Horde Siege is the flagship PvE mode, a 12-player evolution of the wave-survival formula Gears of War 2 invented in 2008. For the first time, multiple squads fight on the same map at once.
How It Works
- Three COG squads of four deploy with their own missions on large maps built from Kalona city blocks, the biggest multiplayer maps in series history
- Squads "join a battle in progress," criss-crossing with each other and tackling emergent challenges
- The battlefield is persistent: equipment and fortifications left behind by an extracted squad can turn the tide for the next
- Every match ends with an intense final fight and extraction, all survivors hold one position until evac
Official framing: "It is about fighting through a rolling, persistent battleground where the aftermath of one squad's last stand can become another squad's opportunity."
Maps
- Beta: one map, Golden Quarter, the battle-damaged historic district of Kalona, "inspired by classic Gears of War locations"
- Launch: three Horde Siege maps across other districts per the official Deep Dive, with more post-launch. Golden Quarter is confirmed live in early access; community tracking has not yet named the other two, so treat "three at launch" as the official commitment
- The mode is playable now in early access; the shared roster it draws from is listed on the Versus page
- Maps are "part of the battle": more space, more routes and more combat opportunities than any Horde map before
The Invasion System
A boss-level enemy, a Corpser or Brumak, can arrive without warning at any point, forcing all three squads to converge, handle it, then return to their own objectives. Decide your squad's call ahead of time: break off or hold position.
Playlists (reported, verify at launch)
| Playlist | Length | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Blitz | ~15–20 min | One or two objectives |
| Siege (standard) | 20–40 min | Multiple objectives across more of the map |
| Horde (classic) | 50–60 min | Hold one position through 10 waves |
Your squad's mission comes before detours, and Squad Lives are shared, a full wipe costs a life, and running out fails the mission for your squad specifically.
Progression
- Four classes with 30-level tracks, Tactical Gear and a full mod economy, see Horde Siege classes page
- Energy collected in-match is invested team-wide (fortifications, equipment)
- Rewards, customization and loadouts persist between matches; beta progress carried forward
- Medic Vaporizers heal across squads; any player can carry a fallen player's COG tags to a Supply Cache (reported, verify)
Class picks and builds: Horde Siege classes and class builds.
Questions
How many players is Horde Siege?
12, three squads of four sharing one large map.
Is Horde Siege co-op or competitive?
Pure co-op PvE. Every squad you meet is fighting the same Locust, there's no squad-vs-squad layer.
What maps does it have?
Golden Quarter in the beta; three maps at launch, more via post-launch seasons.
Can four players all pick the same class?
Yes, The Coalition explicitly says there's no "right" squad build. Four Breachers is legitimate.