Gears of War YouTube Purge Impacts Creators

The Coalition's surprising purge of the official Gears of War YouTube and Twitch channels has left fans reeling. The channels, once brimming with classic trailers, developer streams, and esports highlights, are now virtually empty, leaving only the recent Gears of War: E-Day reveal trailer and a 2020 fan-made video.

This drastic action follows the highly anticipated announcement of Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel set fourteen years before the original game, aiming for a 2025 release. The game, focusing on Marcus and Dom during Emergence Day, is being positioned as a near-reboot, despite retaining the established timeline and characters. A recent in-game message in Gears 5 further fueled anticipation for E-Day's launch.

The near-complete removal of content has disappointed the Gears community, particularly those who cherished the older trailers – considered among the best in gaming history – and developer insights. The Coalition's decision is widely speculated to be a strategic move to emphasize a fresh start for the franchise, aligning with the E-Day prequel's focus on the origins of the story.

While the videos may be archived rather than deleted, their current unavailability forces fans to search for them across various online platforms. While game trailers are readily available elsewhere, locating developer streams and esports content will prove more challenging. The subtle homage to the original Gears of War trailer's use of Gary Jules' "Mad World" in the E-Day trailer further underscores the franchise's attempt to connect its past and future.