{"id":2177935,"date":"2026-10-03T19:46:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T16:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2177935"},"modified":"2026-10-03T19:46:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T16:46:08","slug":"gears-of-war-e-day-devs-proud-to-be-one-of-xboxs-main-titles-amid-newfound-focus-on-exclusivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2177935","title":{"rendered":"Gears of War: E-Day Devs &#8216;Proud to Be One of Xbox&#8217;s Main Titles&#8217; Amid Newfound Focus on Exclusivity"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-cy=\"article-content\" class=\"jsx-3246540067 article-content page-0\">\n<section data-cy=\"article-subtitle\" class=\"article jsx-3932497636 article-section jsx-2044616299 news\" data-autopogo=\"true\">\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/gears-of-war-e-day\"><u>Gears of War: E-Day<\/u><\/a> developers at The Coalition say they are &#8220;proud to be one of Xbox&#8217;s main titles&#8221; as Microsoft refocuses on exclusivity.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Studio art director Aryan Hanbeck and creative director Matt Searcy opened up about The Coalition&#8217;s place in the Xbox portfolio during an interview with gaming news content creator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1SkElNQi-BM\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>Destin Lergarie<\/u><\/a> (via <a href=\"https:\/\/mp1st.com\/news\/gears-of-war-e-day-devs-proud-game-is-an-xbox-exclusive\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>MP1st<\/u><\/a>). Searcy said he and the rest of the team were &#8220;proud&#8221; when asked how they feel about Gears of War: E-Day&#8217;s status as an Xbox exclusive.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;Well, we feel great because Gears has such a long, storied\u2026 It&#8217;s part of Xbox&#8217;s DNA. It&#8217;s woven into it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;At The Coalition, we feel pretty honored to have Gears and be the ones bringing that legacy forward. We know how much it means to people. We know how much it means to us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2277167929 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Play.59e5540b.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Gears of War: E-Day is firmly a console exclusive, but there was a lot of confusion surrounding which platforms Gears of War: E-Day would be available on as recently as four months ago. The once-Xbox-exclusive franchise made its debut on PlayStation consoles when original remaster, Gears of War: Reloaded, released in August 2025. Many took its presence on PS5 as a sign not only that the series would continue to come to Sony&#8217;s console but also that the days of exclusive titles may nearly be behind us \u2013 and for a while, that seemed to be the case.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-placeholder-listing-appears-online-as-xbox-games-showcase-looms\"><u>Leaked listings<\/u><\/a> and rumors were officially shut down at the <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/xbox-games-showcase-2026-live-updates-every-game-announcement\"><u>Xbox Games Showcase 2026<\/u><\/a> when Xbox CEO Asha Sharma proudly declared that Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago&#8217;s Emergence Day prequel story would <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-is-an-xbox-console-exclusive-release-date-revealed\"><u>only be coming to Xbox Series X\/S and PC<\/u><\/a>. It was a shock decision that arrived as the Microsoft gaming entity kicked off a <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/xbox-says-more-exclusives-are-coming-but-tells-players-not-to-overly-fixate-on-single-player-games\"><u>broader push for more exclusive games<\/u><\/a>. Perhaps even more shocking at the time were the announcements that immediately followed, including the company&#8217;s promise to <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-and-clockwork-revolution-are-not-timed-exclusives-xbox-says-so-theyll-never-launch-on-playstation\"><u>never release Xbox exclusive titles on rival platforms<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">After leaked splash art fanned rumors that Xbox hastily decided to cancel a Gears of War: E-Day PS5 port, the company said it <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/xbox-says-gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-port-was-not-pulled-last-minute-after-art-with-ps5-logo-leaks\"><u>did not make any &#8220;last-minute&#8221; decisions<\/u><\/a> when it comes to its platform choice. While Searcy said it brought The Coalition joy to see their new game leading Microsoft&#8217;s renewed interest in exclusive titles, making sure they made a great game was what came first.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">Gears of War: E-Day Gameplay Demo Reveal Xbox Games Showcase 2026 &#8211; Screenshots<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-3524787213 jsx-4268464690 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 27 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;I think this is true of most game devs: You&#8217;re just passionate about your craft,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;re all gamers first and foremost. We love making games. We love making Gears. So, from our perspective, we just wanted to make the best goddamn Gears game we could. We wanted it to be a technical and art showpiece, and I think getting to see Asha on-stage say, &#8216;To return to Xbox, we&#8217;re returning to Gears,&#8217; yeah, that&#8217;s a really cool moment.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">He continued: &#8220;We know how much Xbox means to a lot of people. We&#8217;re proud to be one of Xbox&#8217;s main titles \u2013 I think it&#8217;s been that way for a long time \u2013 and it&#8217;s pretty cool to show up now and fill that role again.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"poll-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\">\n<div class=\"card jsx-2310533475 jsx-1355461925 box poll-content-block\" data-cy=\"poll-content-block\">\n<fieldset class=\"answers jsx-332304107\" role=\"radiogroup\" aria-labelledby=\"poll-question\">\n<legend class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4192417768\"><span class=\"stack jsx-3547261442\"><\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"poll-question\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-1377259516 headline\" id=\"poll-question\">Do You Want to See Xbox Exclusives Make a Return?