# Gears of War E-Day story director laid off before launch

> Microsoft cuts 268 Xbox staff including key talent just days before the game's early access debut.
- Title: Gears of War E-Day story director laid off before launch · IGN
- Summary: Microsoft cuts 268 Xbox staff including key talent just days before the game's early access debut. Major layoffs at Xbox are happening at the worst possible…
- Keywords: gears of war, e-day, the coalition, microsoft, xbox, juan vaca, layoffs, video game industry, game development, early access launch, technology, news
- Source: IGN — https://ign.com/articles/gears-of-war-e-day-story-director-laid-off-just-a-week-before-early-access-launch
- Author: Cade Onder
- Published: 2026-09-23T00:22:16.26+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gears of war, e-day, the coalition, microsoft, xbox, juan vaca, layoffs, video game industry, game development, early access launch, technology, news
## Story director laid off one week before launch
Juan Vaca, story director at The Coalition, was let go as part of Microsoft's 268-person Xbox layoff. He had celebrated the game going gold just days earlier.

> Vaca confirmed he was part of the latest round of Xbox layoffs after being with the company for four years.
## Microsoft's Xbox reset continues
The layoffs targeted 268 staff across multiple studios, with many being veteran or senior-level employees. The cuts are part of a broader Xbox brand reset.
## Halo Studios director also cut after promotion
Josh Daniels, Halo Studios' cinematic director, was laid off just one day after receiving a promotion. Activision is now taking over Halo's future development.
## Activision takes Halo development control
Activision will build a new team to develop the next mainline Halo game. The Coalition's Halo Studios will be gutted, with only a small team remaining to support existing games.
## Gears of War's future remains unclear
Microsoft hasn't outlined plans for The Coalition after E-Day launches. The team was previously expected to return to Gears 5's unfinished storyline, but that's now uncertain.
## Key takeaway

Major layoffs at Xbox are happening at the worst possible times for affected games, raising questions about Microsoft's plans for its franchises.