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It’s time to dust off your Lancer. Nearly twenty years after the original changed the face of third-person shooters, Gears of War: Reloaded officially goes live on 26 August 2025, and this remaster is shaping up to be the definitive way to experience Marcus, Dom, and the war against the Locust all over again.

And the best part? For the first time ever, Gears of War is breaking out of its Xbox shell and charging straight onto PlayStation 5, alongside Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam + Microsoft Store). Oh, and yes, it’s launching Day One on Xbox Game Pass.

Global Launch Times – No Region Trickery Needed

Microsoft has confirmed that Reloaded unlocks at the same time globally. No more switching your console region to New Zealand for the cheeky early start. Here’s when you can jump in:

  • US (PDT) – 8 am
  • Mexico (CST) – 9 am
  • US (EDT) – 11 am
  • Brazil (BRT) – 12 pm
  • UK (BST) – 4 pm
  • France (CEST) – 5 pm
  • Saudi Arabia (AST) – 6 pm
  • India (IST) – 8:30 pm
  • China (CST) – 11 pm

Then rolling into the next day:

  • Korea (KST) – Midnight, 27 Aug
  • Australia (AEST) – 1 am, 27 Aug
  • New Zealand (NZST) – 3 am, 27 Aug

Preload is already live if you’ve pre-ordered or are on Game Pass, though you’ll want to clear some space: 63 GB on PS5, 68 GB on Xbox, and 70 GB on PC.

What’s New in Reloaded?

This isn’t just a lazy upscale. The Coalition has gone all out, polishing the original with tech that feels properly 2025:

  • Campaign: 4K visuals, HDR, Dolby Vision, and locked 60 FPS.
  • Multiplayer: Up to 120 FPS, Dolby Atmos, and buttery smooth netcode.
  • Cross-play + cross-progression: Squad up no matter what platform you’re on, and take your campaign saves and MP progression with you.
  • No loading screens in the campaign—seriously, it’s seamless now.
  • Visual glow-up: Enhanced textures, shadows, reflections, and anti-aliasing.
  • PC extras: 240 FPS support, ultrawide optimisation, improved mouse sensitivity, push-to-talk voice chat, plus it’s Steam Deck verified.
Gears of war reloaded release

Image credit: Xbox / The Coalition

Gears of war reloaded release

Image credit: Xbox / The Coalition

And yes, the fan favourite Gnasher shotgun has been tuned, matchmaking is faster with more servers, and stability across all platforms has had a serious upgrade.

Content & Extras

Reloaded isn’t just a pretty face. It also ships with all post-launch content from the original Ultimate Edition, extra campaign acts, every multiplayer map, characters, and cosmetics, all bundled in.

Multiplayer comes stacked with co-op and competitive modes, though it’s worth noting Horde Mode won’t be here (that came in Gears 2).

If you’re an Xbox die-hard, Microsoft has even sent out free codes to some loyal fans, so check your inbox. And if you pre-order, you’ll get special Adam Fenix and Anya Stroud skins for multiplayer.

Why This Matters

For longtime fans, Gears of War: Reloaded is both a nostalgia hit and a modern refresh that finally lets PlayStation players join the war. For Xbox and PC gamers, it’s an easy win on Game Pass.

But there’s more at stake: if Reloaded sells well, it could set the stage for more remasters—and even build momentum towards Gears of War: E-Day, the next big entry in the series.

So, whether you’re in it for the story, the competitive sweat, or just to hear Marcus growl about locusts again—tomorrow’s launch is a big deal.

Grab your chainsaw bayonet. It’s time to party like it’s 2006.