<\/h2>\n<p><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-1730475047 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-1-1 jsx-3010959690 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/legend>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer highlight\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId66394\" id=\"answerId66394-label\"><span class=\"label\">Yes!<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1945348876\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId66395\" id=\"answerId66395-label\"><span class=\"label\">No!<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId66396\" id=\"answerId66396-label\"><span class=\"label\">It depends (tell us why in the comments)!<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/fieldset>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4255654680 poll-controls\"><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-2267841559 contained disabled full-width large\" type=\"submit\" disabled data-cy=\"poll-answer-btn\">Answer<\/button><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button jsx-3027214138 jsx-1624977611 nav next-button small\" title=\"See Results\" aria-label=\"See Results\" data-cy=\"see-results-btn\"><span style=\"white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-align:right\">See Results<\/span><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-4173866675\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" aria-label=\"See Results\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Gears of War: E-Day launched in early access for Premium Edition players on PC and Xbox Series X\/S October 1, 2026. Its full launch will follow this week, October 6. IGN&#8217;s early review, which covered only the campaign mode, returned a <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-review\"><u>9\/10<\/u><\/a>. The game&#8217;s <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-story-director-laid-off-just-a-week-before-early-access-launch\"><u>story director was laid off<\/u><\/a> just one week before it made its way to players&#8217; hands a few days ago. Now, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/after-crunching-hard-through-their-final-months-gears-of-war-e-day-developers-are-reportedly-now-expecting-layoffs\"><u>more developers at The Coalition is bracing for additional layoffs<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"author-sign-off\" data-cy=\"author-sign-off\"><span class=\"stack jsx-59817748 jsx-1927875859\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-444076027 jsx-1730475047 profile-thumb jsx-2141281959 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-1-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michael Cripe Avatar\" class=\"progressive-image profile-thumb-img jsx-249361588 jsx-2338608387 expand\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/avatars\/5205bf6a08586a205a834928\/Michael_blue_red_2-1700460435246.png?crop=1%3A1&amp;width=56&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=80\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-3630940851\"><span class=\"stack jsx-2959124702 jsx-702910195 author-sign-off-header\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/person\/MikeCripe\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 jsx-2809511915 bold underlined\">Michael Cripe<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 muted\">Freelance Writer<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-1220387432\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"author-sign-off-socials\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 author-sign-off-socials\"><button type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"listbox\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-label=\"View social links\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 socials-trigger\"><span title=\"X\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 social-icon-avatar\"><span class=\"ign-icon jsx-2877214176 jsx-2750866048 jsx-2788214270\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"jsx-2877214176\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><span title=\"Bluesky\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 social-icon-avatar\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon jsx-2877214176 jsx-2750866048 jsx-2788214270\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"jsx-2877214176\" alt loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Bluesky.d8b4aa9b.svg?cors=0\"><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div role=\"listbox\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2758920045 jsx-4268464690 jsx-3705869475 dropdown-menu jsx-3625955085\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/MikeCripe\" id=\"author-sign-off-social-twitterHandle\" class=\"menu-item jsx-3565735818 jsx-3927327418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 menu-item-text\" data-text=\"X\">X<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ign-icon icon-twitter jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-twitter\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" id=\"author-sign-off-social-blueskyUrl\" class=\"menu-item jsx-3565735818 jsx-3927327418\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/@mikecripe.bsky.social\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 menu-item-text\" data-text=\"Bluesky\">Bluesky<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon icon-bluesky jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-bluesky\" alt loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Bluesky.d8b4aa9b.svg?cors=0\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 sign-off-text\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He&#8217;s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"jsx-2511205168 preferred-source\"><strong class=\"jsx-2511205168\">Get IGN&#8217;s Biggest Stories FIRST. Set Us as Your Source.