News
- The Coalition studio creative director Matt Searcy says Active Reload is an "iconic" part of the Gears of War series
- He explains that the team moved the mechanic to the middle of the screen in E-Day because "it feels better"
- Searcy adds that players can learn Active Reload "much more easily" when it's placed there
Gears of War: E-Day is set to bring back the series' iconic Active Reload mechanic, but The Coalition has made some design changes.
Speaking in an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Summer Game Fest 2026, studio creative director Matt Searcy discussed new features that have been built with Unreal Engine 5, such as larger environments, like an entire city, a jump button, improved animations, and a rebuilt cover system and traversal mechanics that feel "smoother than they've ever felt before."
"All those cover mechanics are there; they just feel smoother than they've ever felt before," he said, "and then around that we just gave little new ways for you to interact with the environment, for you to traverse, options for you to take new flanking routes, just to open up our maps a little bit more. It's made for some pretty amazing additions to the gameplay, but also the world."
Searcy also touched on Active Reload, a feature almost like a mini-game, which allows players to manually reload their held weapon rather than wait for the magazine to run out of ammo.
In E-Day, the mechanic has been moved from the top of the screen to the middle by default, which Searcy said works better.
"So active reload is a huge part of Gears," Searcy said. "[It's] an iconic feature. We've moved it by default to the middle of the screen. It feels better [from] what we've played; we've tested it as part of your shooting experience."
The creative director confirmed that players can move Active Reload back to its original place at the top of the screen, but notes that there are some extra "cool" details with natural reload and other additional reload mechanics.
"Every single shell is being reloaded," he said, "so some of the weapons have additional reload mechanics." For example, players can interrupt the reload and keep playing with two or three shells if they're halfway through and then "use them really quick to like get out of danger," or they can wait until the end to get their Active Reload bonus.
He added that players will noticeably use the mechanic "telemetry-wise" and use it way more than they did when it was at the top of the screen "because you can learn it much more easily [when] it's in your face."
Gears of War: E-Day is scheduled to launch on October 6 exclusively for Xbox Series X and Series S.
Matt Searcy told TechRadar Gaming that he believes making the game an Xbox exclusive was the best decision — something not all Xbox Game Studios teams are aligned on.
In a product crossover nobody expected, the Philippines-based brand Goojodoq has launched a 2-in-1 DJI Pocket-style vlogging camera with a fan, which costs around $25 / £20.
It's a device that I seriously need right now, and I can thank filmmaker Philip Bloom for bringing it to my attention. Not for its camera skills, mind you, but for its cooling properties — it's super hot in the UK as I write. Like, scorching hot.
As a fan, the device looks decent enough; a 100-speed brushless motor, 2,500mAh battery for a run time between 2-10 hours, plus USB-C charging.
I can't seriously recommend the device as a camera, however. Details are sparse, but it looks like there's Full HD 30p video recording, micro SD storage, a gimbal with 180-degree rotation, plus a 1.3-inch display.
And you can only laugh at the idea of using both camera and fan at the same time. Can you imagine it? Lights... camera... hummmmm.
Still, it's not like it's a pricey product, with the Philippine Peso pricing conversion working out at around $25 / £20.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
If you're looking for a proper compact vlogging camera, I recommend you check out the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. It has recently been updated with the Pocket 4, but the older model is equally good in many regards, and it now costs much less in the Prime Day sales. I've included the best Pocket 3 deals below.
And if you're on the lookout for a decent quality fan, we're covering the best ways to stay cool in our beat the heat live blog. For all other deals, check out our Amazon Prime Day coverage.
Today's best DJI Osmo Pocket 3 dealThe DJI Osmo Pocket 3 was recently replaced by the Osmo Pocket 4, but the latest model isn't currently available in the US, and we don't know if / when it will be. The Pocket 3 is now available for a record-low price of $378 in a base package, while other bundles with various accessories can be found via the same link.
