Microsoft Layoffs Also Affecting The Coalition With Two Internal Projects Scrapped For The Next Gears Title

Determining what The Coalition has planned next is a shot in the dark currently. It is presumed that the team is working on the next Gears title, but announcements are far from happening, the team stated. With its transition to Unreal Engine 5 over a year ago, the developer pressed project announcements will be shelved until properly addressed. In one job posting, it was revealed a new IP was being conceived internally at the team.

Additionally, we are familiar with the Unreal Engine 5 tech demo – The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience. The Gears of War developer was responsible for the demonstration. More recently, rumors surfaced on a nearby announcement for a Gears of War Collection & Gears 6 reveal which was soon debunked by Microsoft directly.

But amid this wait, a new report has released this week revealing plans from The Coalition are being dismantled internally. Thanks to the recent Microsoft layoffs affecting 343 Industries primarily, it is also revealed the same impact is hitting The Coalition. The Canadian is said to shutter two projects in turn to proceed with the next Gears title, insider Jeff Grubb explains.

“They have cancelled that smaller project, as well as another project, so there have been two games cancelled there,” Grubb says, Video Game Chronicles transcribes. “This was all reflected in the layoffs that happened at Microsoft, which did hit The Coalition a little bit. The studio is now going to move on fully to Gears 6. I say now, it has likely moved on to Gears 6 in full over the course of the last year, but definitely, that will be their next game.”

While a game was not in the playbook for the Gears franchise this year, Microsoft did have other plans for Gears of War. In that, a tabletop experience is said to be in the works for a release later on in 2023. Steamforged Games, most notable for making board games for Resident Evil & Dark Souls, is to be responsible for this new release.

Furthermore, Gears of War is still underway for a film release. Originally announced in a partnership with Universal Studios, the production was recently handled to Netflix as the project is still in development. You can read the full report by heading here.

What do you believe is the right decision for these continued decisions from Microsoft?