Microsoft just revealed two limited-edition Xbox controllers tied to Gears of War: E-Day, and they might be the best-looking tie-in controllers Xbox has put out in years. One is a pre-made limited edition available to pre-order right now. The other is a fully customizable Xbox Design Lab option dropping later. Both are dripping in Gears DNA.
What the $90 limited edition actually looks like
The pre-made controller is priced at $90 and the design work is genuinely impressive. The faceplate features cracked asphalt splitting open around a Locust Emergence hole, with the iconic Crimson Omen (the red skull symbol that fills up when you're taking damage in the Gears games) laser-etched right into the surface. It's not a sticker or a print. The details are physically etched.
Beyond the faceplate, the button layout leans hard into the black-and-red color scheme. You get blacked-out A, B, and Y buttons, a transparent red X button, matching red triggers, and a transparent D-pad. The battery door gets a metallic COG tag stamped onto it, which is exactly the kind of fan-service detail that Gears diehards are going to appreciate. Firm textured grips round out the package.
Here's the thing: underneath all the cosmetic work, this is still a standard Xbox Series X|S wireless controller. That means full PC, smartphone, and tablet compatibility, solid battery life, and the same ergonomics Xbox has been refining since the controller launched alongside the Series X|S in November 2020. The design work sits on top of a controller that already holds up.
Pre-orders are live now through the Xbox Store and local retailers.
The Design Lab option is where it gets properly unhinged
The second controller is a custom Xbox Design Lab build featuring exclusive artwork by Luke Preece, a heavy metal illustrator who has done official work for bands including System of a Down, Metallica, and Black Sabbath. Preece also handled the artwork for the official Gears 5 soundtrack vinyl release, so this isn't a random collaboration. He knows the Gears universe.
The design itself is exactly what you'd expect from someone with that resume: a skull sitting on top of crossed Lancers, surrounded by more skulls. It's the most Gears thing possible, and it works.
As with any Design Lab controller, you can go further. Metallic triggers, metallic D-pads, rubberized side and back grips, and a personalized engraving are all on the table. The Preece artwork serves as the base faceplate, and you build the rest around it.
8BitDo's charging dock completes the setup
8BitDo is also releasing a matching charging dock called the 8BitDo Ultimate Charging Dock for Xbox Controllers, Gears of War: E-Day edition, priced at $39.99. It carries the same cracked, battle-worn aesthetic as the controller, features magnetic alignment for drop-and-charge functionality, and includes an 8BitDo rechargeable battery pack in the box. It's compatible with regular Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One controllers too, so it's not locked to the limited edition.
The dock is available to pre-order now on Amazon and through 8BitDo's own store.
Gamescom and the game itself
If you're heading to Gamescom this year, both controllers will be on display at the Xbox booth. That same booth will also have the first playable look at Gears of War: E-Day's story campaign, so there's a lot happening in one place.
The open beta for Gears of War: E-Day runs August 13 through August 17. If you want to know exactly how to get in and what content is available, check out the Gears of War: E-Day beta guide for dates, times, and access requirements.
The game itself launches October 30, 2026, on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass. For players who want to earn cosmetics before launch, all the unlock conditions for the Gears of War: E-Day beta rewards are worth knowing before the beta window closes on August 17.
