Xbox closed out its mammoth showcase event with a surprise: a new Gears of War game.

The game isGears of War: E-Day, and looks to be a prequel to the original 2006 Xbox 360 title and, by extension, its belovedUltimate Edition remaster.

Gears of War E-Day key art

E-Day, otherwise known as Emergence Day, is theGears of Warevent in which the Locust Horde invaded the planet Sera. The original Gears of War starts 14 days after E-Day, with franchise hero Marcus Fenix imprisoned for abandoning his post.

A new Gears game was the predominant rumor going into the Xbox Showcase, with fans eagerly awaiting a new entry in the store series.Gearshas long been a fan-favorite Xbox franchise, praised for its storytelling, visceral action, and first-in-class multiplayer experience.

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This marks the first mainline series entry since 2019’sGears 5. That game ended with Marcus, his son J.D., and allies Del and Marcus forming the new Delta Squad. The last overall release was 2020’s RTS experience,Gears Tactics.

We gaveGears 5an 8/10, calling it “an amplification of everything everyGearsbefore did well,” and “a maturation of everything those same games struggled with.”

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Gears of War: E-Daydoes not currently have a release date, but will be available at launch on Game Pass.

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