Price check: $378 at AdoramaView Deal
Following the DJI ban, Xtra appeared, offering effectively the same quality product, for less. The Muse has similar specs to the Pocket 3, and can now be purchased for a record low $329 in a standard bundle.View Deal
There's a reason that the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a best-selling vlogging camera: its winning combination of gimbal-stabilized 4K video, compact design, ease of use, swivel monitor and pro audio mic pairing. That's everything a content creator on the go needs. Yes, there's the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 in the picture now, but it costs much more and is just an iterative update. Fork out a little extra, and you can get the Creator Combo for £372 which includes a DJI Mic and other accessories. View Deal
More Prime Day deals in the US- Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
- Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
- Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
- Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
- Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
- Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
- Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
- Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
- Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
- Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
- Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
- Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34
- Amazon Prime: sign up for a 30-day free trial
- Amazon Devices: Fire TV, Ring & Blink from £24.99
- Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
- Apple: AirPods Pro 3 for a record-low price
- Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja, Tefal & Sage
- Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
- Essentials: household goods from under £10
- Fashion: up to 50% off
- Headphones: up to 50% off
- Laptops: from £149.99
- Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £125
- Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
- TVs: from £129.99
- Vacuums: up to 40% off Eufy & Roborock
- Wearables: Garmin & Huawei from £36.99
Spending $5 on a good take-out coffee adds up over time, which is why single-serve coffee machines are a quick and easy way to give you your morning pick-me-up for a lot less.
Now that it's Amazon Prime Day, the idea of me returning to the best coffee machines is rather tempting, especially after seeing this offer on the Keurig K-Mini Mate machine for $89.99 down from $109.99.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
One of the best parts about the Keurig K-Mini Mate is that you can pretend to be the barista you've always wanted to be by just the push of a button, and impress your friends with your 'skills' in the process. However, just as it is with every coffee pod machine, restocking pods is an additional cost.
But Prime Day isn't just about scoring a cheap coffee machine, it's one of the best times for you existing coffee machine owners to stock up on your favorite brands and flavors.
Today's best Keurig K-Mini Mate dealKeurig's smallest coffee maker is mighty for its compact size, and doesn't compromise quality of flavor for a budget-friendly coffee machine. $20 may not seem like the biggest saving, but it's the lowest price we've it hit in recent months. View Deal
This works out to around 75c per single-serve, and gives you a wide variety of medium roast brews from known brands including Lavazza and Krispie Kreme. Just one of these would last you two months if you have no more than one coffee per day - or a little bit less if you require more caffeine for your daily fix. View Deal
If you're one for a sweet-flavored coffee, this variety pack covers all the groundwork from vanilla and peanut butter, to butter crunch and maple syrup, but that's just the beginning. This variety pack equals to roughly 42c per serve, so cheaper than Keurig's own selection, but do you get less pods. View Deal
For 50c per serve, you'll be inundated with pods from The Original Donut Shop, bringing diner-style coffee right your kitchen. Though it's not a variety pack and is single-flavor only, it's a great way to stock up on standard pods for when you need a break from the sweeter flavors. View Deal
More Prime Day deals in the US- Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
- Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
- Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
- Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
- Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
- Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
- Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
- Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
- Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
- Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
- Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
- Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34
Want a weird and wonderful way to upgrade your gaming PC? Then you might want to consider the Corsair Xeneon Edge, which has had a $50 price cut from a variety of retailers, and is still in stock on Corsair's own website.
I mention that it's still in stock as Best Buy also had the same deal, but has now sold out.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
The Corsair Xeneon Edge is a slim 14.5-inch touchscreen display with a 2560 x 720 resolution, and can plug into your PC via USB-C or HDMI. It can show off various apps and widgets, and also displays important information about your PC, such as the temperatures of your components.
You can even mount it in your PC's case (Corsair make compatible cases, but you can do a bit of DIY and attach it to any case) for an eye-catching visual, and a great way to keep an eye on your PC's vitals whilst playing.
