Gears of War: E-Day has reportedly accumulated around 120,000 pre-orders on Steam ahead of launch, prompting one analyst to question Microsoft’s decision to cancel the previously planned PS5 version.

The estimate comes from Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliot, who described Steam pre-orders for the upcoming Gears of War prequel as “soft.”

According to Elliot, approximately 120,000 copies have been pre-ordered on Steam, although Alinea Analytics has not publicly detailed the methodology behind the estimate. The figure should therefore be treated as an unofficial third-party estimate rather than confirmed sales data from Microsoft or Valve.

Analyst Says Microsoft Should Have Kept the PS5 Version

Elliot believes the numbers strengthen the argument that Microsoft should have continued development of the PlayStation 5 version.

“In my view, they shouldn’t have cancelled that PlayStation port.”

He argued that a PS5 release could have generated additional revenue, particularly because the port was reportedly already in development and Gears of War may no longer have the same ability to drive console sales that it once did.

The existence of a planned PS5 version became apparent earlier this year when an apparently unintended Gears of War: E-Day PS5 trailer was uploaded before being removed.

Microsoft ultimately decided to position E-Day as an Xbox console exclusive.

The decision was particularly notable because Gears of War: Reloaded launched on PS5 in 2025, bringing the franchise to PlayStation and potentially introducing a new audience to the series ahead of E-Day.

Game Pass Makes Sales Harder to Judge

Steam pre-orders won’t provide the complete picture of E-Day’s performance.

The game will also launch through Xbox Game Pass, meaning a potentially significant portion of its Xbox and PC audience won’t need to purchase the game separately.

Elliot additionally argued that E-Day’s multiplayer component could benefit from having a larger cross-platform audience if the PS5 version were eventually revived.

For now, however, Gears of War: E-Day remains unavailable on PS5, Microsoft has not announced a PS5 version of Gears of War: E-Day.

Whether that decision changes after the game’s launch remains to be seen.