Gears of War: Reloaded beta begins this weekend — here’s how to access it

Fans of the iconic Gears of War franchise and newcomers alike have reason to get excited — this weekend marks the launch of the highly anticipated multiplayer beta for the upcoming 4K remaster of the first title in the series. You can experience all the curb-stomping mayhem of the versus multiplayer via a two-weekend, cross-platform, and cross-play beta that starts this Friday and runs between June 13-15 and June 20-22. The beta promises a first look at the refined gameplay mechanics and brutal action the series is known for.

There are three ways to gain access, as confirmed by the Xbox Wire:   

• Preorder Gears of War: Reloaded digitally for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam or PlayStation 5.   
• Have an active Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass membership.  
• Own a digital copy of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition.

Multiplayer Beta Weekend 1 runs June 13-15 and features the classic Team Deathmatch mode across three maps including fan-favorites Gridlock, Raven Down, and Gold Rush. Multiplayer Beta Weekend 2 runs June 20-22, adding the King of the Hill mode on the map Canals, along with the maps Courtyard and War Machine for use in Team Deathmatch. 

Gears of War: Reloaded upscales the Gears of War experience by featuring 4K resolution and assets, 60 fps in Campaign and 120 fps in Multiplayer modes, Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos, and more. Importantly, this is the very first time Gears of War comes to the PlayStation ecosystem (except in Japan due to “platform policies”), making the Xbox multiplatform strategy all the more obvious.

There’s no better time to jump in and experience the first game in the series, ahead of the much anticipated Gears of War: E-Day, which is slated to release in 2026 to mark the 20th anniversary of the series. For long-time fans and curious newcomers alike, Gears of War: Reloaded offers a promising glimpse of what’s to come for one of Xbox’s flagship franchises. See you on the server!

Gears of War: Reloaded launches August 26, 2025 for $39.99 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Steam, and arrives Day One with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Adrian Cozmuta Managing Editor

Adrian grew up with PlayStation and Nintendo, although he's recently on a journey to experience the very best of Xbox. His first ever game was Metal Gear Solid and his favorites are Mass Effect, Halo, Knights of the Old Republic, and Final Fantasy. He has traveled the world and lived in Japan, the UK, and the EU working in the industry with Square Enix, Sony, and Nintendo on titles like Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest, and more. He is the Managing Editor of Smash Jump.