Microsoft Skips Gears of War: E-Day at 2025 Showcase, Confirms Release Next Year

If you tuned into the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 expecting a major update on Gears of War: E-Day, you may have left feeling a bit let down. The event was notably light on reveals for Microsoft’s biggest franchises, with no sign of Halo, Forza, or the newly announced Fable reboot.

However, Xbox head Phil Spencer reassured fans that 2026 will be a big year for the brand as it marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox. That year will finally bring Gears of War: E-Day, along with the next entry in the Forza series.

E-Day was first revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase 2024 and is set to serve as a prequel to the original trilogy. Taking place 14 years before the events of the first game, it will explore the origins of fan-favorite characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago—once again voiced by John DiMiaggio and Carlos Ferro, respectively.

In early 2025, it was also revealed that Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment developer People Can Fly would be co-developing E-Day alongside The Coalition.

The Xbox Games Showcase 2025 also included a tease from Phil Spencer hinting at a long-awaited return for the Halo franchise, potentially including a remaster of the original title. For more details, check out the full recap of the Xbox Games Showcase June 2025.