# Xbox's $500m Gears of War E-Day Cost

> Xbox's $500m Gears of War E-Day game may not recoup costs but could boost platform loyalty.
- Title: Xbox's $500m Gears of War E-Day Cost · Kotaku | Shortify
- Summary: Xbox's $500m Gears of War E-Day game may not recoup costs but could boost platform loyalty. Xbox's Gears of War: E-Day cost over $500 million to make and is…
- Keywords: gears of war, xbox, e-day, microsoft, console exclusivity, game development, metacritic, game pass, xbox game studios, ps5, technology, news
- Source: Kotaku — https://kotaku.com/the-case-for-exclusivity-when-gears-of-war-e-day-cost-over-500-million-to-make-2000747986
- Author: Ethan Gach
- Published: 2026-10-22T13:06:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: gears of war, xbox, e-day, microsoft, console exclusivity, game development, metacritic, game pass, xbox game studios, ps5, technology, news
## Gears of War: E-Day Cost
Gears of War: E-Day cost over $500 million to make before marketing, making it one of the most expensive console exclusives ever.

> insane and over $400 million
## Early Sales Numbers
E-Day sold 230,000 copies in its first week and generated $37 million in revenue, mostly from Game Pass Premium Edition upgrades.

> 230,000 copies
## Multiplatform Impact
E-Day sold fewer than 100,000 copies on Steam and would need millions of sales across all platforms to recoup its $500 million cost.

> fewer than 100,000 copies
## Xbox Exclusivity Debate
Xbox could turn E-Day into a console exclusive to rebuild user activity on Xbox Series X/S without adding significant revenue.

> console exclusive
## Forza Horizon 6 Delay
Forza Horizon 6 was delayed from PS5 release to January 2027 to avoid competition with major holiday game releases.

> January 2027
## Xbox Insider Survey
An Xbox Insider survey suggests users would turn on their Xbox console if E-Day became a console exclusive.

> turn on the Xbox console they already own
## Dreamcast Moment
Ex-PlayStation executive Shawn Layden called Xbox's potential shift to exclusivity its 'Dreamcast moment' to regain platform competitiveness.

> Dreamcast moment
## E-Day's Financial Risk
E-Day's $500 million cost is unlikely to be recouped even as a console exclusive, risking Xbox's financial strategy for the next console generation.

> unlikely to be recouped
## Xbox's Strategy Shift
Xbox is considering making future titles console-exclusive to rebuild user activity and platform loyalty without relying on multiplatform sales.

> console-exclusive to Xbox
## Long-Term Benefits
E-Day could help Xbox build buzz and encourage players to return to the platform during holiday shopping periods.

> holiday period
## Xbox's Future
Xbox must choose between competing with PlayStation or becoming the biggest game publisher in the world.

> biggest game publisher
## Key takeaway

Xbox's Gears of War: E-Day cost over $500 million to make and is unlikely to recoup costs but could help rebuild Xbox user activity as a console exclusive.