The Coalition studio has been considered one of Xbox’s most reliable and protected assets for years, but it has been hit by a wave of massive layoffs within the company. Story director Juan Vaca was fired two weeks before the release of Gears of War: E-Day, completely destroying the staff’s sense of security.
Now, developers have been worried about losing their jobs immediately after the game’s release, fearing that management might try to strip them of the big cash bonuses they received for their Metacritic ratings. Against the backdrop of permanent Xbox reorganization, other studio closures, and the team’s move to Activision, the mood within the team went from optimism to deep shock.
