Gears of War E-Day: Mags Carter Character and Skins Guide

TL;DR

Mags Carter is one of two brand-new playable characters in Gears of War E-Day, alongside Lucas Reyes.
She is a Pendulum Wars veteran and demolitions expert, now working at Kalona’s Imulsion Refinery when E-Day begins.
There are three Mags Carter skins at launch: Bravo Squad Mags, Emergence Mags, and Infantry Armor Mags.
Bravo Squad Mags is the free default skin — no unlock needed.
Emergence Mags unlocks by playing a game of explosive cornhole with a Bilefrog — shoot an explosive into the Bilefrog’s mouth during Act 2.
Infantry Armor Mags costs 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron in the in-game store.
Mags also had a fourth skin — Blast Damage Mags (Epic) — available as a beta reward for players who reached level 20 during the open beta.
Equip all skins from the Barracks menu under Versus or Horde Siege.

Table of Contents

Who Is Mags Carter in Gears of War E-Day?

Mags Carter is one of two new playable characters introduced in Gears of War E-Day. She joins Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago, and Lucas Reyes as the third member of Bravo Squad. She is entirely new to the franchise — no prior Gears game has featured her.

What makes Mags stand out immediately is her background. She is not a rookie. She is not tagging along. She is arguably the most experienced soldier in Bravo Squad when it comes to raw combat time. Mags survived fifteen years of the Pendulum Wars as a squad leader in the 8th Kalona Siege Grenadiers — one of the most dangerous demolitions units in the COG Army.

She is also the character most personally connected to the setting. The entire game takes place in Kalona. Mags was born and raised there. When the Locust start tearing her home city apart, she has more to lose than anyone else in the squad.

For the full Bravo Squad breakdown, see our Gears of War E-Day All Characters and NPCs guide.

Mags Carter’s Backstory and Lore

Mags’s military career ended before E-Day even began — and not on her own terms. During the Pendulum Wars, an explosive malfunction killed her entire squad. Despite fifteen years of decorated service, she was discharged immediately after the incident. No medal. No ceremony. Just out.

She came back to Kalona and started working at the Timgad Prime Imulsion Refinery — hard, dangerous work in the energy sector, a long way from the frontlines she knew. By the time the Locust erupt on Emergence Day, Mags is a civilian at the same bar where Marcus and Dom happen to be when the ground first cracks open.

That is how Bravo Squad forms. Four people in the same place at the worst possible moment — a Sergeant, a Private, a Comms officer, and a discharged demolitions expert who knows Kalona’s streets better than any of them.

The Coalition has described Mags and Lucas as sitting in the “back seat” of the story compared to Marcus and Dom, who are the emotional core of the campaign. But that does not mean Mags is a background character. Her history with the COG, her loss, and her connection to Kalona all shape who she is and why she fights.

Mags is also notable for being the first openly LGBTQ+ character in the Gears of War franchise.

Mags Carter Voice Actor

Mags Carter is voiced by Elizabeth Faith Ludlow. Ludlow is known for genre roles including The Walking Dead and The X-Files, and brings a grounded, battle-hardened quality to the character that fits E-Day’s tone perfectly.

A Note on the Spelling: Mags, Not Megs

Her name is Mags. Early transcripts of developer commentary rendered her name phonetically as “Megs,” and that alternate spelling spread online. The official written materials, in-game text, and the beta reward item all use Mags. If you have seen both spellings in search results, now you know which is correct.

Mags Carter’s Role in Co-Op

In solo play, you always control Marcus. In co-op, player three controls Mags. All four squad members are fully playable from the start of the campaign — Mags is not a later unlock or a story-gated character. If you are jumping into online co-op, Mags is a first-class option right away.

Her demolitions background does not translate into a different gameplay kit compared to other squad members — all four Bravo Squad characters play the same in terms of base movement and combat mechanics. The difference is purely cosmetic and narrative.

To see how the campaign is structured across all Acts, check our Gears of War E-Day All Chapters and Acts guide.

All Mags Carter Skins in Gears of War E-Day

Mags has three skins available in the base game, plus one bonus skin that was earnable during the open beta. Here is every one and how to get it.

Bravo Squad Mags

How to unlock: Available by default. No unlock required.

This is Mags in her standard Bravo Squad gear — the look she wears throughout the campaign. Every player gets this skin automatically. It is clean and immediately recognizable as her E-Day appearance. A solid skin that holds up well in Versus and Horde Siege without needing to grind anything.

Emergence Mags

How to unlock: Play a game of explosive cornhole with a Bilefrog.

This is the most unique skin unlock in the game — and one of the most talked-about. The unlock requires you to shoot an explosive into a Bilefrog’s open mouth while it is attacking you in the campaign. The Bilefrog opens its mouth wide to spit acid at you, and that is your window.

