Developers at The Coalition, the studio behind Gears of War: E-Day, are facing fears of job losses as the game nears its release, despite having worked long hours for months. According to reports from Eurogamer, the studio has experienced a "violent crunch," a term used to describe extreme overtime periods that often lead to burnout. Employees now expect more layoffs, and the mood at the studio is described as somber, with workers advised to wait three months after the game's launch before considering any success-related bonuses. The Coalition has spent five years developing Gears of War: E-Day, and its importance to the franchise had previously offered some protection from layoffs. However, with Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, announcing plans to cut 3,200 jobs by July 2027, concerns have grown. Recently, a second wave of layoffs was confirmed, along with major changes to the company structure. These changes included reducing staff at Halo Studios and moving the Halo franchise to Activision, which will also oversee the British studio Rare. The recent firing of Juan Vaca, the narrative director of Gears of War: E-Day, has been described as "very demoralizing." Vaca was let go just two weeks before the game's release. Despite his dismissal, he is still expected to receive a success bonus linked to the game's Metacritic score, which will be distributed by the end of October. Employees have expressed doubt about Microsoft's promises, pointing to the way layoffs have been handled as a reason to be skeptical. Some staff members have said they are "on edge," worried they might be next. The uncertainty has led to dark humor among employees, with some joking about being fired before October to still qualify for the bonus. Microsoft has acknowledged the hard work of its employees and mentioned that overtime hours will be compensated with extra days of leave. However, the company has not yet specified when its final wave of layoffs for the year will occur. Xbox did not respond to Eurogamer's request for comment. Meanwhile, Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, referred to the layoffs at Xbox as part of a company-wide "rationalization," calling the changes "great to see."