The Coalition
The Coalition business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
Xbox has lost five studios – so who is left to make new video games?
Xbox has undergone significant layoffs, impacting approximately 3,200 staff members and leading to five studios divesting from the company. Xbox leadership aims to refocus on core franchises and expand its daily audience to over a billion people through its services. The article details the remaining studios, their current projects, and their future prospects under this new strategy.
Xbox Layoffs Hit Id Software And ZeniMax As Focus Shifts To Bigger Franchises
Xbox is undergoing its most significant restructure in history, with approximately 20% of its workforce being laid off. This includes significant staff reductions at Id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios, though these developers will remain operational. Xbox leadership stated the company will focus on higher-priority projects and major franchises, assuring that no previously announced first-party games will be canceled as part of these changes.
No Announced Xbox Games Are Getting Axed In Microsoft Layoffs, Company Says
Microsoft has announced significant layoffs affecting 1,600 employees at Xbox, with another 1,600 planned over the next year. Despite these cuts and studio sales, the company stated that no already announced first-party Xbox games are being canceled. Titles like Clockwork Revolution, Gears of War: E-Day, Hellblade, and State of Decay 3 are still confirmed to be in development.
'We really wanted the city to feel like a character in our game' — Gears of War: E-Day studio creative director says the game will make you 'care' about the city's fall through environmental storytelling
The Coalition's studio creative director, Matt Searcy, stated that Gears of War: E-Day aims to make players care about the city of Kolana through extensive environmental storytelling. The game will focus on a single city setting, allowing for deeper world-building and exploration, contrasting with previous titles in the series. Gears of War: E-Day is set to launch exclusively for Xbox Series X and Series S on October 6.
The Coalition says Active Reload is an 'iconic feature' that has been updated for Gears of War: E-Day, and some weapons also have 'additional reload mechanics'
The Coalition studio creative director Matt Searcy confirmed that the Active Reload mechanic will return in Gears of War: E-Day, featuring updates such as its placement in the middle of the screen for improved feel and ease of learning. Some weapons will also include additional reload mechanics, allowing for partial reloads or strategic use of partially loaded magazines. The game is set to launch exclusively for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Netflix's Gears of War movie sounds like it will be set just before the events of the first game
Netflix's upcoming Gears of War movie will serve as a prequel, focusing on the origin story of Delta Squad and their fight against the Locust creatures. Xbox executive Matt Booty highlighted the 'Never Fight Alone' theme as a strong narrative starting point. The film's setting appears to precede the events of the original Gears of War game, potentially aligning with the timeline of the recently announced Gears of War: E-Day.
Gears of War: E-Day’s 4-Player Campaign Co-op Was a “Huge Investment,” Says Creative Director
The Coalition has made a significant investment in Gears of War: E-Day's campaign, supporting four-player co-op from the outset. Creative director Matt Searcy stated that this decision reflects the core Gears DNA of four-person squads and required extensive environmental design and character animation work. The game is set to release on October 6th, with a multiplayer beta planned for August.
Gears of War: E-Day Adds New Active Reload Mechanics to Certain Weapons, Moves the Active Reload Bar
Gears of War: E-Day will introduce changes to the series' iconic Active Reload mechanic, moving the bar to the center of the screen by default and adding new functionalities to certain weapons. Creative director Matt Searcy confirmed these updates, noting that some weapons will allow players to stop reloads mid-animation to use partially loaded shells, foregoing the Active bonus. The game is set to launch on October 6th for Xbox Series X/S and PC as an Xbox console exclusive.
Gears of War: E-Day brings back a feature the series hasn't supported in over 10 years, and The Coalition says…
Gears of War: E-Day, launching October 6, 2026, for PC and Xbox Series X, will feature four-player campaign co-op, a feature not seen in the series for over 10 years. The Coalition is bringing back this mode to reflect the series' core DNA of squad-based storytelling, allowing players to experience the origin of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago's bromance from multiple perspectives. This ambitious entry will also support two-player split-screen co-op.
