Gears of War: E-Day marks 20 years with free RAAM and Season 2: Legacy
Every Gears of War: E-Day player can claim RAAM free by logging in. A two-week 20th anniversary event adds two modes, and Season 2: Legacy starts on December 1.
Stories on esportz.fun are written by the esportz.fun team under house pen names. About our authors
Gears of War turned 20 on November 7, 2026, and The Coalition is giving every Gears of War: E-Day player a free gift: RAAM as a multiplayer character. You claim him just by logging in. A two-week anniversary event adds a new Versus mode and a Horde Siege variant, and Season 2: Legacy starts on December 1 with returning maps, modes and skins.
The plan was confirmed on Xbox Wire by Nicole Fawcette, studio brand director at The Coalition.
What's confirmed
Free RAAM. From November 7, the series' actual anniversary, every E-Day player gets RAAM, the Locust general from the first game, as a multiplayer character. No code or purchase is needed.
The anniversary event started the week of the anniversary and runs for two weeks. It includes:
- Guardian (Versus): each team has a leader, and only one leader makes it out alive.
- For the Queen (Horde Siege): the supply cache is turned off, so squads must rely on their loadouts.
- New rewards for taking part. Xbox Wire does not list them all.
Season 2: Legacy, December 1. The Coalition says Legacy celebrates the series' greatest hits with returning maps, modes and multiplayer skins, and reimagined characters. The first one shown is Solemn Memories Dom, who wears the suit from his famous photo with Maria in Gears of War 2. The Coalition has not yet said which maps are returning.
The season plan. The official Gears site says Season 1: Emergence began with E-Day's early access and runs until December 1. E-Day will have at least five post-launch seasons: Legacy, Infiltration, Pendulum and Devotion follow Emergence. The site also says the reward skin for the Dead Serious achievement debuts at the start of Season 2. It will be the first Legendary character skin in the series.
Background
Gears of War launched on Xbox 360 on November 7, 2006, and introduced Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago and the Lancer's chainsaw bayonet. Its cover-based shooting shaped a whole generation of third-person shooters, and Horde mode, added in Gears of War 2 in 2008, became a template for co-op wave survival modes.
E-Day is a prequel set 14 years before the first game, telling the story of the night the Locust first emerged. It is built in Unreal Engine 5 and came out in October 2026. Online play, including Horde Siege and Versus, needs a Game Pass subscription that includes online multiplayer, according to the store listing.
My take: smart, and RAAM is the right pick
Giving away RAAM is a smart birthday gift. He is one of the most recognisable villains in the series, and making him free for everyone, not locked behind the Premium Edition or the shop, is the right choice for a game that needs a full Versus population.
For the Queen is the mode I would play first. Turning off the supply cache removes the safety net that Horde Siege squads usually depend on, so loadout choices really matter. Guardian should make Versus messier in a good way.
Legacy is where the real test is. The Coalition has said meat shields, chainsaw duels and private lobbies were not in E-Day at launch. Bringing back classic maps is nice, but if Season 2 also brings some of those features back, it would mean much more to long-time players.
What we don't know yet
- Returning maps. No list yet, so Gridlock fans will have to wait.
- Missing features. It is unclear whether Season 2 restores any legacy features, such as chainsaw duels or private lobbies.
- Event end date. The exact end date and time of the two-week event have not been published.
- Season 2 length. The Coalition says post-launch seasons will vary in length and dates will come closer to each one.
Quick facts
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Game | Gears of War: E-Day |
| Anniversary | November 7, 2026 (Gears of War launched November 7, 2006) |
| Free gift | RAAM multiplayer character, claim by logging in |
| Event modes | Guardian (Versus), For the Queen (Horde Siege) |
| Event length | Two weeks |
| Season 2: Legacy | Starts December 1, 2026 |
| Later seasons | Infiltration, Pendulum, Devotion |
FAQ
How do I get RAAM in Gears of War: E-Day?
Log in to the game. The Coalition says RAAM is a free multiplayer character for every E-Day player from November 7, 2026.
When does Gears of War: E-Day Season 2 start?
Season 2: Legacy starts on December 1, 2026, when Season 1: Emergence ends.
What is in Season 2: Legacy?
Returning fan-favourite maps, modes and multiplayer skins, plus reimagined characters such as Solemn Memories Dom. The full map list has not been announced.
Do I need Game Pass to play the event?
Online modes, including Horde Siege and Versus, need a Game Pass subscription that includes online multiplayer, according to the store listing.
Related: Report: Gears of War: E-Day's budget hit $500 million.
Sources: Xbox Wire; Gears of War (official site); VideoGamer.