Here is where and how to do it:

Bilefrogs first appear in Act 2, Chapter 2 when you reach the main objective to investigate the Muster Point.
When a Bilefrog opens its mouth to attack, fire an explosive weapon into it. The Gut-Puncher works well for this.
The explosive needs to kill the Bilefrog to count as the “cornhole” — just landing a shot inside the mouth may not be enough.
This is also tied to the Explosive Indigestion Xbox achievement, so you earn the achievement and the skin in the same action.

The unlock does not require multiplayer. You can get Emergence Mags entirely through the campaign during a normal playthrough. Once it triggers, the skin becomes available in your Barracks for Versus and Horde Siege.

If you want help navigating Act 2, our Gears of War E-Day Act 2 Walkthrough covers every chapter in detail.

Infantry Armor Mags

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

Infantry Armor Mags is the store version of her cosmetics. It gives her a heavier armored look compared to the default Bravo Squad skin. Coins are earned through playing Versus and Horde Siege naturally over time. Iron is the premium currency bought with real money. At 9,000 Coins it is a meaningful grind, but entirely free-to-earn if you put in the time.

Blast Damage Mags (Beta Exclusive)

How to unlock: Reached Player Level 20 during the Gears of War E-Day open beta (August 2026).

This Epic-rarity skin was the headline reward for the open beta. Players who hit level 20 during the beta period had it automatically added to their inventory at full game launch. It is not currently available in the base game through any other method.

If you did not play the beta, this skin is not obtainable right now. It may return through a seasonal event or store bundle in the future, but nothing has been confirmed.

All Mags Carter Skins at a Glance

Bravo Squad Mags — Default skin, free from the start
Emergence Mags — Shoot an explosive into a Bilefrog’s mouth (Act 2, Chapter 2)
Infantry Armor Mags — In-game store: 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron
Blast Damage Mags (Epic) — Beta exclusive (reach level 20 during open beta, August 2026)

How to Equip Mags Carter Skins

Follow these steps to equip a Mags skin:

Open the Barracks menu from the multiplayer hub.
Navigate to Versus or Horde Siege.
Select Mags Carter from the character list.
Choose the skin you want and confirm.

A skin shows as fully unlocked when it appears in the list with no lock icon or progress bar. Challenge-based skins like Emergence Mags show a counter while you are working toward them.

How to Find a Bilefrog for Emergence Mags

If you are specifically hunting the Bilefrog to unlock Emergence Mags, here is the fastest path:

Play through to Act 2, Chapter 2, Part 2.
Bilefrogs appear when you hit the objective marked “Investigate the Muster Point.”
Equip an explosive weapon — the Gut-Puncher is recommended and available in this section.
Wait for a Bilefrog to open its mouth and fire an explosive round straight into it.
The shot needs to kill the Bilefrog to confirm the unlock.
The Bilefrog’s mouth stays open for a few seconds while it charges its acid spit, giving you a decent window to aim.

For a full breakdown of every secondary objective in Act 2, check our All Secondary Objective Locations guide.

More Gears of War E-Day Guides

Where to Play Gears of War E-Day

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Mags Carter skins are in Gears of War E-Day?

There are three skins in the base game at launch — Bravo Squad Mags, Emergence Mags, and Infantry Armor Mags. A fourth skin, Blast Damage Mags (Epic), was available as a beta reward in August 2026.

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

Shoot an explosive into a Bilefrog’s open mouth during the campaign to kill it. This is called “explosive cornhole” and first becomes possible in Act 2, Chapter 2. The Gut-Puncher weapon is a reliable choice for this. The unlock also awards the Explosive Indigestion achievement.

Where do Bilefrogs appear in Gears of War E-Day?

Bilefrogs first appear in Act 2, Chapter 2, Part 2, when you reach the objective to investigate the Muster Point. That is the earliest point you can attempt the Emergence Mags unlock.

Is Mags Carter a new character or returning from older Gears games?

Mags Carter is brand new. She has not appeared in any previous Gears of War game. E-Day is her first appearance in the franchise.

How do you get Infantry Armor Mags?

Infantry Armor Mags is purchased from the in-game store for 9,000 Coins or 500 Iron. Coins are earned through playing Versus and Horde Siege. Iron is the premium currency bought with real money.

Can you still get Blast Damage Mags after the beta?

No confirmed method exists to obtain Blast Damage Mags after the open beta ended. Players who reached level 20 during the beta in August 2026 received it at full game launch. It may return through future seasonal content.

Who voices Mags Carter in Gears of War E-Day?

Elizabeth Faith Ludlow voices Mags Carter. She is known for genre roles in The Walking Dead and The X-Files.

Is Mags Carter playable in co-op from the start?

Yes. All four Bravo Squad members are available from the beginning of the campaign in co-op. Player three takes control of Mags in online or split-screen co-op.