Summary
Gears of War: E-Dayis primed to be a major entry in theGears of Warsaga, as it tells the story of the most pivotal event in the franchise’s history: Emergence Day. In a narrative led byMarcus Fenixand Dominic Santiago, players will finally experience the tragic events of Emergence Day firsthand inGears of War: E-Day, set 14 years before the firstGears of War, when the Locust Horde emerged from the ground and threatened Sera and its inhabitants.
Gears of War: E-Dayisn’t the firstGears of Warprequel ever made, asGears of War: Judgmenthas already claimed that title, withGears Tacticsfollowing seven years later. However,Gears of War: E-Dayis the firstGearsgame set in its time period, asJudgmenttakes place 14 years before Emergence Day andTactics, 2 years after Emergence Day. In light of that, there remains potential for other games to be set during or around Emergence Day that may focus on different stories and characters, assumingGears of War: E-Daywill primarily revolve around Marcus and Dom’s part in the story.
Future Gears of War Games Could Use E-Day as a Pivotal Setting
A Future E-Day Gears of War Game Could Tell More of Cole’s Story
WhileGears of War: E-Daycould very well feature otherpopularGears of Warcharacterslike Augustus Cole in some capacity, the information disclosed about the game so far seems to indicate characters other than Marcus and Dom will largely be left out this time. However, assumingGears of War: E-Dayreceives a direct sequel or another origin story at some point, it could be an opportunity for the Emergence Day story of this pivotal character to be told, especially since his story during E-Day has remained vague, at best, up to this point.
Prior to Emergence Day, Augustus Cole, otherwise known as the “Cole Train,” was a Thrashball superstar, revered for his skills and larger-than-life personality. His fame made him a household name throughout Sera, but his fame as a COG soldier amongfans of theGears of Warserieshas superseded that. The exact details of Cole’s actions on Emergence Day haven’t been thoroughly unveiled in the games, but it is implied that he transitioned from superstar to soldier to survive, joining the COG shortly after the Locust Horde emerged.
WhileGears of War: E-Daycould very well feature other popularGears of Warcharacters like Augustus Cole in some capacity, the information disclosed about the game so far seems to indicate characters other than Marcus and Dom will largely be left out this time.
It might be interesting to see more of Cole’s story play out firsthand in a futureGears of Wargameset during Emergence Day, especially since his story is mostly a blank state. This ultimately gives The Coalition plenty of room to work with regarding Cole’s story, and it would potentially help improve his characterization throughout the rest of the series. It could also be a rather emotional story, as Cole learns to leave his fame behind and devote himself to a greater cause.
A Future E-Day Gears of War Game Could Tell More of Baird’s Story
Damon Baird is another characterthat may be left out ofGears of War: E-Day’s story, though he is more likely to be either mentioned or to make an appearance at some point, given his pre-existing involvement with the military at the time. Before Emergence Day, Baird was a skilled mechanic and engineer, with a sharp intellect and sarcastic wit. While he was the lead character inGears of War: Judgment, details about his immediate actions during Emergence Day are unclear, but his technical skills would have been critical as the world plunged into chaos.
In light of the vagueness of his whereabouts and actions during Emergence Day, like Augustus Cole, Damon Baird would make a great candidate for an E-Day story in a futureGears of Wargame.
There is even more potential for otherEmergence Daystories to be told, even from the point of view of those who might have played a significant role during the fated day but didn’t survive long enough to be recognized as heroes. However, there is a strong case for the Emergence Day stories of Augustus Cole and Damon Baird to be told at some point, especially ifGears of War: E-Dayfails to develop their stories or even mention them.
Gears of War: E-Day
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The Story of E-DayFourteen years before Gears of War, war heroes Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago return home to face a new nightmare: the Locust Horde. These subterranean monsters, grotesque and relentless, erupt from below, laying siege on humanity itself. New FoundationsBuilt from the ground up with Unreal Engine 5, Gears of War: E-Day delivers unprecedented graphical fidelity.
