Gears of War: Reloaded brings the OG Gears game into 2025. But it’s not to be confused with Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and the differences between the two releases are very different.
From the outside, Gears of War’s Ultimate Edition and Reloaded are very similar. They’re both updated versions of the 2006 classic. There’s a 10-year difference between the two releases. But you’re probably wondering to yourself: What’s included in Gears of War: Reloaded that can’t be found in the Ultimate Edition?
It’s a good question. I’ve already answered another burning query: “Which games does Gears of War: Reloaded include? So let’s now run through each version and what to expect.
Every Gears of War: Ultimate Edition & Gears of War: Reloaded Difference
Crossplay & Cross-Progression
Gears of War: Reloaded has both crossplay and cross-progression. The Ultimate Edition was released before these trends became commonplace. This means if you own Reloaded, you can do co-op campaign outings and play online multiplayer with players across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Plus, your save data can be transferred across all applicable platforms for an easy way to make progress on any format.
PlayStation Debut
Hell froze over the day Reloaded was announced. Xbox and PC players getting to play it wasn’t a surprise, but a Gears title coming to PS5? It’s a sign of the times and how the era of exclusives and first-party media is coming to an end.
Reloaded is coming out on PS5 the same day as Xbox and PC—August 26. Again, crossplay is a great asset for speedier matchmaking and great interconnectivity. The Ultimate Edition can’t be purchased on PlayStation, but Reloaded sure can.
Reloaded is a Remake, Not a Remaster
The two words are fairly interchangeable, but there is a big difference between the two. A remaster is the same content but with shinier visuals, whereas a remake upgrades the visuals, but also includes new features and might make the odd tweak to a map, gun, or sometimes even the story.
From what I understand, the narrative is unchanged—which is good for those seeking purity. But expect subtle differences here and there.
Updated Graphics
The Ultimate Edition was released in 2015 and boasted 1080p / Full HD / 30 FPS for the campaign and 60 FPS for multiplayer. This was impressive at the time, but it seems cute now.
Gears of War: Reloaded comes locked and loaded with 4K, HDR, VRR, and 120 FPS. The difference in graphical fidelity is massive and a serious upgrade, even if you played the Ultimate Edition.
Should You Play Gears of War: Reloaded if You Own Gears of War: Ultimate Edition?
If you love the first GOW game, I’d still recommend playing Gears of War: Reloaded if you’ve purchased the Ultimate Edition before.
I’m the kind of person who buys remasters of remasters—don’t judge me. If I love a game enough, I find new excuses to play it again. Reloaded’s content is mostly the same as the Ultimate Edition. It has all the fun DLC included, too.
The major improvement Ultimate Edition owners will experience is the graphics and performance. I think these are reasons enough to play Reloaded.
Notice how I’ve said “play” instead of “buy” throughout this guide? This is because if you’ve owned the Ultimate Edition before, you might be entitled to a free Gears of War: Reloaded upgrade.
I hope I’ve cleared up the key differences between Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Reloaded. If you know of any more, let me know through the Insider Gaming forum.
Also, check out Gears of War: Reloaded’s file sizes.
Should have led with I’m the kind of gamer that mindlessly consumes