The Coalition has confirmed that PvP versus modes will be playable during the Gears of War: E-Day open beta, a late addition to a test that players expected to be built around Horde.
The studio announced the change through the official Gears of War account on X, Eurogamer reports, stating that versus modes will be available from this weekend during the beta’s early access period and confirming that the previously announced Horde mode will run as planned.
Beta schedule
The open beta opens on August 6 for early access players, meaning those who have pre-ordered the game. Eurogamer reports that the first two days run without PvP versus, with the mode switching on from August 8.
That first window closes at the end of the weekend. A second period then runs from August 13 to August 17 and is open to everyone, pre-order or not. The beta’s official FAQ states that both periods carry the same content, which Eurogamer reads as meaning versus will be available in the second window as well.
Players who take part can unlock rewards that carry into the full game, including a range of customisation options.
Versus had been the missing piece
PvP versus has been the part of E-Day that The Coalition has said least about publicly, and Eurogamer notes that Gears players had been asking for hands-on time with the mode for some time. Its absence from the original beta plan was conspicuous against a test that otherwise leaned on Horde.
The addition follows the first public impressions of E-Day’s Horde mode, which Eurogamer described as interesting but as leaving a number of questions unanswered about how the mode holds up over longer sessions.
The Coalition has not said which versus maps or modes will be included, or whether the selection changes between the two beta windows. Gears of War: E-Day is due later this year.
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