Gears of War: E-Day is a return to one of Microsoft’s most beloved series, and to truly be great, it needs to borrow Forge mode from the Halo franchise. The Gears of War series has seen much innovation since the first game was released in 2006, but E-Day has an opportunity to make a major addition to the game, one that brings the series’ community together like never before. Forge would make Gears of War: E-Day the most ambitious and successful Gears of War game, and give it the longevity the series has not seen before.
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Forge first made its appearance in Halo 3 and has become a staple of the Halo franchise. At the time, it was an industry-leading example of user-generated content and has only improved since then. Players have made wildly creative maps and game modes for each Halo game, and this is something Gears of War: E-Day needs to capitalize on. Not only would it allow fans to build their own creations, but it would also create a stronger community among Gears of War fans.
While the Halo series has leaned into this creativity and flexibility, Gears of War has largely remained rigid. Gears 5 did take a more open-world approach, but this innovation pales in comparison to Halo, especially considering Halo Infinite’s completely open world. The series has always had a polished single-player experience and tight multiplayer, but Gears of War: E-Day is the perfect moment to go beyond this with a Forge mode.
With Gears of War: E-Day being a prequel, it would take place before a majority of the destruction from the Locust. The Gears of War series has always had a gritty aesthetic, but recent titles have varied the environments more. Taking place before the war would give The Coalition even more to work with when designing Forge’s palette, objects, and environments. This would be an opportunity to showcase the world of Gears of War more. Customization in the Gears of War series has been fairly limited so far. Forge offers a way to not expand on this, but completely break free of this reputation.
What’s more, Gears of War’s tactical third-person cover-based shooter would bring a dynamic element to Forge. With the importance of cover, designers would have to take this into account when creating maps. Alternating between tight corridors, cover-fill areas, and exposed locations would give creators structure, but let them express creativity in how these are used.
The Coalition could also add new elements with Gears of War: E-Day not seen in Halo’s Forge or in the series. Destructible terrain and more interactive objects would breathe fresh life into Forge. Not only this, but the community could create exciting and wildly different game modes, as the Halo community has done. These have proven to become official game modes, and the same could be done for Gears of War games moving forward.
Some may wonder if this would be too large a leap for the series, possibly straying away from its traditional narrative-driven campaign and competitive multiplayer. However, implementing Forge would not replace these pillars but simply add another one. The community of Gears of War is still strong despite the long absence of releases, and this feature will keep it alive for years to come. Especially as dedicated fans recreate maps from previous games and bring them to life in Gears of War: E-Day.
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Implementing Forge mode in Gears of War: E-Day is one thing, but The Coalition needs to ensure they do it correctly. Launching Forge with a proper search function, a rating system, and tags is just some of the infrastructure this mode needs. The community should be the driving force behind Forge and developing it to be easy to use is a must. The Coalition could easily update this mode throughout Gears of War: E-Day’s lifespan to implement feedback and suggestions from its most prolific creators.
Introducing a Forge-style map and mode editor in Gears of War: E-Day is a necessary evolution. Shifting toward player empowerment and community-led development may be a risk, but one that The Coalition should take. Following this model would achieve a return to nostalgia for Gears of War: E-Day and a bold step forward in redefining what a franchise can be.
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