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, with more post-launch
- 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 /multiplayer/horde-siege-classes.html
- 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)
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.