Yes it was.
With Xbox's focus on the holiday season they will do anything possible to get Gears 4 out this year. If it gets delayed too they would have nothing.
That's better than a tarnished studio and newly acquired IP. Spencer's division is now being measured based on number of active Live users a month, so he can't afford to miss on big games that are supposed to drive those numbers higher or, worse, drive people away from the service because the games don't work.
I think it's going to make it after 3 years of development and a creative director who has been with the series the whole way. I just don't think Spencer is going to take any more risks like they did with MCC.