The whole Gears of War: E-Day woke controversy centers on two characters: Mags Carter and Captain Akila Grey. Another point of controversy is the Pride cosmetics in multiplayer. There are players who feel these things drag unwanted political messaging into a series that’s always been about brutal warfare and brotherhood.
On the other side of the argument, there are people who say Marcus and Dom are still the main focus and the whole thing is being blown way out of proportion.
Here’s what the developers have confirmed and where fans are still split. Let’s begin.
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What Started the Gears of War E-Day Woke Controversy?
Gears of War: E-Day is called woke not because of just one scene. It’s a lot more than that. For instance, in this Reddit discussion, you can see players were worried that the new campaign would push an agenda instead of just focusing on the Locust invasion and the horrors of war. The other players’ reactions to these questions are kind of mixed.
Some players reassure those who are worried about this that the story still focuses on the core idea of the past Gears of War games. Others, however, are frustrated with how the new characters are written. More specifically, what they’re saying is that Mags Carter takes the spotlight away from Marcus and Dom and the brotherhood we used to know and love in the older Gears of War games.
The other complaint players have is the Pride cosmetic stuff in multiplayer. Suffice to say, these are disagreements between both sides, not proof of an official political agenda.
Mags Carter Controversy: Is She Replacing Marcus and Dom?
Some players believe that Mags gets the important moments that should’ve belonged to the established heroes like Marcus and Dom. Who exactly is Mags Carter? She’s a former Gear who worked at Kalona’s Imulsion Refinery. She joins the trio Marcus, Dom, and rookie communications officer Lucas Reyes in Bravo Squad. All four characters are playable in the campaign.
In this Reddit discussion, I dug and found interesting stuff. A good chunk of players there believe she effectively becomes the protagonist. They believe she even takes credit for discovering how explosives can close Locust emergence holes. Other players in the discussion speculate about how much dialogue she has and even speculate about her sexuality. I’m just here to present you with these claims. Take it as you will.
From what the developers have said, the hierarchy looks different, though. Studio Art Director Aryan Hanbeck has been clear about the fact that Marcus and Dom are still in the leading roles. Mags and Lucas play more of a supporting role.
That said, it doesn’t mean her characterization will work for everyone, but officially speaking, it goes against the idea that the studio set out to replace the original heroes. Some of those players who dislike Mags believe she’s too prominent for what the devs describe as a side character. Other players just find her uninteresting.
Captain Akila Grey Backlash
Mags Carter isn’t the only character at the center of controversy. I also saw some criticism aimed at a female officer, Captain Akila Grey, giving the squad instructions. She’s the one who’s overseeing Bravo Squad’s deployment at Kalona City Hall.
People in this Reddit thread compare E-Day to the earlier Gears games where characters like Anya and Queen Myrrah existed. Their point is that women in positions of authority aren’t anything new in this franchise. Yet again, plenty of players flat out just don’t like how the new characters are written. Those feel like two different criticisms to me for sure.
Why Are Pride Flags Controversial in Gears of War E-Day?
If you were thinking Mags Carter and Akila Grey would be the sole controversial aspects of Gears of War: E-Day, then think twice. There’s another dispute about the LGBTQ+ Pride graphics in E-Day’s multiplayer customization.
In a Reddit thread about the Pride banners, there are some people who question why the flags are even there in the first place and then there are these groups of people who couldn’t care less, or some people who even welcome them.
If you take a look at the official multiplayer breakdown, it explains how the systems work. Emblems show up behind player names in the lobbies and on the scoreboards and banners appear during match intros and in certain Horde Siege locations.
This also isn’t the first time we’ve seen Pride cosmetics in Gears. There’s a discussion about Gears 5 that points out similar options existed in that game too. People in the thread don’t agree on how much backlash those got back in 2019.
The Gears of War E-Day Controversy: What Fans Actually Think
There’s no single fan verdict on this. You can reasonably dislike Mags’ dialogue or the campaign’s pacing at the same time you don’t believe the idea that the game replaced Marcus and Dom. And if you don’t like the Pride cosmetic options, that’s totally fine.
From what I’ve seen and interpreted so far, E-Day introduces new squad members and includes Pride customization in multiplayer, yes, but devs still believe Marcus and Dom are the central pair of Gears of War: E-Day. Whether those choices improve or hurt the game remains a matter of opinion. At the end of the day, gamers vote with their wallets.
