Gears of War: E-Day Receives Positive Reviews but Struggles with Sales, Analyst Reports

Gears of War: E-Day has kicked off with a solid critical reception, but early sales figures indicate that Microsoft’s latest Xbox hit might be having trouble converting that praise into actual purchases.

Launched on October 6 for Xbox Series X and PC, this latest installment from The Coalition takes players back to the onset of the Locust invasion. However, estimates from Alinea Analytics reveal that the game sold only 230,000 copies during its early-access phase, with a significant number of players opting to access it via Xbox Game Pass.

Analyst Rhys Elliott shared these insights, estimating that E-Day sold around 168,000 copies on Steam and an additional 62,000 across Xbox consoles and PC. The game reportedly attracted 1.7 million players through Game Pass, including approximately 722,000 who paid $30 for the Premium Edition to gain five days of early access.

While these numbers haven’t been confirmed by Microsoft, they paint a partial picture. Elliott pointed out that Xbox accounted for nearly three-quarters of the game’s estimated revenue, even though Steam had the majority of sales.

This situation raises concerns about whether Game Pass is affecting Microsoft’s ability to sell its major titles at full price. Elliott noted, “In a world without day-one Game Pass, many of these folks would have bought E-Day at $70. They paid $30 for five days early access to something they don’t own.”

These early sales estimates come despite a generally favorable critical response. E-Day is currently tracking well, boasting an 88 on Metacritic and an 87 on OpenCritic, making it one of the best-reviewed entries in the series in over a decade.

Reviews have highlighted the prequel’s combat, visuals, and emotional narrative centered around Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during Emergence Day, with one review calling it Gears at its finest, despite some notable flaws. Critics praised the game’s cinematic moments and intricate environments, although they noted that the lengthy campaign and expansive open sections can feel drawn out.

IGN gave the campaign a preliminary score of 9/10, commending its emotional depth, while another outlet also rated it 9/10. However, PC Gamer criticized the repetitive encounters and the exhausting 20-plus-hour campaign, and another review raised concerns about the game’s reluctance to break away from established series conventions.

These scores could still change, as critics initially reviewed the single-player campaign without access to the game’s Horde Siege and multiplayer modes, leaving the overall reception somewhat uncertain.

For Microsoft, the pressing question is whether strong reviews and millions of players will lead to a sustainable business model. E-Day seems to have found a solid audience on Game Pass, but Alinea’s estimates suggest that this audience may not be purchasing the game in the numbers Microsoft would ideally expect from one of its flagship franchises.

Crack open the beers of war!