Business · Companies · 7 hrs ago
The Coalition’s $500 Million Cost Covered More Than Gears of War: E-Day
The Coalition’s $500 million cost was not just for E-Day; it covered spending attributed to the studio over roughly six to seven years.
The Microsoft studio developed Gears of War: E-Day while also supporting other Xbox games, including Avowed, Hellblade 2 and State of Decay 3.
It also worked with Epic Games on Unreal Engine demonstrations and helped develop tools and technology used by other teams.
During the pandemic and a leadership transition, the studio spent more than 18 months on a prototype that was later canceled.
E-Day has reportedly sold poorly, with its release on PC and Xbox and availability through Game Pass among the factors, alongside competition from other major games.
There is speculation that the cost figure could be used to justify cuts, but one account says it has not heard that Xbox plans to close the studio.
Microsoft auditors attributed more than $500 million in costs to The Coalition between Gears of War 5 and Gears of War: E-Day, according to Windows Central.
The figure covers more than E-Day, including the studio’s work on other Xbox games and Unreal Engine tools and demonstrations.
The Coalition also spent over a year and a half on an Xbox prototype that was later canceled.
The studio contributed to titles including Avowed, Hellblade 2, State of Decay 3, Grounded and Grounded 2.
The reports say E-Day development began in earnest after Mike Crump became studio head.
- Who
- The Coalition, the Xbox game studio responsible for Gears of War: E-Day.
- What
- More than $500 million was attributed to the studio over work spanning Gears of War 5 and E-Day, as well as other projects and technology.
- When
- The spending covered the past 6-7 years, according to Windows Central.
- Where
- The Coalition is part of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios portfolio. The sources do not state the studio’s location.
- Why
- The costs included work on other Xbox games, Unreal Engine tools and demonstrations, and a canceled prototype, not only E-Day.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Rod Fergusson formally left The Coalition, and the studio entered a period of transition.
The Coalition worked with Epic Games on the Matrix Awakens and Alpha Point Unreal Engine demonstrations.
The studio spent over a year and a half on an Xbox prototype that was ultimately canceled.
Development on Gears of War: E-Day began in earnest.
Rumors began circulating that E-Day had cost more than half a billion dollars.
- Attributed cost
- More than $500 million
- Period covered
- The past 6-7 years
- Canceled prototype
- More than a year and a half of work
- Unreal Engine demonstrations
- Matrix Awakens and Alpha Point
- Other games supported
- Avowed, Hellblade 2, Clockwork Revolution, State of Decay 3, Grounded and Grounded 2
2 sources
What people are saying
I can’t help but feel like the ‘$500 million’ figure being shared around internally is being used to justify potential cuts, layoffs, or worse, a studio closure targeting The Coalition.
So much of that cost is The Coalition being on the hook for the Microsoft branch of Unreal and one of the flagship titles.