Gears of War: E-Day is no longer coming to PS5 as Microsoft makes a U-turn on Xbox exclusivity

It looks like exclusive Xbox games are back

(Credit: Microsoft)

• 🔒 Microsoft is reversing its recent strategy, shifting back toward exclusive games for Xbox consoles

• 🤚 Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will be exclusive to Xbox and PC, excluding PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2

• 👏 Under new CEO Asha Sharma, the strategy aims to provide clear incentives for consumers to purchase Xbox hardware

• 🤔 Future major multiplayer and live-service titles will continue to be released on multiple platforms

Microsoft has changed its stance on exclusivity, as it announced that Gears of War: E-Day is no longer coming to PS5.

Microsoft had essentially become a multi-format publisher, bringing exclusive franchises such as Halo, Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 6 and more to Sony’s system.

However, under the leadership of new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, the company’s stance has clearly changed. Gears of War: E-Day, along with Clockwork Revolution, will now be Xbox console exclusives, which means they won’t be releasing on PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2, only on Xbox and PC.

Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are not “timed exclusives” either.

Xbox’s Chief Content Officer Matt Booty told Gamertag Radio: “We want a reason for people to get on board with Xbox, we want them to have a reason to buy an Xbox, we want them to have a reason to be an Xbox fan. At the same time, we want to reward all our players that have been with us for a long time — we know that exclusives are important, and that’s why we’ve got Gears coming in 2026 and Clockwork [Revolution] coming in 2027.”

On the multiplatform side, Booty told Gamertag Radio that “our big multiplayer games and live-service games are going to continue to be multiplatform.”

In a post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft also said: “As part of our focus on the return of XBOX, we also announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will be XBOX console exclusives. These are not timed exclusives. Games already announced for multiplatform releases will stick to that plan – we’re committed to investing in and growing XBOX both on console and beyond.”

The decision to return to exclusives will please Xbox console fans, as many argued - including myself - that without exclusives, there was little reason to buy an Xbox over a PS5. If you could get Microsoft’s first-party games and Sony’s on PlayStation 5, why would anyone buy an Xbox Series X|S?

The change also comes ahead of the release of Xbox Project Helix, Microsoft’s next-gen console. The next Xbox will be a hybrid system that can play Xbox and PC games, and should give players more flexibility, even if they prefer playing on Steam.

Up next: Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition: price, pre-order, and release date

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.