Summary
Gears of War: E-Daywill be the next mainline entry in theGears of Warseries. First unveiled in the 2024 Xbox Showcase through an announcement trailer,E-Daywill bring the series back to the beginning of the Locust War and focus on the growing friendship between series protagonists Marcus and Dom. While the trailer was brief, it highlighted the new game’s tone and several items that may set the stage for events to be featured inGears of War: E-Day. Some of those items include a small Thrashball figurine and some dog tag COG Tags.
Thrashball: the Most Popular Sport on Sera
In the trailer, Marcus is thrown around by a Locust drone against a TV stand. As Marcus reaches to grab the TV and throws it at the Locust, he knocks down a small figure of a Thrashball player. Thrashball is similar to American football with players having to wear large shoulder pads and helmets, but the ball itself is more akin to a heavy volleyball than the almond-like shape of a football. Just as in football, each team has defensive linemen and fullbacks with the objective of getting the ball to the opposing team’s tower-like goal post. A portion ofa Thrashball game and stadium can be seen in 2011’sGears of War 3.
Thrashball was so popular in Sera that the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) kept the sport active during the Pendulum Wars against the Union of Independent Republics (UIR). The sport boosted soldiers’ morale in the war, with most fans striving to hear or view the plays of MVP Thrashball player Augustus Cole. Thrashball survived the Pendulum Wars but almost disappeared forever afterthe Locust attacked on Emergence Day. Many Thrashball players, including Cole, signed up to become Gear soldiers for the COG when the war began. Cole attempted to recreate the Coalition Thrashball League following the Locust War, but the new COG replaced human players with DeeBee robots.
The Thrashball figure in theGears of War: E-Daytrailer appears to be based on theGears of War 3Thrashball Cole Resin Statue fans could have bought at 2011’s San Diego Comic-Con.
The COG Tags of Gear Soldiers
In theGears of War:E-Daytrailer, while Marcus is lifted by the Locust drone, two COG Tags can be seen around Marcus’ neck. Throughout the Pendulum and Locust Wars, each Gear soldier was equipped with two COG Tags. Just like dog tags in the real world, COG Tags are used to identify soldiers and are often utilized to identify fallen troops and track how soldiers have been killed in action. Unlike the United States military’s pill-shaped dog tags, COG Tags are shaped like literal gears such as ones used in the inner workings of clocks.
COG Tags often appear throughout theGears of Wargames, both in its stories and as simple collectibles. In each game, players can find numerous COG Tags hidden throughout each campaign level. They’ll usually be found near the series’ logo, the Crimson Omen, painted on walls or debris. In terms of story, Marcus and other characters can often be seen picking up fallen comrades' COG Tags, such asTai Kaliso’s tags in 2008’sGear of War 2.
Potential Appearances of Thrashball and COG Tags in E-Day
E-Dayis expected to showcase the horror Sera facedduring the Locust invasion on Emergence Day. One way The Coalition can illustrate the swift and shocking appearance of the Locust by having some civilians watching a Thrashball game when an Emergence Hole opens up in the arena with Locust emerging and attacking attendees. This could be shown through a first-person POV cutscene to detail the differences between the peaceful, pre-war Sera and the horrors seen later in the game.
E-Dayis expected to showcase the horror Sera faced during the Locust invasion on Emergence Day.
Xbox Wire editorial journalist Danielle Partis has already confirmed thatE-Daywill focus on Marcus and Dom’s friendship following the death of Dom’s older brother, Carlos. Carlos Santiago was Marcus’ childhood best friend and the two fought together in the Pendulum Wars.In the Battle of Aspho Fields, Carlos was killed in action, sacrificing himself by blowing up a bridge with a grenade. While not much of Carlos’ body survived, Marcus could have Carlos’ COG Tags inE-Dayand this could be a point of contention for Marcus and Dom. Over the course ofGears of War: E-Day, Marcus would see Dom as a new, true brother figure and give him Carlos’ tags as a sign of camaraderie.
Gears of War: E-Day
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