<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.ign.com\" class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--secondary jsx-3027214138 icon-button contained centered large\" title=\"Add Source\" aria-label=\"Add Source\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon icon-google jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-google\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Google.9e99a9d7.svg?cors=0\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 large\">Add Source<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-1475529924\"><\/span><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/gears-of-war-e-day\"><u>Gears of War: E-Day<\/u><\/a> developers at The Coalition say they are &#8220;proud to be one of Xbox&#8217;s main titles&#8221; as Microsoft refocuses on exclusivity.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Studio art director Aryan Hanbeck and creative director Matt Searcy opened up about The Coalition&#8217;s place in the Xbox portfolio during an interview with gaming news content creator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1SkElNQi-BM\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>Destin Lergarie<\/u><\/a> (via <a href=\"https:\/\/mp1st.com\/news\/gears-of-war-e-day-devs-proud-game-is-an-xbox-exclusive\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>MP1st<\/u><\/a>). Searcy said he and the rest of the team were &#8220;proud&#8221; when asked how they feel about Gears of War: E-Day&#8217;s status as an Xbox exclusive.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;Well, we feel great because Gears has such a long, storied\u2026 It&#8217;s part of Xbox&#8217;s DNA. It&#8217;s woven into it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;At The Coalition, we feel pretty honored to have Gears and be the ones bringing that legacy forward. We know how much it means to people. We know how much it means to us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2277167929 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Play.59e5540b.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Gears of War: E-Day is firmly a console exclusive, but there was a lot of confusion surrounding which platforms Gears of War: E-Day would be available on as recently as four months ago. The once-Xbox-exclusive franchise made its debut on PlayStation consoles when original remaster, Gears of War: Reloaded, released in August 2025. Many took its presence on PS5 as a sign not only that the series would continue to come to Sony&#8217;s console but also that the days of exclusive titles may nearly be behind us \u2013 and for a while, that seemed to be the case.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-placeholder-listing-appears-online-as-xbox-games-showcase-looms\"><u>Leaked listings<\/u><\/a> and rumors were officially shut down at the <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/xbox-games-showcase-2026-live-updates-every-game-announcement\"><u>Xbox Games Showcase 2026<\/u><\/a> when Xbox CEO Asha Sharma proudly declared that Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago&#8217;s Emergence Day prequel story would <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-is-an-xbox-console-exclusive-release-date-revealed\"><u>only be coming to Xbox Series X\/S and PC<\/u><\/a>. It was a shock decision that arrived as the Microsoft gaming entity kicked off a <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/xbox-says-more-exclusives-are-coming-but-tells-players-not-to-overly-fixate-on-single-player-games\"><u>broader push for more exclusive games<\/u><\/a>. Perhaps even more shocking at the time were the announcements that immediately followed, including the company&#8217;s promise to <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-and-clockwork-revolution-are-not-timed-exclusives-xbox-says-so-theyll-never-launch-on-playstation\"><u>never release Xbox exclusive titles on rival platforms<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">After leaked splash art fanned rumors that Xbox hastily decided to cancel a Gears of War: E-Day PS5 port, the company said it <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/xbox-says-gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-port-was-not-pulled-last-minute-after-art-with-ps5-logo-leaks\"><u>did not make any &#8220;last-minute&#8221; decisions<\/u><\/a> when it comes to its platform choice. While Searcy said it brought The Coalition joy to see their new game leading Microsoft&#8217;s renewed interest in exclusive titles, making sure they made a great game was what came first.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">Gears of War: E-Day Gameplay Demo Reveal Xbox Games Showcase 2026 &#8211; Screenshots<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-3524787213 jsx-4268464690 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 27 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;I think this is true of most game devs: You&#8217;re just passionate about your craft,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;re all gamers first and foremost. We love making games. We love making Gears. So, from our perspective, we just wanted to make the best goddamn Gears game we could. We wanted it to be a technical and art showpiece, and I think getting to see Asha on-stage say, &#8216;To return to Xbox, we&#8217;re returning to Gears,&#8217; yeah, that&#8217;s a really cool moment.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">He continued: &#8220;We know how much Xbox means to a lot of people. We&#8217;re proud to be one of Xbox&#8217;s main titles \u2013 I think it&#8217;s been that way for a long time \u2013 and it&#8217;s pretty cool to show up now and fill that role again.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"poll-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\">\n<div class=\"card jsx-2310533475 jsx-1355461925 box poll-content-block\" data-cy=\"poll-content-block\">\n<fieldset class=\"answers jsx-332304107\" role=\"radiogroup\" aria-labelledby=\"poll-question\">\n<legend class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4192417768\"><span class=\"stack jsx-3547261442\"><\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"poll-question\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-1377259516 headline\" id=\"poll-question\">Do You Want to See Xbox Exclusives Make a Return?<\/h2>\n<p><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-1730475047 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-1-1 jsx-3010959690 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/legend>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer highlight\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId66394\" id=\"answerId66394-label\"><span class=\"label\">Yes!