Analyst Argues Gears of War: E-Day Shouldn’t Have Been Cancelled on PS5 After ‘Soft’ Steam Pre-Orders
An analyst has argued that Microsoft should not have cancelled Gears of War: E-Day’s PlayStation 5 release, citing soft pre-order performance on Steam as evidence that exclusivity may not have been a wise strategic decision. The game is currently launching into advanced access across Xbox and PC platforms, with the PS5 version having been cancelled earlier in 2026—a decision that emerged following an accidental leak when Xbox uploaded promotional materials for the PlayStation version.
The analyst’s critique reflects a broader reassessment of the franchise’s market positioning. According to the commentary, “Gears isn’t necessarily a console-seller anymore,” suggesting that the series may have diminished in its ability to drive platform adoption compared to its historical significance. This observation challenges the traditional approach of using major franchise entries as exclusive draws for hardware purchases.
With Steam pre-orders described as underwhelming, the decision to remove the game from PlayStation’s install base appears strategically questionable. The cancellation effectively narrowed the game’s addressable market, potentially impacting both sales and the franchise’s overall relevance as a system-defining title in an increasingly competitive gaming landscape.