Xbox's Gears of War: E-Day Special Edition Controller Runs $89.99

A Familiar Package with a Very Specific Paint Job

With Gears of War: E-Day set to launch on October 6, 2026, Microsoft has pulled back the curtain on its accompanying special edition wireless Xbox controller, and it leans hard into the franchise’s signature aesthetic. The controller is now available for pre-order through the Xbox Store at $89.99, sitting $25 above the price of a standard Xbox wireless controller.

As with previous special edition Xbox controllers, nothing inside the shell has changed. The internals are identical to the standard model. What you are actually paying for is the exterior treatment, and there is quite a bit of it. The design includes a translucent d-pad topper and X button, a red right joystick, and translucent red triggers that give the whole thing a look somewhere between battlefield grit and a high-end collectible. The back and sides of the controller also feature a textured grip described as leather-like, which should help during extended sessions whether or not you are actively thinking about Locust emergence.

Luke Preece and the Design Lab Connection

Beyond the retail special edition, Microsoft is also bringing Gears of War: E-Day-themed elements to its Xbox Design Lab customization service. These options were designed by Luke Preece, identified in the announcement as a heavy metal designer, which tracks reasonably well with the Gears franchise’s visual language.

The Design Lab offerings include a custom top case showing two Chainsaw Lancers flanked by skulls, along with a variety of themed custom buttons. As reported by TechPowerUp, the Design Lab components had not yet gone live at the time of writing, though they are expected to become available before or around the game’s October release window.

Both the special edition controller and the Design Lab options are explicitly limited-time offerings. Microsoft has not announced specific end dates, but buyers who want either should not assume they will be around indefinitely.

The $25 Premium Question

The pricing will be a familiar conversation for anyone who has followed Xbox hardware releases. Twenty-five dollars over the standard controller is a consistent premium for Microsoft’s special edition line, and the value calculation tends to come down to how strongly a buyer connects with the source material. For longtime Gears fans, a controller that nods to one of the franchise’s most anticipated entries in years has an obvious appeal. For everyone else, the translucent red triggers and textured grip are genuinely distinctive details, even stripped of any franchise context.

The Design Lab angle is particularly interesting because it lets buyers mix and match rather than committing to the full themed package. Someone who wants the Chainsaw Lancer top case on an otherwise minimal controller setup has that option, at least while the components remain available.

Gears of War: E-Day arrives October 6, 2026. The controller is available for pre-order now, and the Design Lab elements are expected to follow shortly.