Gears of War E-Day: Dom Santiago Character and Skins Guide

TL;DR

Dom Santiago is the deuteragonist of Gears of War E-Day and the second playable member of Bravo Squad.
There are five Dom skins in the game: Bravo Squad Dom, Exfil Dom, Emergence Dom, Siege Ops Dom, and Ceremonial Dom.
Bravo Squad Dom is the free default skin — no unlock needed.
Exfil Dom (Legendary) was the pre-order bonus — it may now be available via the Premium Edition upgrade.
Emergence Dom unlocks by saving another player from a Locust struggle in Versus or Horde Siege.
Siege Ops Dom is the hardest to earn — you must max level all four Horde Siege classes: Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic.
Ceremonial Dom costs 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron in the in-game store.
Equip Dom skins from the Barracks menu under Versus or Horde Siege.

Table of Contents

Who Is Dom Santiago in Gears of War E-Day?

Dominic “Dom” Santiago is the deuteragonist of Gears of War E-Day. He is the second playable character in the game and fights alongside Marcus Fenix as part of Bravo Squad. In campaign co-op, Dom is the character picked up by the second player.

This is a younger Dom than the one most Gears fans know from the original trilogy. E-Day takes place fourteen years before the events of the first Gears of War. At this point in the story, Dom is a Private in the 26th Royal Tyran Infantry — not yet the hardened veteran he becomes.

Dom and Marcus grew up together. They share a bond built over years of combat in the Pendulum Wars. But at the start of E-Day, their friendship is strained. Both of them are still grieving the loss of Carlos Santiago — Dom’s older brother and Marcus’s best friend — who was killed at the Battle of Aspho Fields two years before the Locust invasion begins.

That grief sits at the heart of Dom’s character in this game. He is driven by loyalty — to Marcus, to Bravo Squad, and to his wife Maria and his family back in Ephyra. He is the emotional glue of the squad, always trying to hold people together even when he is barely holding himself together.

E-Day is also an origin story for their friendship. By the end of the original trilogy, Marcus and Dom are inseparable brothers. But at the start of E-Day, they are two people still finding their way back to each other through shared loss.

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

Dom Santiago’s Background and Military History

Before E-Day, Dom served as a Special Tactics Group (STG) commando. He was trained by Sergeant Bernadette Mataki in combat survival and deep infiltration behind enemy lines. He was known for getting in and out of UIR-controlled territory and always making it back in time for extraction.

Dom and Marcus both earned the Embry Star — the COG’s highest military honour — for their actions during the Pendulum Wars. Despite that, Dom enters E-Day as a Private, with Marcus holding a higher rank as Sergeant.

On Emergence Day itself, Dom’s world changes completely. His wife Maria’s parents are killed when the Locust attack. His two children — Benedicto and Sylvia — also do not survive Emergence Day. Maria, unable to cope with the loss, eventually disappears. This sets up the most devastating arc in Dom’s story across the franchise — his years-long search for Maria that runs through the original Gears of War games.

None of that future pain is visible yet at the start of E-Day. But the seeds are planted.

Dom Santiago Voice Actor in Gears of War E-Day

Carlos Ferro returns to voice Dom Santiago in E-Day. He has played the character in every main Gears of War game since the original 2006 release. His performance is one of the most recognizable in the series, and E-Day gives him some of the most emotional material Dom has ever had.

Dom’s Role in Bravo Squad

Bravo Squad is made up of four soldiers: Marcus Fenix (Sergeant), Dom Santiago (Private), Mags Carter (Specialist), and Lucas Reyes (Cadet First Class). The squad comes together during the chaos of Emergence Day in the city of Kalona.

Dom is not just Marcus’s partner — he is the heart of the squad. While Marcus leads with experience and tactical instinct, Dom leads with loyalty. He is the one who keeps the team connected as a unit, not just as four soldiers in the same fight.

For a full overview of how the story unfolds across the game, check out our Gears of War E-Day All Chapters and Acts guide.

All Dom Santiago Skins in Gears of War E-Day

There are five Dom Santiago skins in the game at launch. Each one has a different unlock method. Here is the full breakdown.

Bravo Squad Dom

How to unlock: Available by default. You start with this skin for free.

Bravo Squad Dom is Dom in his standard squad loadout — the same look he wears throughout the E-Day campaign. It is a clean, no-frills skin that perfectly captures who Dom is at this point in the story. There is nothing to unlock and nothing to buy. Every player has it from the moment they launch the game.

Exfil Dom (Legendary)

How to unlock: Was the pre-order bonus for any edition of Gears of War E-Day. Also available with the Premium Edition upgrade.

Exfil Dom is a Legendary-tier skin and the most premium Dom cosmetic in the game. The design is themed around Dom’s STG commando background — his infiltration and extraction role before E-Day. The official description from The Coalition frames this skin around the idea that no matter how dangerous the mission, Dom always made it back for Raven extraction.

If you pre-ordered the game digitally, this skin was automatically added to your account at launch. Physical pre-orders received a code. Players who did not pre-order can now get Exfil Dom through the Premium Edition upgrade, which also includes the Exfil Legendary Weapon Skin Set.

