Gears of War E-Day: Daan Riggs Character and Skins Guide

Daan Riggs is a brand-new character to Gears of War — he has never appeared in any previous game, novel, or comic.
He is a Specialist in the COG Air Corps and the door Gunner and Crew Chief of KR-Eight Zero.
He flies alongside pilot Gill Gettner as part of the Butcherbird air cavalry squadron.
Daan Riggs has two skins in E-Day: Butcher Bird Daan (free) and Airbase Daan (store purchase).
He is voiced by Shaquan Lewis.
He is an NPC in the campaign but becomes playable in Horde Siege and Versus after you meet him in the story.

Daan Riggs might not get the same spotlight as Marcus Fenix or Dom Santiago in Gears of War: E-Day, but he’s one of the more interesting new additions to the franchise. He’s the guy on the door gun of KR-Eight Zero, covering Bravo Squad from above when things go sideways on the ground in Kalona.

This guide covers everything there is to know about Daan Riggs — his character profile, his role in E-Day’s campaign, his personality, both of his skins, and exactly how to unlock them. One is completely free, and one comes from the store.

Table of Contents

Who Is Daan Riggs in Gears of War E-Day?

Daan Riggs is a Specialist in the COG Air Corps and the decorated door Gunner and Crew Chief of KR-Eight Zero — the King Raven helicopter piloted by Lieutenant Gill Gettner. Together, they are part of the infamous Butcherbird air cavalry squadron.

His job is clear: while Gettner flies the Raven, Riggs handles the gun. He’s the one suppressing Locust targets from the door as Bravo Squad extracts from impossible situations during the fall of Kalona on Emergence Day.

He first appeared publicly in a cutscene debuted at Unreal Fest Chicago in June 2026, where fans got their first look at Bravo Squad fighting to survive a daring Raven extraction aboard KR-Eight Zero. That scene alone made him an instant fan favourite before the game even launched.

Daan Riggs Character Profile

Full Name: Daan Riggs
Rank: Specialist
Faction: COG (Coalition of Ordered Governments)
Unit: COG Air Corps — Butcherbird air cavalry squadron
Aircraft: KR-Eight Zero (King Raven)
Role: Door Gunner and Crew Chief
Crew Partner: Gill Gettner (Pilot)
Character Type: NPC in campaign, playable in multiplayer
Voice Actor: Shaquan Lewis

Riggs has a personality that the official character description puts perfectly — he is just as likely to laugh at his own dark jokes as he is to scold passengers for not following safety procedures inside his Raven. That contrast is what makes him memorable. On the surface he comes across as easygoing, even a little reckless. But underneath that is someone who cares deeply about his aircraft and his crew. His meticulousness catches most people off guard.

He’s the kind of guy who keeps the mood light even when the Locust are everywhere — but he will absolutely tell you to put on your safety harness before he does anything else.

For a full rundown of every character in the game, visit our Gears of War E-Day All Characters and NPCs guide.

Is Daan Riggs a New Character?

Yes — completely. Unlike Gill Gettner, who came from the Gears of War novels, Daan Riggs is a brand-new character created specifically for E-Day. He has never appeared in any previous Gears of War game, comic, or novel. E-Day is his first and only appearance in the franchise to date.

This makes him one of several genuinely new characters introduced alongside the familiar faces in E-Day. The Gears wiki confirms his first appearance as Gears of War: E-Day, with no prior lore history to draw from. Whatever we learn about Riggs, we learn from the game itself.

Daan Riggs Role in the E-Day Campaign

Daan Riggs is an NPC throughout the main campaign. He appears in aerial sequences alongside Gill Gettner, with KR-Eight Zero providing support to Bravo Squad across the three days of chaos that make up E-Day’s story in Kalona.

While Gettner is in the cockpit navigating, Riggs is the one you hear on the radio and see on the door gun — suppressing Locust forces and making those extractions possible. The two of them function as a team, and their dynamic is part of what makes the aerial sections of the campaign feel grounded. They’re not just a taxi service. They’re decorated Air Corps veterans doing their jobs in the middle of humanity’s worst day.

After encountering him in the campaign, you can unlock Riggs as a playable character in Horde Siege and Versus multiplayer modes.

Need help getting through the campaign? Check our Act 1 Walkthrough and Act 2 Walkthrough for full chapter breakdowns.

Daan Riggs Voice Actor

Daan Riggs is voiced by Shaquan Lewis, a Canadian actor who graduated from Wexford School for the Performing Arts. He is known for roles in The Next Step (as Marcel), Rookie Blue, and the 2021 horror film Jigsaw. His credits confirmed his role as Daan Riggs in the official Metacritic cast listing and the Gears of War fandom databases.

All Daan Riggs Skins in Gears of War E-Day

There are currently two skins available for Daan Riggs in Gears of War: E-Day. Here’s exactly what they are and how to get each one:

1. Butcher Bird Daan (Free)

How to Unlock: Get Heavy Weapon kills in Horde Siege.

This is the free skin for Daan Riggs and a natural fit for his character — named after the Butcherbird squadron he belongs to. The Butcher Bird Daan skin rewards players who get stuck into Horde Siege and do what Riggs does best: put rounds on target with heavy firepower.

