Microsoft announced that Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox console exclusive, not coming to PS5, launching on October 6th, signaling a return to exclusivity after a brief multiplatform period.
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<img alt="A screenshot from the video game Gears of War: E-Day." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Xbox Game Studios" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/ss_e09b00d0c3acafe3bf3beb7d5d2e9fb50e43893a.1920x1080.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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<p class="has-text-align-none">Apparently, the "<a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/917689/microsoft-xbox-gaming-future-memo-asha-sharma-matt-booty" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.theverge.com/news/917689/microsoft-xbox-gaming-future-memo-asha-sharma-matt-booty">return of Xbox</a>" means a retreat from other platforms. At its Xbox Games Showcase today, Microsoft revealed that <em>Gears of War: E-Day</em> - which was previously <a href="https://www.eurogamer.net/xboxs-state-of-decay-3-and-gears-of-war-e-day-heading-to-ps5-report-claims" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.eurogamer.net/xboxs-state-of-decay-3-and-gears-of-war-e-day-heading-to-ps5-report-claims">rumored for a PS5 launch in addition to Xbox and PC</a> - will not be coming to PlayStation. It'll be an Xbox console exclusive and is launching on October 6th.</p>
<p class="has-text-align-none">The announcement was preceded by a trailer, which opened with a street-level view of an alien attack, with the extraterrestrial invaders being fought off in an urban landscape, including an electronics store and grocery shop. It looked like familiar <em>Gears</em> gameplay: lots of blood and lots of cover. It also may have bee …</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/945269/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-launch">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
# Gears of War: E-Day isn’t coming to the PS5
Source: [https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/945269/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-launch](https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/945269/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-launch)
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The Xbox console exclusive is launching in October\.
The Xbox console exclusive is launching in October\.
by
Jun 7, 2026, 5:08 PM UTC
[](https://www.theverge.com/authors/andrew-webster)
Andrew Webster
is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game\. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories\.
Apparently, the “[return of Xbox](https://www.theverge.com/news/917689/microsoft-xbox-gaming-future-memo-asha-sharma-matt-booty)” means a retreat from other platforms\. At its Xbox Games Showcase today, Microsoft revealed that*Gears of War: E\-Day*— which was previously[rumored for a PS5 launch in addition to Xbox and PC](https://www.eurogamer.net/xboxs-state-of-decay-3-and-gears-of-war-e-day-heading-to-ps5-report-claims)— will not be coming to PlayStation\. It’ll be an Xbox console exclusive and is launching on October 6th\.
The announcement was preceded by a trailer, which opened with a street\-level view of an alien attack, with the extraterrestrial invaders being fought off in an urban landscape, including an electronics store and grocery shop\. It looked like familiar*Gears*gameplay: lots of blood and lots of cover\. It also may have been our first look at a*Gears*soldier wearing tight blue jeans, which was a nice, casual touch\.
The*Gears*franchise made its PlayStation debut last year with[the*Gears of War: Reloaded*remake](https://www.theverge.com/news/661169/gears-of-war-reloaded-remaster-release-date), which was a continuation of[Microsoft’s multiplatform strategy](https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/15/24074166/microsoft-xbox-strategy-multiplatform)\. However, ever since[a major executive shake\-up that saw Asha Sharma take over as the division’s new CEO](https://www.theverge.com/games/882363/xbox-microsoft-phil-spencer-out), signs have been pointing toward[a return to Xbox exclusives](https://www.theverge.com/tech/917657/microsoft-xbox-exclusive-games-windowing-comments-asha-sharma)— which is something[fans have been asking for](https://www.theverge.com/games/933328/xbox-fan-feedback-exclusives-backward-compatibility-online-multiplayer)\. And today’s*E\-Day*news is the clearest sign yet that Xbox is moving in that direction\.
***Correction**: A previous version of this story said that E\-Day was originally announced for the PS5, but it was actually a long\-running rumor\.*
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- Andrew Webster
## The Verge Daily
A free daily digest of the news that matters most\.
Microsoft has declared that upcoming titles Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will be Xbox console exclusives, reversing its earlier move toward multiplatform releases, while other games like Fable and Senua remain multiplatform, adding to the confusion over its strategy.
The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 highlighted upcoming titles like Gears of War: E-Day, Fable, and Halo: Combat Evolved, while also revealing confusion over Microsoft's exclusivity strategy with some games coming to PS5 and others not. New Xbox leadership hints at a 'return of Xbox' amid broader changes.
Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved built in Unreal Engine 5, launches on July 28th for Xbox Series S/X, PC, and PS5, featuring new prequel missions, 4K visuals, and co-op modes.
Summer Game Fest 2026 featured major game announcements including Sony's renewed focus on single-player epics like God of War Laufey, Microsoft's Gears of War: E-Day exclusivity shift, and confirmation of Persona 6 and FFVII Revelation, with many publishers avoiding a launch window near GTA VI.
Sony reverses its strategy of releasing major single-player PlayStation games on PC, returning to console exclusivity. Online multiplayer games will still be released on multiple platforms.