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- Gears 5
Gears 5
A squad shooter with a three-player story campaign, five-player Horde battles and three-player escapes.
Online co-op for up to 5 players and split-screen co-op for up to 3 players, with crossplay.
- 5 online
- 3 split-screen
- Crossplay
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op5 players
- Local co-op3 playersSplit screen
- YesPC, XboxFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- Not confirmedA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckPlayableValve's own rating
About the game
You fight the Swarm with guns, grenades and a chainsaw bayonet, moving between cover and looking for a clear shot. The campaign follows Kait Diaz as she investigates her connection to the enemy. Some chapters open into wider areas where you ride a skiff between missions and search for upgrades.
Up to three players share the campaign online or in split screen. Two control soldiers while the third takes Jack, a flying support robot that stuns enemies, fetches supplies and helps injured teammates. Horde takes up to five online to defend against waves and build fortifications. Escape sends three through enemy hives with limited supplies. It suits a group that likes cover shooting and distinct support roles.
How it feels
Kind of game
A team takes on missions or runs full of enemies. You pick gear, cover each other and pick each other up.
- At its heart
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Fear
- Calm and coziness
- Time to hang out
- Exploring
- Building and creating
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- About
- Science fiction, Monsters
Rated on our own feel scale. 4 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Gears 5
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Gears of War: E-Day
Why it scores 93%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Science fiction and Monsters
- Notable in both
- Story, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online and split-screen local co-op
- 12 online
- 2 split-screen
- Crossplay
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both are about science fiction and monsters that hunt you. Both have a story you follow together.
No big difference from Gears 5.
Borderlands 2
Why it scores 87%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Science fiction and Monsters
- Notable in both
- Story, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online and split-screen local co-op
- 4 online
- 4 split-screen
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both have a lot of fighting side by side. Both are about science fiction and monsters that hunt you.
No big difference from Gears 5.
Borderlands 4
Why it scores 85%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Science fiction and Monsters
- Notable in both
- Story, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online and split-screen local co-op
How Borderlands 4 differs
- More jumping and climbing than Gears 5
- 4 online
- 2 split-screen
- Crossplay
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both are about science fiction and monsters that hunt you. Both have a story you follow together.
But more jumping and climbing than Gears 5.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked Xbox full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 36
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
9 pages
gearsofwar.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Split or shared screen, Platforms, Sessions, About, Story.
- Online co-op: The campaign supports three players online. Horde and Escape are separate cooperative modes.
- Local co-op: The campaign supports three-player split-screen.
- Most players on one screen: Three in the campaign. This is not a claim that every mode supports three locally.
- Split or shared screen: The campaign explicitly uses split-screen.
- Platforms: Available now for Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
- Sessions: The campaign follows Kait through a written story. Repeatable Horde and Escape are additional choices.
- About: Sera, the Swarm and Jack establish military science fiction and hostile creatures.
- Story: Kait investigates her connection to the enemy.
gearsofwar.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Crossplay between, Local co-op.
- Crossplay: The August 19, 2019 maker post names Xbox One and PC for Campaign, Horde and Escape.
- Crossplay between: Windows and Xbox One are explicitly connected. The current Xbox listing also confirms cross-generation multiplayer for Series X|S.
- Local co-op: Explicitly confirms local split-screen campaign support on PC.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Most players on one screen, Crossplay, Crossplay between, Platforms, Genres, Release status, Free base co-op.
- Most players online: The base-game listing says online co-op for 2 to 5. Five refers to Horde, not the three-player campaign or Escape.
- Most players on one screen: Lists local co-op for 2 to 3, consistent with the maker campaign page.
- Crossplay: Lists cross-platform co-op and cross-generation multiplayer.
- Crossplay between: Play with lists PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S alongside cross-platform co-op and cross-generation multiplayer.
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are listed. Cloud and handheld access do not establish additional native platforms.
- Genres: Publisher lists Shooter.
- Release status: The base game is available to purchase.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
news.xbox.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Kind of game, Working in sync, Building and creating, Planning ahead.
- Most players online: The August 19, 2019 Horde reveal describes the player and four friends. This agrees with the base-game Xbox cap.
- Kind of game: The team fights waves together with distinct abilities and a support robot.
- Working in sync: Teams combine abilities, collect power and protect each other.
- Building and creating: Players build defenses within Horde matches.
- Planning ahead: Teams choose roles and reposition their base around power sources.
news.xbox.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release date.
- Release date: The Coalition post dated August 9, 2019 gives general release as September 10. Steam shows September 9. September 6 was paid edition and subscription early access, not the general release date.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Online co-op, Free base co-op.
- Steam app ID: The opened Gears 5 product has app ID 1097840.
- Online co-op: The publisher describes three-player online campaign co-op and separate Horde and Escape PvE.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Playable on Steam Deck.
pcgamer.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Fighting, Getting better, Unlocks and progress, Planning ahead, Working in sync, Exploring.
- Laughter and chaos: PC Gamer, September 9, 2019, describes occasional one-liners and self-aware writing. This supports minor humour, not comedy-driven failures.
- Fighting: Cover shooting drives the campaign and PvE modes.
- Getting better: Timing active reloads adds a repeatable skill test.
- Unlocks and progress: Jack upgrades and PvE cards carry progress beyond individual fights.
- Planning ahead: Choosing Jack upgrades changes combat options.
- Working in sync: Jack supports teammates with revives, supplies and combat abilities.
- Exploring: Wider campaign areas have optional upgrade missions, while much of the campaign remains directed.
arstechnica.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Fear, Tension and danger, Calm and coziness, Time to hang out.
- Fear: Ars Technica, September 10, 2019, notes Kait has eerie visions. This is a minor element of a shooter.
- Tension and danger: Cover battles alternate with travel and pauses between Horde waves.
- Calm and coziness: Skiff travel provides short breaks from combat.
- Time to hang out: Those campaign travel breaks give some breathing room. Much of play still requires attention to the fight.