The fact that it's so versatile makes the Corsair Xeneon Edge a popular, if niche, product, and the new price (down from $249.99 to $199.99) seems to have given it a boost in popularity, so don't hang about if you're looking for a cool new way to make your PC stand out (whilst also being genuinly useful).
Today's best Corsair Xeneon Edge dealWith a 2560 x 720 60Hz 14.5-inch LCD touchscreen, the Corsair Xeneon Edge is a cool addition to your PC gaming setup. You can use it to display app shortcuts (handy for live streamers), show vital statistics of your PC, and if you have a lot of Corsair products you can control them via its iCUE integration. It's sold out at Best Buy, so other retailers might run out as well.View Deal
More Prime Day deals in the US- Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
- Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
- Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
- Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
- Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
- Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
- Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
- Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
- Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
- Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
- Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
- Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34
The Garmin Venu 4 is a great Garmin watch, but it doesn't necessarily look like a Garmin. Most people think of the lumpy black Fenix, Forerunner, and Instinct ranges, but the Venu series has always been a bit sleeker, just at home in the office as it is on the trail or in the gym.
Consequently, I labeled it my 'best Garmin watch for most people' when I reviewed it in October last year, and that remains my opinion due to its status as the ideal all-rounder watch: enough features to satisfy everyone but die-hard trail enthusiasts and orienteers, and an understated look ideal for modern life. It was my opinion when the watch was full price, and it's definitely still my opinion now that it's hit a lowest-ever price during the Amazon Prime Day sales.
• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale
Right now, the Garmin Venu 4 can be found on sale at Amazon US for $499.99 (was $549.99) with a $50 Prime Day discount for both 41mm and 45mm models, taking it to just $2 above its lowest price yet, according to our deals-checking tools.
But the real gem of a deal is in the UK: the Garmin Venu 4 41mm in Black is discounted to £354 (was £469.99), a 25% discount and the lowest price. Other colorways and sizes cost more, but all are discounted to some degree. The closest you can get to the Black model's price is the 45mm Grey color, which costs £365 (down from the same £469.99).
Check out the deals in full below. Not in the US or the UK? Scroll down for the best deals in your area.
Today's best Garmin Venu 4 dealsRight now you can save $50 on both 41mm and 45mm Garmin Venu 4 models, in a variety of colors: Black and Lunar Gold for the 41mm, Grey and Citron for the 45mm. Up to 10 days of battery life, great workout and wellness tracking, and lots of Garmin Connect IQ third-party app support. View Deal
Save a hefty 25% on the Black 41mm of the Garmin Venu 4. If you're looking for a bigger size, the 45mm is available for £365 in Grey and £368.49 in Citron yellow.View Deal
Are you after something a little cheaper? The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is a similar all-rounder fitness tracker, albeit less premium and older than the Garmin Venu 4. Where the Venu uses metal, the Vivoactive uses plastic, and the Vivoactive uses an older heart rate sensor. It misses out on a few key smartwatch features such as the voice assistant and some more advanced workout metrics. However, it's currently very affordable and is a great budget alternative.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is a fantastic all-rounder fitness smartwatch with tonnes of workout plans, a crisp AMOLED display, onboard GPS, and 11 days of battery life. At this price, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better-performing watch for general fitness, health, and exercise tracking.View Deal
A lowest-ever price on the Garmin Vivoactive 5 means there's never been a better time to snap this up. Garmin's comprehensive and (still mostly free) app has served me well for years, while the Vivoactive 5 at this price is an easly swallow for Fitbit users used to cheaper devices. View Deal
More Prime Day deals in the US- Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
- Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
- Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
- Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
- Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
- Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
- Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
- Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
- Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
- Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
- Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
- Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34
- Amazon Prime: sign up for a 30-day free trial
- Amazon Devices: Fire TV, Ring & Blink from £21.99
- Apple: AirPods Pro 3 for a record-low price
- Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja, Tefal & Sage
- Essentials: household goods from under £10
- Laptops: from £149.99
- Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £125
- TVs: from £129.99