To put the fries in the bag, their analysis on Xbox Series X "boasts a highly impressive visual suite that makes the most of Unreal Engine 5" and has three modes: Performance [60FPS], Quality [30FPS], and Balanced [40FPS].
The Series S "mirrors that of its more powerful sibling" with some expected concessions. Notably lower resolutions ~576p in Performance and Balanced modes, and ~720p in Quality. Frame rates in Performance are consistent at 60FPS in Versus, but can dip into the 50s in Horde Siege. Here's what Digital Foundry had to say on the Multiplayer Beta of Gears of War: E-Day:
"The Series X offers three modes in total: performance (60fps), quality (30fps) and balanced (40fps). While quality mode offers a higher internal resolution (1224p vs 1080p in balanced and ~1000p in performance) and slightly better-defined lighting, the visual differences remain subtle. Unfortunately, both modes are somewhat hampered by persistent chromatic aberration and film grain, which cannot be disabled, often resulting in a softer, slightly distorted image.
The Xbox Series S experience mirrors that of its more powerful sibling, albeit with necessary graphical concessions - including much lower internal resolutions, counted at ~576p in performance and balanced modes and ~720p in quality mode, plus some slightly aggressive variable rate shading and lower-quality textures. Performance mode sees reduced foliage animation and simplified shadows, with screen-space reflections replacing ray-traced ones. Despite these cuts, the game retains a similar frame-rate profile to the Series X, though it shares the same minor performance hitches during dense horde encounters."
When it's all said and done, the DF boffins believe Gears of War: E-Day is "shaping up to be a standout example of what Unreal Engine 5 can achieve on consoles", particularly when it comes to how the game's "art style and lighting" work hand-in-hand with UE5's strengths. There were a few jitters here and there, but "the core foundation is solid" and they're excited to see what the campaign has in store.
You can have a gander at these comparisons either in the video above or via the Digital Foundry link below. It's also worth pointing out, that this is an analysis of an early Beta build, and we're sure The Coalition will still be tinkering away at Gears of War: E-Day right up until its eventual release on October 6, 2026.
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