Final Version Of 1:1 Scale Gears of War 2 Lancer Assault Rifle Replica

Sculpting Done By Erick Sosa, And Paint Work By Paul Komoda

TriForce Sales, LLC announced today that it has finalized work on its 1:1 scale Gears of War 2 Lancer Assault Rifle Replica.

The piece was sculpted, engineered and painted by an extremely talented and well-known group of the best and brightest names in the industry.

Gears of War Jacinto's Remnant video game book by Karen Traviss - bestseller

Blockbuster video game franchise Gears of War burst onto the book scene last year with its first official novel by No1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss. ASPHO FIELDS — spanning the story between Gears of War and Gears of War 2 — was an instant bestseller. Now the sequel, GEARS OF WAR: JACINTO’S REMNANT (Del Rey Trade Paperback, on sale July 28, 2009, $15.00) picks up from the harrowing end of the second game and follows humanity’s struggle to survive after the destruction of its last bastion on the planet Sera.

After a brutal fifteen-year war for survival, the Coalition of Ordered Governments is forced to destroy Jacinto – mankind’s last city – in a final bid to stop the Locust Horde. As the survivors flee, they're caught between the last of the Locust, bent on vengeance, and a primitive struggle to stay alive in an icy wilderness. It’s up to Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago, and their fellow Gears to fight to get Jacinto’s refugees to a safe haven. But what they find is a new world; lawless, treacherous, with an all too familiar enemy – humans, as desperate and dangerous as any Locust grub.

“Karen Traviss has outdone herself once again,” said Rod Fergusson, executive producer, Epic Games. "JACINTO'S REMNANT not only answers the question of what happens after the events of Gears 2, it also provides greater insight into the Gears of War universe and a deeper understanding of its characters. We hope players of the games and discerning readers alike will enjoy this ongoing tale of humanity's fight for survival."

GEARS OF WAR: JACINTO’S REMNANT was written in partnership with Epic Games, Inc., developers of the 11 million-selling Gears of War video game franchise. GEARS OF WAR: JACINTO’S REMNANT will be released day and date with the latest Game Add-on for Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360). Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection includes all previously released downloadable content for the game to date in addition to Dark Corners, a substantial Add-on featuring seven new multiplayer maps and the new Road to Ruin campaign chapter. In total, the All Fronts Collection contains nineteen maps and a new campaign experience, available for 1600 Microsoft points on Xbox LIVE starting at 12:00 a.m. GMT on July 28.

Karen Traviss is the author of four Star Wars: Republic Commando novels: Hard Contact, Triple Zero, True Colors, and Order 66; three Star Wars: Legacy of the Force novels: Bloodlines, Revelation, and Sacrifice; two Star Wars: The Clone Wars novels: The Clone Wars movie novelization and No Prisoners; as well as City of Pearl, Crossing the Line, The World Before, Matriarch, and Judge. A former defense correspondent and TV and newspaper journalist, Traviss lives in Wiltshire, England.

GEARS OF WAR: JACINTO’S REMNANT by Karen Traviss
A Del Rey Trade Paperback
Publication Date: July 28, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-345-49944-8
$15.00

Comic Book Legend Jim Lee Enlists for Gears of War No9

World Class Talent Extends Bestselling Comic Book Series

Epic Games announce it has secured the creative talent of iconic comic book illustrator Jim Lee for its Gears of War No9 comic book from DC Comics’ WildStorm imprint. Lee will provide the cover artwork, which introduces a new Gears character, for the July 2009 issue.

“Being a huge Gears of War fan, I couldn't pass the opportunity to draw a cover for the series, said Jim Lee. “It’s the most visceral yet elegant game I've ever played, and I am thrilled to be able to contribute something new to the ever expanding mythos of Gears!”

“We’re ecstatic to have Jim Lee on board for the Gears of War comic book series,” said Dr. Michael Capps, president, Epic Games. “We've been huge fans of his artwork for years, and can't wait to incorporate his latest character design into the Gears universe.”

Gears of War #9 will be authored by Capps and Joshua Ortega, the lead author of the comic book series and scriptwriter for the Gears of War 2 game, and interior illustrations will be provided by renowned comic book artist Liam Sharp. An alternate cover for Gears of War #9 will be provided by Chris Perna, art director of Epic Games.

The Gears of War ongoing comic book series was one of the most popular launches for DC Comics’ WildStorm imprint in 2008. According to WildStorm, high demand for Gears of War #1 was answered with broad circulation.

“We’re quite pleased with the continued success of the Gears of War comic that kicked off with the widely distributed premiere issue,” said Hank Kanalz, vice president and general manager of WildStorm. “We hope to maintain that momentum, leading up to the collected hardcover edition releasing later this year.”

Both Gears of War No1 and Gears of War No2 sold out and went back to press with a special flip book reprinting of both issues combined into one volume. Slated for release this summer is also a Gears of War Sourcebook featuring some of comics’ best and brightest talent, plus amazing pieces by select artists of Epic Games.

More information about the Gears of War comic book series is available at www.dccomics.com/wildstorm/comics.

Gears of War 2 Snowblind Game Add-on Unleashes a Flurry of New Multiplayer Maps on Xbox LIVE

Gears of War 2 fans around the world can engage in even more intense action in treacherous winter settings offered by the latest “Gears of War 2” Add-on, the Snowblind Map Pack. Trudge, crawl and roadie run through the harshest of weather conditions as you and your squadmates dive into four new multiplayer maps.

