Microsoft's ongoing overhaul of its Xbox studios has resulted in the dismissal of Juan Vaca, the story director for the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day. This layoff occurred just one week prior to the game's early access debut.
Vaca confirmed his departure from The Coalition, the developer of the Gears of War series, after four years with the company. His dismissal is part of a larger wave of job cuts that affected 268 employees across various Microsoft studios. The timing is particularly notable, as Vaca had recently announced that Gears of War: E-Day had gone gold, signifying its completion ahead of its planned release.
This incident follows another high-profile layoff within Xbox studios, where Josh Daniels, the cinematic director for Halo Studios, was dismissed just a day after receiving a promotion. The future of the Halo franchise is shifting significantly, with Activision now taking the reins for its development, while Halo Studios itself is being substantially scaled down. A small contingent will remain to support existing Halo titles, but a new team under Activision will be established to work on the next main installment.
The strategic direction for the Gears of War franchise beyond E-Day remains unclear. While it was previously indicated that The Coalition would eventually return to the narrative threads left unresolved at the conclusion of Gears 5, the recent changes within Xbox's studio structure cast doubt on these future plans.