<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1945348876\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId66395\" id=\"answerId66395-label\"><span class=\"label\">No!<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId66396\" id=\"answerId66396-label\"><span class=\"label\">It depends (tell us why in the comments)!<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/fieldset>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4255654680 poll-controls\"><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-2267841559 contained disabled full-width large\" type=\"submit\" disabled data-cy=\"poll-answer-btn\">Answer<\/button><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button jsx-3027214138 jsx-1624977611 nav next-button small\" title=\"See Results\" aria-label=\"See Results\" data-cy=\"see-results-btn\"><span style=\"white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-align:right\">See Results<\/span><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-4173866675\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" aria-label=\"See Results\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Gears of War: E-Day launched in early access for Premium Edition players on PC and Xbox Series X\/S October 1, 2026. Its full launch will follow this week, October 6. IGN&#8217;s early review, which covered only the campaign mode, returned a <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-review\"><u>9\/10<\/u><\/a>. The game&#8217;s <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/gears-of-war-e-day-story-director-laid-off-just-a-week-before-early-access-launch\"><u>story director was laid off<\/u><\/a> just one week before it made its way to players&#8217; hands a few days ago. Now, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/after-crunching-hard-through-their-final-months-gears-of-war-e-day-developers-are-reportedly-now-expecting-layoffs\"><u>more developers at The Coalition is bracing for additional layoffs<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"author-sign-off\" data-cy=\"author-sign-off\"><span class=\"stack jsx-59817748 jsx-1927875859\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-444076027 jsx-1730475047 profile-thumb jsx-2141281959 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-1-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michael Cripe Avatar\" class=\"progressive-image profile-thumb-img jsx-249361588 jsx-2338608387 expand\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/avatars\/5205bf6a08586a205a834928\/Michael_blue_red_2-1700460435246.png?crop=1%3A1&amp;width=56&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=80\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-3630940851\"><span class=\"stack jsx-2959124702 jsx-702910195 author-sign-off-header\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/person\/MikeCripe\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 jsx-2809511915 bold underlined\">Michael Cripe<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 muted\">Freelance Writer<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2509706801 jsx-1220387432\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"author-sign-off-socials\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 author-sign-off-socials\"><button type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"listbox\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-label=\"View social links\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 socials-trigger\"><span title=\"X\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 social-icon-avatar\"><span class=\"ign-icon jsx-2877214176 jsx-2750866048 jsx-2788214270\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"jsx-2877214176\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><span title=\"Bluesky\" class=\"jsx-2877214176 social-icon-avatar\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon jsx-2877214176 jsx-2750866048 jsx-2788214270\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"jsx-2877214176\" alt loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Bluesky.d8b4aa9b.svg?cors=0\"><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div role=\"listbox\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2758920045 jsx-4268464690 jsx-3705869475 dropdown-menu jsx-3625955085\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/MikeCripe\" id=\"author-sign-off-social-twitterHandle\" class=\"menu-item jsx-3565735818 jsx-3927327418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 menu-item-text\" data-text=\"X\">X<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ign-icon icon-twitter jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-twitter\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Twitter.d0b97af5.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" id=\"author-sign-off-social-blueskyUrl\" class=\"menu-item jsx-3565735818 jsx-3927327418\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/@mikecripe.bsky.social\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490 menu-item-text\" data-text=\"Bluesky\">Bluesky<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon icon-bluesky jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-bluesky\" alt loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Bluesky.d8b4aa9b.svg?cors=0\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 sign-off-text\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He&#8217;s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/section>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Gears of War: E-Day developers at The Coalition say they are &#8220;proud to be one of Xbox&#8217;s main titles&#8221; as Microsoft refocuses on exclusivity. Studio art director Aryan Hanbeck and creative director Matt Searcy opened up about The Coalition&#8217;s place in the Xbox portfolio during an interview with gaming news content creator Destin Lergarie [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,243],"class_list":["post-2177935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-ign-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2177935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2177935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2177935\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2177935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2177935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2177935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}