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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteSome developers at The Coalition fear another round of layoffs after Gears of War: E-Day launches, according to a report by Eurogamer. The concern is not a confirmed Microsoft plan: Xbox declined to comment to the outlet, and no further cuts at the studio had been publicly confirmed in the reporting.
What the report says—and what it does not
Eurogamer reported on Oct. 1, 2026, that multiple anonymous employees at The Coalition feared further layoffs after Gears of War: E-Day’s scheduled Oct. 6 launch. The employees’ fears are the story; the report does not establish that Microsoft had scheduled post-launch cuts. Eurogamer also said employees had become more worried after recent departures, following a period when some had been cautiously optimistic that the studio had escaped earlier cuts. Eurogamer’s report also described employee concerns about a possible reorganisation under Activision, but that was presented as a fear, not a confirmed development.
One anonymous employee told Eurogamer: “The mood is certainly ‘let’s not celebrate the game until we’re three months post launch, just in case’, which is very unusual.” That describes the uncertainty staff reportedly felt; it is not evidence that another round was imminent.
Layoffs had already affected the studio before launch
Story director Juan Vaca publicly said he was among those affected by a round of Microsoft layoffs before the game’s planned release. PC Gamer reported that Vaca posted on LinkedIn: “I am part of this round of Microsoft layoffs and am open to new opportunities in games/film/tv,” PC Gamer reported. Eurogamer also said staff had been quietly let go in the weeks before its story.
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Eurogamer placed the studio story within wider Xbox job cuts, reporting that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced 3,200 cuts across Microsoft’s gaming arm in July, with roughly half made alongside that announcement. It characterized 1,600 as the first stage and reported at least 268 more roles eliminated in a later round, while noting uncertainty over whether that later count included staff at studios in consultation or transition. Those figures concern the broader gaming business; they do not quantify layoffs at The Coalition.
Why the timing of the reported bonus matters
Eurogamer said it verified an internal email describing a performance bonus tied to E-Day’s Metacritic score. The reported payment was expected “near the end of October,” after the game’s scheduled Oct. 6 launch. The email’s reported eligibility rule required employees to be working full time at the time of payout. Eurogamer did not establish whether the game would reach the score target or whether the bonus would ultimately be paid.
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The report distinguishes between two groups:
- Employees already affected by layoffs: Eurogamer understood that recently affected staff, including Vaca, would still receive the bonus if the score targets were met.
- Current employees potentially laid off before payout: Eurogamer said it was unclear whether they would remain eligible under the reported full-time-at-payout rule.
That uncertainty is why the feared sequence—launch first, possible cuts before a later payout—matters to employees. It does not establish that any current employee will be laid off or that anyone will miss a bonus.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Xbox has not confirmed a post-launch round
Eurogamer said Xbox declined to comment when asked about the claims. VGC and Insider Gaming later recapped Eurogamer’s report, but their coverage did not add a separate named employee account or company confirmation of another planned round. VGC’s recap and Insider Gaming’s recap should therefore not be read as independent confirmation of the feared cuts.
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Gears of War: E-Day was scheduled for Oct. 6, 2026, for Xbox Series X and PC, with The Coalition and People Can Fly listed as developers and Xbox Game Studios as publisher by GamesRadar. GamesRadar’s listing identifies those platforms and credits; it does not resolve the employment or bonus questions.
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