Gears of War: E-Day Story Director Cut by Xbox Just Days Before Launch
Juan Vaca, the story director for Gears of War: E-Day, was laid off by Microsoft on September 22, 2026, just four days after the game went gold and two weeks before its October 6 release. Vaca, who joined The Coalition in 2022, announced his termination on LinkedIn, stating he is open to new opportunities in games, film, and TV. This layoff is part of a broader Xbox restructuring that saw 268 employees cut, including significant changes to studios like Rare, World's Edge, and Obsidian. The timing of Vaca's dismissal, so close to the game's completion and launch, has drawn attention to the impact of corporate restructuring on individual developers.