Gears of War: Reloaded officially holds the unfortunate record for the game in the series with the fewest all-time peak Steam player count on release day. Previous releases in the franchise on Steam include Gears 5 and Gears Tactics, but both managed to pick up more players on day one than Gears of War: Reloaded.
The release of Gears of War: Reloaded marks a significant moment not just in the series' history, but also in the idea of console wars as a whole. The latest remaster of the 2006 original is the first game in the series to head to Sony's PlayStation. Once upon a time, Gears of War was considered one of Xbox's flagship franchises, and even just a few years ago the concept of it coming to PlayStation was unthinkable. It's a sign of the times that Microsoft has allowed the series to jump ship, a sign that perhaps the console wars of old are no longer as relevant as they once were.
Gears of War Reloaded May Be Writing a Check It Can't Cash For PlayStation Fans
Gears of War has finally come to PlayStation, but the hype surrounding the beloved action title may be setting itself up for disappointment.
Gears of War: Reloaded Peaks at 4,819 Steam Players on Day One
As spotted by The Gamer, Gears of War: Reloaded managed just 4,819 Steam players on day one of its release according to SteamDB. This is under half the 10,196 managed by Gears 5 back in 2019, and even less than Gears Tactics' haul of 7,351. This means that of all the Gears of War games, the new remaster holds the unfortunate title of being the lowest-played on Steam, at least on day one. There's still the possibility that Gears of War: Reloaded will beat the all-time high of the other two in the coming days and weeks, but it's off to a rough start so far. At least with online crossplay, it shouldn't impact matchmaking too much.
There are a few important factors to consider in this. Gears of War: Reloaded launched to "Mixed" reviews on Steam, which may have turned away last-minute buyers. Its presence on Xbox Game Pass is important, too - many PC players who are also Game Pass subscribers will simply choose to download it for free there. The PlayStation factor can't be ignored, either, giving players more options about where to enjoy the game. Finally, the fact that it's the second remaster of a 19-year-old game may also come into consideration. There's always going to be slightly less curiosity about a game many will have already played, rather than a brand-new experience.
|
Game |
Peak Steam Player Count (Day One) |
|---|---|
|
Gears 5 (2019) |
10,196 |
|
Gears Tactics (2020) |
7,351 |
|
Gears of War: Reloaded (2025) |
4,819 |
Next up for the franchise is the prequel story Gears of War: E-Day, which was first revealed in June 2024. This game is set to bring back series protagonists Marcus and Dom in a new origin story set before Emergence Day. For many, Gears of War: Reloaded will serve as the perfect way to get back into the series before E-Day, with others jumping in for the first time.
Gears of War: Reloaded
- Released
- August 26, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- The Coalition
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action, Third-Person Shooter, War & Military
