Is The Gears Of War: E-Day Xbox Controller Microsoft’s Best In 2026?

The Gears of Warfare: E-Day Xbox Controller needs to be the very best official pad in a protracted outdated whereas.

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It’s been some time since we’ve had a genuinely particular official Xbox controller design. Positive, the Forza Horizon 6 pad appeared like a surprisingly engaging homage to the Saved by the Bell intro — pink Xbox gentle and all — nevertheless it didn’t precisely go all out. Not just like the Gears of Warfare: E-Day controller does, anyway.

The Gears of War: E-Day Limited-Edition Xbox Controller, retailing at $89.99 and already understandably out of inventory, simply appears and presumably feels precisely like followers need it to. It’s not reinventing the wheel in its design: it merely combines two of the collection’ most iconic belongings to honor the franchise’s 20-year anniversary.

So says Xbox: “Drawing from the E-holes that scar the world of Gears of Warfare: E-Day, the controller options 3D molded, laser-etched particulars of cracked asphalt with pink, glowing cracks created by the ability of an erupting E-hole, exposing the long-lasting Crimson Omen beneath the floor.” The very fact it’s layered is one factor, however the end is complemented by some extra attractive little concepts.

My private favourite: the controller blacks out the A, B, and Y buttons however incorporates the X into the broader cranium design with a clear pink end, complemented by matching pink triggers and a clear D-pad. There’s a darkish silver metallic COG tag on the battery door, and it even has the only finest saving grace: textured grips, which presumably gained’t look soiled after loads of use, as a result of they’re additionally black.

What’s extra, Xbox has even paired up with 8BitDo to create a matching charging dock (with a chargeable battery) for $39.99, although it apparently doesn’t gentle up, which is a little bit of a disgrace.

Maybe I’m getting overexcited, and feeling the itch of capitalism, because the final official Xbox controller I picked up was the Starfield one in 2023, alongside the Starfield headset. And the Starfield console wrap. You’ll be able to’t argue with their designs, even in case you can argue with the sport (although I’m instructed it’s rather a lot higher since my deserted 30-hour launch run… I’ll add it to the underside of the pile of disgrace).

I’ve been completely pleased with my GameSir G7 Professional since I purchased it — actually the best elite-lite controller I’ve ever used, particularly its $99 wireless counterpart. The closest I’ve come to getting one other official Xbox controller that I don’t want was final 12 months, when Microsoft dropped two for DOOM: The Dark Ages. The standard green controller, with its battle-worn, blood-stained, orange-LB finish, was cartoonishly engaging, however actually no deal-breaker at $80.

That’s not all — there’s a second E-Day-flavored controller design courtesy of the Xbox Design Lab, created by British heavy steel illustrator Luke Preece.

The customized prime case includes a cranium above crossed Lancers, surrounded by additional skulls. Microsoft additionally promotes its metallic triggers and D-pads, rubberized grips, and a customized engraving, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a regular case — not fairly the 3D-etched magnificence you’ll be able to hopefully get quickly through a restock. Fingers crossed we are able to seize a second chunk of the cherry quickly.