The Coalition Staff Fear Layoffs Instead of Celebrating Gears of War E-Day Launch

Employee anxiety has intensified following large-scale organizational changes at Xbox.

Staff members at The Coalition are concerned about potential new layoffs across Microsoft and Xbox. According to Eurogamer, citing sources within the studio, the team spent recent months working intensely on Gears of War: E-Day. Instead of celebrating the release, however, employees fear another wave of job cuts.

According to one source, the current mood inside the studio can be described as follows: “Let’s not celebrate until three months after release, just in case.” The insider noted that such an atmosphere is highly unusual for the team.

Microsoft has carried out extensive layoffs repeatedly in recent years. Previously, employees at The Coalition felt relatively secure due to their work on one of Xbox’s key projects, but confidence has decreased as development on Gears of War: E-Day wrapped up.

Additional tension arose within the studio following the layoff of Juan Vaca, narrative director for Gears of War: E-Day. According to Eurogamer, he was laid off just two weeks before the game’s release. One employee called this decision “very demoralizing.”

One source suggested that The Coalition might be placed under Activision’s management as part of future reorganization efforts.

Microsoft declined to officially comment on Eurogamer’s report. According to the publication, the company acknowledges that employees put significant effort into finishing Gears of War: E-Day, including working outside standard hours. Reports indicate that some of this extra work will be compensated with additional time off.