Microsoft plans to rekindle interest Gears of War with Gears of War: E-Daya prequel co-developed by series managers The Coalition and People Can Fly. Both of these studios participated in this Gears of War saga as supporting studios with People Can Fly porting the first entry to Windows in 2007 and remastering The Coalition Gears of War in 2015 to name two examples. Gears of War: E-Day could be a meaningful culmination of the years of experience of these studies.
During the early years Gears of WarBoth The Coalition and People Can Fly took a backseat to Epic Games, which led the development of the original trilogy, as well as Gears of War: Judgment. Starting with Gears 4The Coalition became the de facto “leader” of the IP, working with other supporting studios such as Sumo Digital and Splash Damage for Gears of War Reloaded and Gears tacticsbut People Can Fly is probably the more impressive developer overall. People Can Fly has indeed shown a penchant for creating cult classics, including 2004's Painkiller and massively underrated Bulletstorm in 2011 (another Epic Games collaboration). The most notable is the heist shooter People Can Fly from 2021 Outriderswhich is arguably the company's best release to date. Unfortunately, it is also the most tragic.
That's how much Gears of War: E-Day cost to make
A new report claims to reveal how much money was allocated to Gears of War: E-Day developer The Coalition to create the latest game in the franchise.
Outriders 2 was supposed to happen but never did
The First Outriders is an amazing game that never got the attention it deserved
When it first launched in 2021, Outriders was watched by looter shooter fans as a game with great promise. Its unique sci-fi premise, satisfying shooter and gameplay, and truly rewarding loot system made it instantly appealing. Looking purely at his instant game, Outriders is stronger than anything People Can Fly have ever released, even surpassing more established heist shooters of the era like Division 2.
One of the most attractive elements of the game is that, despite the conventions of the looter aa shooter genre Fate-inventory and UI inspired, never featured any battle passes or microtransactions. People Can Fly specifically stated this Outriders is not a “live service” title in the traditional sense, which made it a much-needed breath of fresh air. I personally like the combat mechanics of the games Fate 2but it really can't stand the labyrinth of DLC and weaponized FOMO that the live service formula thrives on; to have such gameplay advantages without the less palatable aspects of the looter shooter genre Outriders a massive hit, but that didn't actually happen. In fact, the game's consumer-friendly approach may have actually contributed to its sequel's cancellation.
Why Outriders 2 never came out
Square Enix, Publisher Outridersimmediately praised the game for its successful launch. Here's an excerpt from the publisher's 2021 press release, specifically celebrating Outriders:
With over 3.5 million unique players, an average play time of over 30 hours, and extremely high engagement in co-op play, we and the amazing team at People Can Fly are so excited about this initial success.
3.5 million dedicated players is nothing to scoff at, but that momentum seems to have waned quickly. for one thing Outriders had a number of serious technical issues at launch, and while some players could overlook them, many others showed a lower tolerance and renounced the game before People Can Fly fixed its most glaring issues.
Outriders also failed to turn a profit. This has been attributed to several factors such as the aforementioned technical shortcomings and Outriders” release on Game Pass, but also due to the lack of microtransactions. A successful live-streaming title like Fortnite or Fate 2 they can be incredibly profitable with premium cosmetics and battle passes, despite how many players are staunchly and vocally against such practices. For better or worse, live service shenanigans can result in theoretically endless money-making, which AAA publishers and developers often value above all else.
When it first launched in 2021, Outriders was watched by looter shooter fans as a game with great promise.
Regardless of the reasons behind it OutridersDue to the lack of profit, Square Enix decided not to move forward with a sequel. That's sad in itself, but it's downright tragic when you consider that People Can Fly was supposedly almost done Outriders 2chipped away at it until its sudden cancellation in June 2025. This cancellation also coincided with mass layoffs at People Can Fly, which is a universal shame.
Forget the past—Outriders 2 could soar when given a second chance
I can't say what it would do Outriders 2 a bigger financial success than its predecessor, but it's clear that the looter shooter landscape has changed significantly since 2021. Outriders came out, it went up against a number of better established titles in its genre space, viz Fate 2. Now that Fate 2 ending support without a comparable new game on the way to pick up the thrown gauntlet, there may be room for Outriders re-emerge phoenix-style.
No one should be surprised if the next few years are filled with self-proclaimed “Fate 2 compensation' but Outriders 2 it has a clear advantage here. Provided that the news about Outriders 2The development progress is accurate, it's almost done Outriders 2 just waiting to be used. With years of work Outriders 2 already logged in, People Can Fly could realistically get the game out in less time. At least the studio wouldn't be starting from scratch.
I wish it was that simple. The latest reports suggest that Square Enix still owns the rights to Outriders IP, and therefore has control over its destiny, so to speak. Give another way Outriders 2The fate of society rests on the decisions of its corporate rulers, not its creative masterminds. But there may still be hope. After all, it doesn't look like Square Enix is planning a release Outriders 2and the publisher has sold a number of intellectual property rights in recent years (e.g Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Legacy of Cain), so maybe it would let go Outriders at the right price. If it goes well Gears of War: E-Daythen maybe Microsoft could cough up the necessary cash and we'll see Outriders 2 to the destination.
- Released
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October 6, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Intense violence, blood and gore, strong language, in-game purchases, user interaction
- Publishers
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Xbox Game Studios
