- Gears of War: E-Day has sold 120K units on Steam so far and may not reach 1 million sales in 2026.
- An analyst says the game is also likely to struggle on Xbox due to Game Pass cannibalization.
- He argues that the cancelled PlayStation port could have helped the game make some extra revenue.
Xbox’s next big first-party release is now right around the corner, and the gaming giant also returns to exclusivity with this title. Needless to say, expectations are very high for Gears of War: E-Day.
Although it remains to be seen how well the game will actually perform, initial signs aren’t the most encouraging. In fact, an analyst suggests that the title won’t even sell 1 million Steam copies in 2026.
Why it matters: Gears of War is one of Xbox’s oldest first-party IPs and remains closely associated with the brand itself.
As reported by Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliott, Gears of War: E-Day has managed to sell 120K units on Steam leading up to its release. The game has likely sold a few thousand more units on the Xbox store on PC, but total PC sales probably aren’t much higher than the 120K figure.
Rhys Elliott says that 1 million sales on Steam might not be possible for Gears of War: E-Day this year due to its current pace. He also notes that most of the Xbox revenue will likely be cannibalized by Xbox Game Pass.
This may ultimately harm the game, which would be disastrous considering how Gears of War: E-Day is positioned as the game that brings Xbox back to first-party exclusive releases.
The analyst argues that Xbox would have been better off not cancelling the Gears of War: E-Day PlayStation port.
Realistically, 1M on Steam this year for E-Day is a stretch. They shouldn’t have cancelled that PlayStation port.
Of course, the game could see an uptick in pre-launch sales if the reviews are extremely positive. Critic reviews go live tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see if those reactions help increase the buzz surrounding the third-person shooter.
If the game does end up underperforming, The Coalition could be hit by major layoffs, especially since some of the team’s staff has already been let go.
What do you think about Gears of War: E-Day possibly underperforming? Share in the comments below and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
Join Our Community
