The Gears of War series has expanded significantly since the original trilogy debuted on the Xbox 360. Since the first game launched in 2006, the franchise has introduced mainline sequels, prequels, spin-offs, remasters, and even strategy games. If you’re interested in playing every Gears title in the order they were released, it’s quite an easy list to follow. Here’s a rundown of all the Gears of War games in order of their release dates.
Gears of War Games: Quick Overview
- First Game: Gears of War
- First Release: November 7, 2006
- Latest Game: Gears of War: E-Day
- Latest Release: October 6, 2026
- Main Series: Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, Gears of War 4, and Gears 5
- Prequels: Gears of War: Judgment, Gears Tactics, and Gears of War: E-Day
- Remasters: Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Gears of War: Reloaded
- Spin-Off: Gears POP!
- Main Genre: Third-person cover shooter
- Strategy Spin-Off: Gears Tactics
All Gears of War Games in Release Date Order
The table below lists all the Gears of War games in order of their release date.
| No. | Game | Release Date | Type | Main Platform at Release |
| 1 | Gears of War | November 7, 2006 | Main Series | Xbox 360 |
| 2 | Gears of War 2 | November 7, 2008 | Main Series | Xbox 360 |
| 3 | Gears of War 3 | September 20, 2011 | Main Series | Xbox 360 |
| 4 | Gears of War: Judgment | March 19, 2013 | Spin-Off / Prequel | Xbox 360 |
| 5 | Gears of War: Ultimate Edition | August 25, 2015 | Remaster | Xbox One |
| 6 | Gears of War 4 | October 11, 2016 | Main Series | Xbox One |
| 7 | Gears POP! | August 22, 2019 | Spin-Off | iOS, Android, Windows |
| 8 | Gears 5 | September 10, 2019 | Main Series | Xbox One, PC |
| 9 | Gears Tactics | April 28, 2020 | Strategy Spin-Off | PC |
| 10 | Gears of War: Reloaded | August 26, 2025 | Remaster | Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS5 |
| 11 | Gears of War: E-Day | October 6, 2026 | Prequel / Main Franchise | Xbox Series X/S, PC |
1. Gears of War
Gears of War introduced players to Marcus Fenix, Dominic Santiago, and the Locust Horde. Marcus returns to the COG military and joins Delta Squad as humanity fights to survive the Locust invasion. The game established the series’ famous cover-based shooting, Lancer chainsaw combat, and squad-based gameplay. It also introduced the world of Sera and became the foundation for the entire franchise.
2. Gears of War 2
Gears of War 2 continues Marcus and Delta Squad’s fight against the Locust. The war becomes much larger as entire cities come under attack. The game expanded the original formula with bigger battles, new weapons, larger enemies, and the introduction of Horde mode. It also pushed the story deeper into the conflict between humanity, the Locust, and the Lambent.
3. Gears of War 3
Gears of War 3 concludes the original Marcus Fenix trilogy. Humanity is close to collapse, while Marcus and his squad search for a way to end the Locust and Lambent threats. The game also expanded multiplayer with modes such as Beast and a larger Horde experience.
4. Gears of War: Judgment
Gears of War: Judgment is a prequel focused mainly on Damon Baird and Kilo Squad. The story takes place around the early years of the Locust War and shows events connected to the aftermath of Emergence Day. It also changed some of the traditional Gears gameplay with a more mission-based structure and different multiplayer features.
5. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is a remastered version of the original Gears of War. It rebuilt the original game for Xbox One with improved visuals, updated controls, additional campaign chapters, and remastered multiplayer content. It is still the same core story as the 2006 game, but with modernized presentation.
6. Gears of War 4
Gears of War 4 begins a new generation of the Gears story. The game introduces JD Fenix, the son of Marcus Fenix, alongside Kait Diaz and Del Walker. It takes place years after the original trilogy and introduces the Swarm as a new threat to humanity. The game also marked the first mainline Gears title developed by The Coalition after Microsoft acquired the franchise from Epic Games.
7. Gears POP!
Gears POP! was a mobile spin-off that combined Gears of War characters with Funko Pop designs. Instead of the traditional third-person shooting gameplay, it used real-time strategy and PvP mechanics. Players collected characters, built squads, and battled other players. The game was later shut down, with its servers closing in April 2021.
8. Gears 5
Gears 5 continues the story introduced in Gears of War 4, but puts Kait Diaz at the center of the campaign. Kait begins investigating her connection to the Locust and discovers more about her family and the history of the enemy. The game also expanded the series with larger environments, Escape mode, and an updated Horde mode.
9. Gears Tactics
Gears Tactics takes the franchise in a completely different direction. Instead of being a third-person shooter, it is a turn-based strategy game where players recruit soldiers, customize their equipment, and command squads during battles. The story takes place 12 years before the original Gears of War and follows Gabe Diaz as he attempts to stop Ukkon, a Locust leader responsible for creating dangerous monsters.
10. Gears of War: Reloaded
Gears of War: Reloaded is another remaster of the original Gears of War. Unlike Ultimate Edition, Reloaded was built for modern platforms and includes the post-launch content from the original game, including the bonus campaign act, multiplayer maps, characters, and cosmetics. It also adds modern features such as cross-play and cross-progression.
11. Gears of War: E-Day
Gears of War: E-Day takes the series back to the beginning of the Locust War. The story takes place 14 years before the original Gears of War and follows a young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during Emergence Day, when the Locust first erupt from underground. The campaign introduces Bravo Squad and takes place in Kalona. Along with the campaign, E-Day includes the new 12-player Horde Siege mode and traditional 4v4 Versus multiplayer.
Which Gears Games Are Mainline Games?
If you only want the main third-person Gears story, the list is shorter.
- Gears of War
- Gears of War 2
- Gears of War 3
- Gears of War 4
- Gears 5
- Gears of War: E-Day
What Is the Best Order to Play Gears of War?
For a first-time player, release order is the easiest way to experience the series. Start with the original Gears of War, continue through Gears 2 and Gears 3, then move to Gears 4 and Gears 5. After that, you can play the prequels and spin-offs such as Judgment, Tactics, and E-Day.
If you want to experience the beginning of the Gears timeline first, you can start with E-Day, followed by Gears Tactics and Judgment. However, this reveals the world and characters in a different order from the original release experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Gears of War Games
Q. How many Gears of War games are there?
A. There are 11 Gears of War games and major releases in the release order list, including mainline games, spin-offs, strategy games, and remasters.
Q. What is the first Gears of War game?
A. The first game is Gears of War, released on November 7, 2006.
Q. What is the latest Gears of War game?
A. Gears of War: E-Day is the latest game in the series, released on October 6, 2026.
Q. How many mainline Gears of War games are there?
A. There are six mainline story games: Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, Gears of War 4, Gears 5, and Gears of War: E-Day.
Q. Is Gears of War: E-Day a prequel?
A. Yes. E-Day is set 14 years before the original Gears of War and follows Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during Emergence Day.
Q. Which Gears of War game should I play first?
A. Gears of War is the best starting point for following the series in release order.