Active Reload may be an "iconic" Gears of War feature, but that isn't going to stop The Coalition from…
The Coalition is making significant changes to core mechanics for Gears of War: E-Day, including the iconic Active Reload system. The game will feature greater mobility and verticality, with unique Active Reload effects for certain weapons. Gears of War: E-Day is set to launch on October 6 for PC and Xbox Series X.
We spoke to three Xbox Game Studio teams about exclusivity, and got two very different answers
Developers from Xbox Game Studios have differing views on game exclusivity. Gears of War: E-Day creative director Matt Searcy believes it makes sense as an Xbox exclusive, while developers for Halo: Campaign Evolved and Fable are excited about releasing on multiple platforms to reach a wider audience.
Gears of War: E-Day Technical Director Explains How Unreal Engine 5’s Tech Helped in Development
The Coalition's technical director Kate Rayner detailed how Unreal Engine 5's features, such as MegaLights and dynamic geometry, were crucial in rebuilding Gears of War: E-Day from scratch. The game, developed for PC and Xbox Series X/S, aims to accurately portray the chaos of Emergence Day with enhanced lighting and destructible environments, running at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X.
Gears of War: E-Day Pushes Unreal Engine 5 “To Its Limits” In Its Latest Tech Demo
The Coalition has released a new tech demo for Gears of War: E-Day, showcasing the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5 with advanced lighting and ray tracing features on Xbox Series X. The demo highlights realistic environmental interactions and reflections, though it remains to be seen if the entire campaign will maintain this level of graphical fidelity, especially with multiplayer targeting 120 fps.
Canceled Project Blackbird May Have Been Perfect Replacement For Destiny, Insider Says
Insider reports suggest Microsoft's canceled action-RPG MMO, Project Blackbird, could have been a successful replacement for Destiny 2. Developed by the ZeniMax team, the game was reportedly canceled in mid-2025 due to financial reasons, despite positive internal feedback. Its cancellation is seen as a missed opportunity for Xbox to fill a void in the live-service market.
The biggest Gears of War: E-Day gameplay changes should have a transformative impact on the series' tired…
The Coalition is implementing significant changes to the core gameplay mechanics of Gears of War: E-Day, rebuilding systems from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. These alterations focus on enhancing movement fluidity, cover interaction, and environmental destruction, aiming to modernize the series' signature combat and potentially reshape its multiplayer experience. The game will feature a prequel campaign and a multiplayer beta starting August 6.
"We didn't make E-Day as a reaction to Gears 5": How The Coalition ripped up the Gears of War playbook to…
The Coalition is developing Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel set on Emergence Day, aiming to recapture the spirit of the original trilogy while rebuilding core mechanics in Unreal Engine 5. The game will feature a more focused, linear experience within the city of Kalona, emphasizing dense combat arenas and fluid movement, and is set for release on PC and Xbox Series X in October 2026.
Halo: Campaign Evolved Charting Strongly in Pre-Orders on the PlayStation Store
Halo: Campaign Evolved is experiencing strong pre-order numbers on the PlayStation Store, with its Standard Edition topping charts in the UK and showing significant interest in other regions. The game's upcoming launch on July 28th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC highlights the potential of cross-platform releases and raises questions about the platform strategy for other franchises like Gears of War.
Gears of War: E-Day’s Budget is “Upwards of $400 Million” – Rumor
A rumor suggests that Gears of War: E-Day has a development budget exceeding $400 million, a figure described as "insane" by insider Tom Henderson. The game, which is an Xbox console exclusive, features advanced graphics including realistic destruction and ray-traced lighting. The article also mentions a pulled trailer that briefly showed a PlayStation 5 logo, contradicting claims it was never planned for the platform.
Evening Interviews
The Coalition, developer of Gears of War E-Day, explains their decision to create a prequel for the franchise. The studio felt the prequel concept was too compelling to pass up.
Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Information is “Coming,” Assures The Coalition
The Coalition has confirmed that more details about the multiplayer modes for Gears of War: E-Day will be revealed soon. Brand director Nicole Fawcette stated that the initial gameplay reveal focused on the cinematic story and characters, but multiplayer information, including the return of Versus and an expanded Horde mode with Siege, is forthcoming. The game is set to release on October 6th for Xbox Series X/S and PC.