The multiplayer beta for Gears of War: E-Day has achieved a new record for the series on Steam, reaching a 24-hour peak concurrent player count of 14,331. This figure is expected to increase as the beta progresses into the weekend.
This milestone surpasses previous entries on the platform, including Gears of War: Tactics, which peaked at 7,351 players, and Gears of War 5, which reached 10,196 concurrent players. Gears of War: Reloaded saw a peak of 4,819 players. It is important to note that this data does not include older Gears of War titles not released on Steam, nor does it account for the broader PC release of Gears of War 5 which was also available via alternative storefronts like the Microsoft Store and included with a Game Pass subscription. Historically, Gears of War 5 experienced a record-breaking PC launch, reportedly tripling the performance of its predecessor, Gears of War 4.
The beta is currently available to those who have pre-ordered Gears of War: E-Day. Access will be opened to all players next week without charge, suggesting that player numbers could climb even higher. The beta includes both a PvP versus mode, added due to fan demand, and a horde mode, offering a preview of the gameplay for fans of third-person shooters.