To unlock it, you need to get Heavy Weapon kills while playing Horde Siege. Heavy Weapons in E-Day include turrets and other large weapons you can pick up and wield during combat. Detaching a turret and taking out Locusts with it counts toward this challenge.

This is one of the more engaging free unlocks in the game. It pushes you to play a specific and fun way — dragging a turret around and mowing down waves of Locusts — rather than just asking you to complete a tutorial. The more Horde Siege you play while actively using heavy firepower, the faster this one comes.

2. Airbase Daan (Store)

How to Unlock: Purchase at the Barracks for 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron.

The Airbase Daan skin is the store purchase option. At 9,000 Coins it is slightly cheaper than the Repair Bay Gill skin (12,000 Coins), making it a reasonable grind for regular players. Iron gives you the faster route at 500 units, which is also slightly less than Gill Gettner’s store skin at 700 Iron.

If you’re working toward multiple store skins, Airbase Daan is actually one of the more affordable ones in terms of both currencies. Featured items in the Barracks sometimes rotate at a discounted Iron price, so keep an eye on the weekly store refresh if you’d rather spend less premium currency.

For the complete cosmetics list including weapon skins and all other characters, see our Gears of War E-Day All Skins and Cosmetics List.

How to Equip Daan Riggs Skins

Once you’ve unlocked a Daan Riggs skin, equipping it is simple:

Go to the multiplayer lobby screen.
Open the Barracks menu.
Find Daan Riggs under your COG characters.
Select the skin you want to equip.

A skin shows as unlocked when it appears in the character list with no lock icon or active progress bar. Whatever skin you set in the Barracks carries across both Horde Siege and Versus automatically — you only need to set it once.

Skins and classes are completely separate in E-Day. You can run the Butcher Bird Daan skin with any class you want in Horde Siege — it does not affect your stats, abilities, or loadout in any way.

Daan Riggs and Gill Gettner — The KR-Eight Zero Crew

Daan Riggs and Gill Gettner are inseparable in E-Day’s story. They are the full crew of KR-Eight Zero — Gettner in the cockpit, Riggs on the gun. The game treats them as a unit, and their contrasting personalities make them a memorable pairing.

Gettner is sharp, serious, and all business. Riggs is the one cracking dark jokes mid-extraction while simultaneously yelling at you to buckle up. They balance each other out, and their banter adds a lot of texture to E-Day’s aerial sequences.

Both characters also share the Butcherbird naming theme across their skins — Butcher Bird Gill and Butcher Bird Daan — which is a nice touch for players who want to match their air crew cosmetics in multiplayer.

Read more about Gill Gettner in our Gill Gettner Character and Skins Guide.

Tips for Unlocking Butcher Bird Daan Faster

Since the Butcher Bird Daan skin unlocks through Heavy Weapon kills in Horde Siege, here are a few ways to get there more efficiently:

Prioritise detachable turrets. These count as Heavy Weapons and are available in most Horde Siege maps. Pick them up, carry them into a kill zone, and start stacking kills.
Play higher difficulty settings. More Locusts per wave means more targets to hit with heavy firepower. The kills add up faster at Commander difficulty and above.
Focus on wave density moments. The later waves of a Horde Siege mission tend to flood the map with enemies. Hold your heavy weapon for those moments to maximise kill count per run.
Run Siege or Horde playlists. These longer mission types give you more waves and more opportunities to use Heavy Weapons compared to the shorter Blitz playlist.

Where to Play Gears of War E-Day

Gears of War: E-Day is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Pick it up here:

More Gears of War E-Day Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Daan Riggs a new character in Gears of War?

Yes. Daan Riggs is a completely new character created for Gears of War: E-Day. He has no prior appearances in any Gears of War game, novel, or comic. E-Day is his first appearance in the franchise.

How do you unlock the Butcher Bird Daan skin?

Get Heavy Weapon kills while playing Horde Siege. Heavy Weapons include detachable turrets and other large weapons available on the map. The more Heavy Weapon kills you rack up in Horde Siege, the sooner the skin unlocks.

How much does the Airbase Daan skin cost?

The Airbase Daan skin costs 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron in the Barracks store. Coins are earned through gameplay. Iron is the premium currency you buy with real money.

Who voices Daan Riggs in Gears of War E-Day?

Daan Riggs is voiced by Shaquan Lewis, a Canadian actor known for The Next Step, Rookie Blue, and Jigsaw.

Is Daan Riggs playable in Gears of War E-Day?

He is not playable in the main campaign. He appears as an NPC alongside Gill Gettner in aerial sequences. However, once you encounter him in the story, he can be used as a playable character in Horde Siege and Versus multiplayer.

What is Daan Riggs’ role on KR-Eight Zero?

Daan Riggs is the door Gunner and Crew Chief of KR-Eight Zero. He operates the door gun while Gill Gettner pilots the helicopter. The two are part of the Butcherbird air cavalry squadron in the COG Air Corps.

How do I equip Daan Riggs skins in E-Day?

Go to the multiplayer lobby, open the Barracks, find Daan Riggs under your COG characters, and select the skin you want. It will carry over to both Horde Siege and Versus automatically.