The original Gears of War came out in 2006 and became one of the most important games on Xbox. Almost 20 years later, the game is being brought back as Gears of War: Reloaded, a full remaster coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on August 26, 2025 – the first time a Gears of War game will be released on a PlayStation console.
This change is part of Xbox’s new strategy. Over the past year, Xbox has started releasing more of its games on other platforms. For example, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have all come to PlayStation 5. Just last week, Forza Horizon 5 was added to that list. Now, with Gears of War, one of Xbox’s most iconic series is officially going multiplatform.
Key Takeaways
- Gears of War: Reloaded releases August 26, 2025, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
- It runs at 4K, 60 FPS in campaign, 120 FPS in multiplayer, with all DLC included.
- Cross-play and cross-progression are supported; early digital owners get a free upgrade.
A Complete Remaster with Modern Features
Gears of War: Reloaded is not a simple re-release. It is a full remaster created by The Coalition in partnership with Sumo Interactive and Disbelief. The game includes all the content from Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, plus updated graphics and major technical improvements.
This new version supports 4K resolution, 60 frames per second (FPS) in the campaign, and up to 120 FPS in multiplayer, depending on your display. It also adds High Dynamic Range (HDR), Dolby Vision, and 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos audio, giving the game clearer visuals and richer sound.
There are no loading screens during the campaign. This means players will move from one level to the next without interruption. The remaster includes variable refresh rate (VRR), upgraded shadows and reflections, enhanced post-processing, fully remastered 4K textures, and super resolution with advanced anti-aliasing. These updates make the game look and run much better than before.
Cross-Platform and Cross-Progression Support
One of the most important new features is full cross-play across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and PC; all players on these systems can play together. Also, if you sign in with a Microsoft account, you unlock cross-progression; it lets your progress carry over between platforms.
You can also send invites and play with friends across platforms using a Microsoft account. However, even without signing in, cross-platform multiplayer is still available. The campaign supports two-player co-op, and the versus multiplayer mode supports up to eight players.
All Content Included from Day One
The remaster includes everything from the Ultimate Edition, meaning the main campaign, the bonus campaign act, all multiplayer maps and modes, and a full roster of classic characters and cosmetics are part of the package.
Players can unlock cosmetics and characters through progression. The remaster will cost $39.99. But for players who bought Gears of War: Ultimate Edition digitally before May 5, 2025, at 16:00 UTC, the game will be free. Microsoft will send a code to those eligible Xbox accounts before launch.
Also, Gears of War: Reloaded will be available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on day one. It supports Xbox Cloud Gaming and will be playable across all Xbox platforms.
Positioning Ahead of Franchise’s 20th Anniversary
The release of Gears of War: Reloaded comes ahead of the series’ 20th anniversary in 2026. It follows the recent PlayStation 5 release of Forza Horizon 5 and other Xbox titles such as Pentiment and Sea of Thieves.
In addition, Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel set 14 years before the first game, is currently in development. While no release date has been announced, Reloaded helps build momentum for the next phase of the series.
