Ahead of E-Day, you can play Gears of War on Steam for the first time

Some games are synonymous with certain consoles (or computers). Halo is an Xbox game through and through. Crash Bandicoot and Ellie from The Last of Us? PlayStation mascots each. Gordon Freeman is synonymous with PC gaming. You think Pikachu and a Nintendo console comes to mind. You get the picture. In recent years, however, those lines have blurred. You can now play Forza on PlayStation, Spyro on Xbox, and myriad formerly console exclusive titles on PC. The latest to make the switch to desktop is Gears of War Reloaded, which is the first game of the iconic Xbox series to be available on Steam.

Gears of War Reloaded is a remaster of the original game, including all post-launch content and a bonus campaign act. It's got all the usual bells and whistles of a remaster, as well as options to use the classic control layout or a modernized version. However, the most important thing is that it's now on Steam.

This marks the first time that players can play the iconic multiplayer game on the platform. It's a clever marketing strategy, given the proximity of the Gears of War E-Day release date - which could arrive any time next year. Many fans speculate it will be released in November of 2026 to coincide with Gears of War's anniversary, so adding Reloaded to Steam gives PC players a new toy to play with for the next 14 months. Check out our Gears of War Reloaded review to see if you think it's worth picking up.

While many players will be itching to get into online lobbies, I'm most excited for sitting down for some campaign co-op with a friend. It's something that nobody does quite like Microsoft, and I look forward to spending some time playing through with a pal. For those of you lucky enough to own a gaming PC and a console, Gears of War: Reloaded will come with crossplay and cross-progression at launch.

If that wasn't enough, Reloaded is Deck Verified, meaning you can take Marcus Fenix and co. on the go for the first time ever.

Gears of War: Reloaded is available on Steam now for $39.99 / £39.99. That's a terrible exchange rate for British players, but you can buy it here.

If you like Gears of War, you'll love our list of the best action games. Our picks for the best war games might also be up your street.

Does it feel weird playing Gears of War on Steam? Let us know in our community Discord server, where staff and readers alike hang out and discuss all things gaming.