Gears of War Turns 20: Free RAAM for Every E-Day Player, Two Limited Modes and Season 2 Legacy on December 1

Gears of War: E-Day Season 2, called Legacy, starts on December 1, The Coalition has confirmed, and it's a celebration of the series' greatest hits. Before that, Gears of War is 20 years old: the original launched on Xbox 360 in November 2006, and to mark it every E-Day player gets RAAM free as a multiplayer character, plus two limited-time modes in a two-week anniversary event. Here's everything in The Coalition's announcement.

Gears of War: E-Day Season 2 and 20th anniversary at a glance

When does Gears of War: E-Day Season 2 start?

December 1, 2026. Season 2: Legacy honours the series' greatest hits, bringing back fan-favorite maps, modes and multiplayer skins from earlier Gears of War games. The Coalition hasn't named the maps or modes yet.

What is the Solemn Memories Dom skin?

It's the headline Season 2 skin: a reimagined Dom based on the suit he wears in his famous photo with Maria from Gears of War 2, one of the most emotional moments in the series.

How do you get RAAM for free in Gears of War: E-Day?

Just log in. For the 20th anniversary, The Coalition is giving RAAM, the Locust general from the first game, to every Gears of War: E-Day player as a multiplayer character.

What are the 20th anniversary modes?

• Guardian (Versus): a limited-time mode where only one leader survives.
• For the Queen (Horde Siege): the supply cache is switched off, so your squad has to rely on its loadouts.

The event runs for two weeks and comes with new rewards, which The Coalition hasn't listed in full.

Is Gears of War: E-Day on Game Pass?

Yes. It's on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. To buy it, the Standard Edition is $69.99 and the Premium Edition is $99.99, which adds the Bravo Squad Signature Weapon Pack, five seasonal customization packs and 1,000 Iron. Online play on Xbox needs a Game Pass plan that includes online multiplayer. Two-player split-screen works on console only.

What's in Gears of War: E-Day?

E-Day is set 14 years before the first game and follows Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago on Emergence Day, when the Locust Horde first appears. You can play the campaign solo, in split-screen or with up to four players online. Horde Siege has four classes (Assault, Marksman, Medic and Breacher), and Versus is 4v4 with Ranked and Social playlists. Want to know if it's any good? Read our Gears of War: E-Day review roundup.

Watch Gears of War: E-Day

The Coalition didn't release a new trailer with the anniversary news. The full details and images are in the official Xbox Wire post.

More Gears of War and Xbox on iGame Magazine

• Gears of War: E-Day Review Roundup: What the Critics Say: what critics say about E-Day
• Xbox Game Pass November 2026: Every Game Coming, the 13 Leaving on November 15 and Eight Classics for Essential: every Game Pass game this month

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