be the chance to win prizes, enjoy free Gears of War-themed food and beverages, get airbrush tattoos and commemorate the event with some snaps in the themed photobooth.
That’s not all! If you dress up in game merchandise — or go one step further and cosplay your favorite characters from the franchise — you can enter a competition to win amazing prizes! Up for grabs is an Xbox Design Lab Gears of War: E-Day-inspired controller designed by illustrator Luke Preece, as well as loads of other goodies.
Anybody dressed in Gears of War merch can skip the queue and join the fast line, which means less time waiting. Since the event has a maximum number of 500 attendees and entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis, you’ll definitely want to wear your merch to ensure you don’t miss out on the experience.
Early access for Gears of War: E-Day Premium Edition opens on October 1st at 8am PDT (3pm UTC/4pm British Summer Time). You can pre-load the Premium Edition on September 29th at 8am Pacific Time (3pm UTC/4pm British Summer Time).
The game officially launches on October 6, 2026, including the standard edition — and it’s a day one release on Xbox Game Pass.
Looking for some more Game Pass games to keep you busy until Gears of War: E-Day arrives? We’ve rounded up 20 of the best Xbox Game Pass games to play this September, from indie titles to action adventure games.