Gears of War: E-Day's open beta will include a limited PvP versus mode after strong fan demand, developer The Coalition has confirmed via the official Gears of War X account, alongside the previously expected Horde co-op mode. The move addresses fan anticipation around versus multiplayer, which had remained largely unshown ahead of the beta, following recent hands-on impressions of the Horde mode that generated interest but left several questions unanswered.

The open beta begins on 6th August for early access players who have pre-ordered the game, running without PvP for its first two days before the mode is added on 8th August; this initial period ends with the weekend. A second beta window opens to all players, regardless of pre-order status, from 13th to 17th August, and is expected to include the same content, including PvP. Participants can also earn unlockable customisation rewards for the full game upon its release.