Note: The skin is only usable on Dom in Horde Siege and Versus — it does not change how Dom looks in the campaign.

Emergence Dom

How to unlock: Save another player from a Locust struggle in Versus or Horde Siege.

Emergence Dom is one of the most satisfying skins to earn because the unlock is tied directly to a gameplay action. When an enemy grabs a teammate and begins executing them, you can rush in and break the struggle to save them. Do this successfully and Emergence Dom unlocks.

It is worth noting that some sources list this skin as also being tied to the pre-order bonus, likely as an alternative unlock path. But the base gameplay unlock — saving a player from a Locust struggle — is confirmed and available to all players regardless of whether they pre-ordered.

The skin name itself is a nice piece of thematic design. “Emergence” refers directly to Emergence Day — the event the whole game is built around.

Siege Ops Dom

How to unlock: Reach max level with the Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic classes in Horde Siege.

This is the hardest Dom skin to earn in the game. Horde Siege in E-Day has four playable classes and you need to take all four of them to their maximum level. That means sinking serious time into the mode across every class role.

The four classes are:

Assault — frontline damage dealer
Breacher — close-range specialist
Marksman — long-range sniper role
Medic — support and revival specialist

There is also an Xbox achievement tied directly to this: Siege Specialist (25G) is awarded for reaching max level with all four classes. So grinding for Siege Ops Dom will also earn you the achievement at the same time.

If you are working through Horde Siege, our Gears of War E-Day All Tactical Gear List and All Mods List will help you build out each class more efficiently.

Ceremonial Dom

How to unlock: Purchase from the in-game store for 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron.

Ceremonial Dom is the store-bought skin for Dom. Coins are earned through regular gameplay in Versus and Horde Siege. Iron is the premium currency purchased with real money. At 9,000 Coins it takes a reasonable amount of play time but is fully achievable without spending anything.

All Dom Santiago Skins at a Glance

Bravo Squad Dom — Default skin, free from the start
Exfil Dom — Pre-order bonus / Premium Edition upgrade (Legendary)
Emergence Dom — Save another player from a Locust struggle in Versus or Horde Siege
Siege Ops Dom — Max level all four Horde Siege classes (Assault, Breacher, Marksman, Medic)
Ceremonial Dom — In-game store: 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron

How to Equip Dom Santiago Skins in Gears of War E-Day

Follow these steps to equip a Dom skin:

Open the Barracks menu from the main hub.
Navigate to Versus or Horde Siege.
Select Dominic Santiago from the character list.
Pick the skin you want to equip from your available options.

As with Marcus, Dom’s campaign appearance is fixed. Skins only apply to Versus and Horde Siege multiplayer.

Dom vs Marcus — Which Character Should You Play in Co-Op?

In single-player, you always play as Marcus. In co-op, the second player takes Dom, while players three and four take Mags and Lucas.

Dom plays identically to Marcus in terms of core movement and combat. The choice in co-op is more about preference and lore immersion than any mechanical difference. If you are a longtime Gears fan, playing as Dom and watching the early stages of his friendship with Marcus is one of the best reasons to jump into co-op.

For details on how the campaign unfolds act by act, our Act 1 Walkthrough and Act 2 Walkthrough cover every chapter in detail.

More Gears of War E-Day Guides

Where to Play Gears of War E-Day

Official Gears of War Website — editions, lore, and more
Xbox Store — Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass
Steam — PC version

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Dom Santiago skins are in Gears of War E-Day?

There are five Dom skins at launch: Bravo Squad Dom, Exfil Dom, Emergence Dom, Siege Ops Dom, and Ceremonial Dom.

How do you unlock Emergence Dom in Gears of War E-Day?

You unlock Emergence Dom by saving another player from a Locust struggle in Versus or Horde Siege. Rush in and break the struggle before the enemy executes your teammate.

How do you unlock Siege Ops Dom?

Siege Ops Dom unlocks when you reach max level with all four Horde Siege classes: Assault, Breacher, Marksman, and Medic. This is the most time-intensive Dom unlock in the game and also earns you the Siege Specialist achievement (25G).

Is Exfil Dom still available if I missed the pre-order?

Exfil Dom was the pre-order bonus for any edition of the game. Players who did not pre-order can now access it through the Premium Edition upgrade, which bundles Exfil Dom with the Exfil Legendary Weapon Skin Set and additional seasonal customization packs.

How much does Ceremonial Dom cost in Gears of War E-Day?

Ceremonial Dom costs 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron in the in-game store. Coins are earned through playing, while Iron is the premium currency purchased with real money.

Is Dom playable in the campaign in Gears of War E-Day?

Yes. In single-player you always control Marcus. In co-op, the second player takes control of Dom, while players three and four play as Mags and Lucas.

Who voices Dom Santiago in Gears of War E-Day?

Carlos Ferro voices Dom in E-Day, reprising the role he has held since the original Gears of War in 2006.

What is Dom’s role in the E-Day story?

Dom is the deuteragonist. The story is told from Marcus’s perspective, but Dom is his closest ally throughout the campaign. E-Day explores the early stages of their friendship — before they become the inseparable brothers-in-arms players know from the original trilogy.