Gears of War E-Day: Whether It Is on Steam (and PC Requirements)

Yes: Gears of War: E-Day launches on Steam on October 6, 2026, alongside the Xbox app on PC, with Premium Edition early access from October 1 on both. On PC it requires a graphics card with hardware ray tracing (at minimum an RTX 2060, RTX 5050, RX 6600 or RX 9060), 12 GB of RAM and 115 GB on an SSD.

Below we compare Steam with the Xbox app, list the full official requirements for every tier, run through the PC features, and explain where Steam Deck support stands. This guide covers the launch version, verified against the Steam store page and the final launch specs The Coalition posted on Xbox Wire, as of September 28, 2026.

Steam or the Xbox App: What Differs

Both storefronts sell the same editions at the same prices: $69.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the Premium Edition, which includes the five-day head start. Both open pre-install on September 29 at 8am PT. The differences are in what comes around the game:

• Xbox account: per The Coalition’s open beta FAQ, you do not need an Xbox or Microsoft account to play on Steam. You only need to link one to send cross-platform squad invites.
• Play Anywhere: a copy bought through the Xbox app is an Xbox Play Anywhere purchase, so it also plays on Xbox Series X|S with shared progression and achievements. A Steam copy is PC only.
• PC Game Pass: the game is included with PC Game Pass (and Game Pass Ultimate) from October 6, played through the Xbox app, not Steam.
• Premium upgrade: the $30 Premium Edition Upgrade is sold on the Xbox store. Steam listed no upgrade as of September 28.
• Steam extras: the Steam listing shows Steam Achievements, Family Sharing, full controller support including DualSense, HDR, and Cross-Platform Multiplayer.

Crossplay works either way, so your storefront does not lock you out of friends on other platforms. Our co-op guide covers account linking, and our editions guide covers what each version includes.

Official PC Requirements

These are the final launch specifications from The Coalition’s post on Xbox Wire, which replaced its specs image with a new version on September 28. Every tier’s performance target assumes an upscaler (DLSS, FSR, TSR or XeSS) is on.

The Steam page adds the operating system: Windows 10 64-bit (it lists build 19045.7291) at minimum, and Windows 11 64-bit, version 25H2 or newer for the recommended tier, with DirectX 12 and a broadband connection on both. The game is Windows only; Steam lists no Mac or Linux version.

Our gone gold report has the rest of the launch announcement.

Two Hard Requirements: Ray Tracing and an SSD

Two lines on the spec sheet are not suggestions.

• Hardware ray tracing. The spec image states that “Graphics cards without dedicated hardware ray-tracing support are not supported.” That rules out older cards without RT hardware, such as NVIDIA’s GTX 16 series and AMD’s RX 5000 series, even if they are otherwise fast enough.
• An SSD. The Coalition’s beta notes warn that mechanical hard drives “are not supported” and may cause severe loading issues, missing assets, stuttering and crashes.

Drivers matter too. During the open beta, the game would not launch on NVIDIA drivers older than 610.74, and The Coalition listed AMD 26.7.1 and Intel 101.8864 as the minimum versions. Update before launch day, and check the final notes for any newer minimum.

PC Features

Per the Steam page and the spec sheet, the PC version includes:

• Upscaling and frame generation: NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR 4 (the Steam copy calls it FSR “Redstone”), Intel XeSS 3.0, plus optional Frame Generation and Multi Frame Generation on supported hardware
• Ray tracing: hardware ray-traced reflections, shadows and global illumination
• A built-in benchmark mode with advanced PC settings
• Display options: HDR10, ultrawide support at 21:9 and 32:9 for gameplay and menus, uncapped frame rates, and borderless, exclusive and windowed modes
• Input: keyboard and mouse and controller remapping

The beta’s 150 FPS cap and disabled frame generation were both flagged by The Coalition as temporary, beta-only limits.

Steam Deck Status

The official line is optimistic. The Steam store page says E-Day is “fully optimized for handheld play on Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X, and Xbox Ally devices.”

Valve has not rated it yet, though. As of September 28, Steam’s Deck compatibility report for the game returns no rating at all: not Verified, not Playable, not Unsupported. Check the Steam Deck Compatibility section of the store page on launch day for any update.

Until then, treat “fully optimized” as the publisher’s claim rather than a Verified badge. If you are buying mainly for Deck, Steam’s refund window is your safety net; our guide on how to refund games on Steam explains the rules. For unlock times, see our release time guide, and for everything else, the Gears of War: E-Day guides hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gears of War E-Day on Steam?

Yes. It launches on Steam on October 6, 2026, with Premium Edition early access from October 1.

Do I need an Xbox account to play Gears of War E-Day on Steam?

No. The Coalition says an Xbox or Microsoft account is not required on Steam. You only need to link one to send cross-platform invites.

Can I run Gears of War E-Day without a ray tracing GPU?

No. The official specs say cards without dedicated hardware ray tracing are not supported. The minimum is an RTX 2060, RTX 5050, RX 6600 or RX 9060.

Is Gears of War E-Day Steam Deck Verified?

Not yet. Valve had not assigned a rating as of September 28, although the store page says the game is fully optimized for Steam Deck.

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

Yes, from October 6, through the Xbox app. Game Pass Ultimate also includes it.