Xbox is preparing to release Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel to one of its most well-known franchises, on the same day its gaming division undergoes a major restructuring. According to The Verge, the game arrives during what it describes as a reset led by new CEO Asha Sharma, who is cutting roughly 3,200 jobs and reshaping how Xbox's studios operate. The goal, the report says, is to concentrate on Xbox's biggest franchises and reach a billion players. E-Day is set to launch on Microsoft platforms only, following earlier releases of Forza and Halo titles on the PlayStation 5.
The game is set 14 years before the original Gears of War and depicts emergence day, when the Locust Horde launched a surprise attack aimed at wiping out humanity. Players control a younger Marcus Fenix, a soldier in an elite group called gears, as he and his squad defend the planet Sera. Missions include attacking enemy strongholds, escorting supply caravans, and searching for survivors. The Verge reports that the campaign is largely linear with some side missions, and that the planet transforms from a retrofuturistic paradise into ruins over the course of the story.
The Verge's reviewer describes E-Day as a confident action game, comparing its spectacle to a James Cameron film and calling it the closest thing to a playable Aliens. The review notes the cover shooter combat retains a visceral, weighty feel and praises the variety of its sequences, which include massive set-pieces and quieter, horror-like stretches. Cutscenes are brief and the writing is described as intentionally silly, with frequent one-liners punctuating the action. The review says E-Day feels like a 2006 version of Gears built with 2026 technology.
Uncertainty surrounds the game's timing. The Verge reports that E-Day developer The Coalition was hit with at least one layoff before launch and that staff fear more are coming. Xbox's new leadership has said it wants to focus on higher priority projects, which the report notes sounds like a strong return for Gears of War but may not guarantee what follows for the platform. Xbox's strategy has shifted repeatedly in the past, the report adds.
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