Gears of War: E-Day staff fear layoffs days before October launch

Staff who built Gears of War: E-Day fear they could lose their jobs within days of its launch. The shooter is scheduled for release on October 6, with early access for Premium Edition buyers starting earlier, according to a report citing people familiar with plans at developer The Coalition. Video Games Chronicle

The worry sharpened after Xbox laid off story director Juan Vaca in the week before release. Vaca was cut four days after celebrating the game going gold, industry shorthand for the final version being finished and ready for release. Kotaku His exit came about a week before the early-access launch, and he was one of hundreds of employees affected in Microsoft's latest wave of cuts. IGN

Sources described the layoff as "very demoralising" for the team. Staff said they had already expected job cuts after release. They now expect the next wave or a reorganisation under Activision later this year, according to the same report.

Pay is part of the concern. The team has a contracted bonus tied to the game reaching a certain score on Metacritic, the website that combines review scores into a single average.

Leadership has told staff the bonus is expected to be paid near the end of October, and only to people still employed full-time at that point. That has raised concern that anyone laid off quickly could miss out. The timing has stung.

The reporting publication understands that staff already laid off, including Vaca, will still receive their bonuses if the score target is met. Microsoft declined to comment when asked about the claims.

For players, the launch plan is unchanged. Xbox announced on September 17 that the game had gone gold, with pre-installs beginning September 29. Xbox Wire E-Day is scheduled for release on October 6, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC and Steam, and will be available day one with Game Pass Ultimate, the top tier of Microsoft's games subscription.

For fans, this means a split picture. The game they have waited for arrives on schedule. The people who made it are waiting on their own futures.