E-Day in Gears of War is generally placed 14 years before the first game , so 14 years have passed by the time the original Gears of War story begins.
Quick Scoop
A few lore sources and fan discussions also place E-Day in an in-universe year around 2592 , with the first Gears of War starting 14 years later, around 2606.
What that means
- E-Day itself: the start of the Locust War.
- Original Gears of War : set 14 years after E-Day.
- New prequel Gears of War: E-Day : goes back to that same event, not forward in time.
If you want the answer in a strict one-line form: 14 years.