Juan Vaca, the Gears of War E-Day story director, has confirmed that he was laid off in Xbox’s latest round of cuts, four days after celebrating the game going gold. Xbox announced 268 role eliminations and wider studio changes on 22 September, while Vaca posted about the milestone on 17 September.
The Gears of War E-Day story director said on LinkedIn and Bluesky that he was “part of this round of Microsoft Layoffs” and was open to opportunities in games, film and television. He joined The Coalition in 2022 and described his work as guiding narrative teams and cross-discipline groups from story concept to execution, according to his LinkedIn profile. Kotaku reported the layoff and said it had contacted Xbox for more information.
Gears of War E-Day story director was laid off after the gold milestone
Vaca posted on 17 September that Gears of War: E-Day had gone gold, writing: “Excited for the world to see what the whole team’s been cooking.” The Coalition’s official Xbox Wire announcement said the milestone marked the game entering its final stretch before launch.
Going gold generally means the launch build has been prepared for manufacturing and distribution. It does not mean post-launch updates stop, and Xbox’s announcement still listed possible future updates and ongoing PC requirements. The game’s release plan remains 6 October, with Premium Edition early access from 1 October and pre-installation from 29 September.
What happens to E-Day after the Xbox cuts?
There is no indication in the cited reports that Gears of War: E-Day has been delayed or cancelled. Xbox’s announcement places the game on its existing schedule for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Steam, with day-one access through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
The number of other Coalition employees affected is not known. Vaca’s layoff is confirmed by his own post, but it should not be expanded into a wider claim about the studio without a headcount or comment from Microsoft. The cuts follow the broader Xbox restructuring covered in Xbox confirms 268 more job cuts and studio changes, while the game’s limited-edition hardware has also been covered in our Gears of War E-Day controller report.
Does Gears of War: E-Day still have a release date?
Yes. Xbox still lists 6 October 2026 for the full release, with Premium Edition early access from 1 October.
Does going gold mean Gears of War: E-Day will receive no more updates?
No. It means the launch build is ready for manufacturing and distribution; Xbox still notes that future updates may be required.
How many other Coalition staff were laid off?
That has not been confirmed. Juan Vaca confirmed his own layoff, but the available reporting does not provide a Coalition-wide breakdown.
