Gears Of War Studio Head Defends Xbox Exclusivity, Dodges Layoff Questions
The boss behind Gears of War: E-Day says keeping the game off PlayStation was a deliberate choice. In a BBC interview, The Coalition studio head Mike Crump said the series is a natural fit as an Xbox exclusive, per IGN. He argued the franchise is deeply linked to the brand's identity after two decades.
Crump told the BBC the game's role is to highlight the Xbox platform itself. He said the studio's goal is to create a visual showcase that demonstrates what the hardware can do, even if that means missing out on potential PlayStation sales.
However, the developer's future is uncertain amid ongoing cuts at Microsoft. Kotaku and IGN report that staff at The Coalition are reportedly nervous about post-launch layoffs, with Eurogamer citing sources who said they were waiting to celebrate until three months after release.
When asked by the BBC about these concerns, Crump avoided giving any guarantees. He said the team's focus is on shipping a great game, which he believes they've done. He did promise that any future Gears title would take much less than the seven years E-Day required to develop.
Crump also pointed to the team's long history together as a valuable asset, a comment Kotaku interpreted as an appeal to Xbox leadership to avoid cuts. The studio's story director was laid off just before the game's early access launch, according to reports.