Spanning tunnels, bridges, courtyards and offices, players can sharpen their skills on the four new maps in the Snowblind Add-on: Grindyard, Under Hill, Courtyard and Fuel Depot. All maps are playable on every “Gears of War 2” multiplayer mode, including the highly popular Horde mode:

• Grindyard is a massive industrial complex located in a junk-processing plant from the days of Sera’s industrial excess. The office, now gutted, serves as a perfect place to fortify, but if you’re not careful, you’ll end up trapped inside the office with no hope of escape.
• Under Hill takes players through snowbound tunnels that were once billed as a feat of Seran engineering. Head for high ground on the bridge and you’ll be rewarded with massive firepower, but be prepared to defend your position and try to escape being cornered.
• Courtyard is a wide-open battle royale containing explosive weapons that once formed the heart of Ephyra’s fashionable Civic Center. Lines of sight are far and clear here, and battles tend to focus around the elevated sniper nest. Watch your back and keep a fresh clip.
• Fuel Depot, back by popular demand, Fuel Depot is a “Gears of War 2” remake of the fan-favorite “Gears of War” map, but winter has set in and the depot is now covered in a blanket of snow. Open and unforgiving, it takes a well-coordinated team to cover all the angles here.

Also added to “Gears of War 2” are nine new Achievements worth 250 points:

Here’s the complete list of achievements, points and descriptions:

• “Rookie Gear” (10 points): Earn enough multiplayer experience to reach level 5 (Public only).
• “Seasoned Gear” (20 points): Earn enough multiplayer experience to reach level 15 (Public only).
• “Battle-Tested Gear” (30 points): Earn enough multiplayer experience to reach level 25 (Public only).
• “Battle-Hardened Gear” (50 points): Reach level 50 and play a match on each of the four Snowblind Map Pack maps (Public only).
• “Veteran Gear” (75 points): Reach level 100 and win a match on each of the four Snowblind Map Pack maps (Public only).
• “Never Eat Red Snow” (20 points): Complete waves 1 through 10 on all Snowblind Map Pack maps in Horde (any difficulty).
• “Icy Dead People” (25 points): Complete waves 1 through 50 on any Snowblind Map Pack map in Horde (any difficulty).
• “Frigid Body Dynamics” (5 points): Play a multiplayer match on each of the four Snowblind Map Pack maps (any mode).
• “The Weather Outside Is Lethal” (15 points): Win a multiplayer match on each of the four Snowblind Map Pack maps (any mode).

The “Gears of War 2” Snowblind Map Pack Add-on is available for download on Xbox LIVE Marketplace starting today for 800 MS Points. “Gears of War 2” is available exclusively on Xbox 360 and is rated “18” by the BBFC.

Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 - Snowblind map pack Xbox Live game add-ons

Spring is nearly here, and with it comes new life for some of this generation’s biggest, most action-packed games, exclusively on Xbox LIVE. With more than 35 million in combined sales, the “Halo” and “Gears of War” franchises have set the bar for multiplayer games on the console.

Now players of “Halo 3” and “Gears of War 2” will see the multiplayer experiences made even better by great new Game Add-ons.

On 31st March, the Snowblind map pack gives “Gears of War 2” players a chance to cool off with four new, winter-themed environments: Grindyard, Under Hill, Courtyard, and a frozen version of the “Gears of War” favourite, Fuel depot. Hot on the heels of Snowblind comes the highly-anticipated “Halo 3” Mythic Map Pack, releasing 9th April with three new maps: Assembly, Orbital and Sandbox. Both Game Add-ons will be available only on Xbox LIVE for 800 Microsoft Points.

In addition to the exclusives mentioned above, Xbox 360 is the only console where you can extend your play with Game Add-ons from many of the year’s top titles. From “Fallout 3” episode The Pitt (24th March) to the “Left 4 Dead” Survival Pack (21st April), publishers from across the industry recognize that Xbox LIVE is the premier online gaming destination, and a one-stop shop for Game Add-ons.

New Gears of War 2 experience system due March 24th, Snowblind Map Pack coming March 31th

Three months after the second Gears of War 2 map pack was announced, Epic Games has taken the wraps off its successor.

The Snowblind Map Pack will arrive on Xbox Live on March 31 bearing four new maps: Grindyard, Under Hill, Courtyard, and a remake of Fuel Depot from the original Gears game.

No price has been announced, but the last add-on for the game, December's three-map Combustible Map Pack, cost 800 Microsoft points, or $9.99 in real-world currency.

Read the full post on Gamespot here...

Gears of War on PC game stopped working? certificate expired? game killed? find out why...

Users on the Gears of War official forums are reporting that the digital certificates for the game have expired, as of 28th January 2009. 

This means that the game will not launch at a system date post-28th Jan. 

Obviously, this is awful news for those people who enjoy playing the game on the PC, since unless they keep their system date before the 28th, they cannot play the game.

This is what all the fuss about DRM (Digital Rights Management) is about; people who bought this game are essentially not allowed to play it. Ironically, the people who pirated the game, who the DRM is supposedly trying to stop, won’t be affected by this. The more that stuff like this happens due to DRM, the more the games are going to be pirated- only the customers are being punished. 

Anyway- bad show on Epic’s part; this needs to be fixed.

Gears of War 2 Xbox Live Co-Op Night

Co-Optimus.com , the web's prime source for breaking co-op gaming news and information, proudly welcomes members of Gears of War 2's development team at Epic Games to join this month's Xbox Live Co-Op Night.

This interactive gaming event is part of Co-Optimus.com's monthly co-op events only on Xbox Live . The crew from Co-Optimus will be playing the campaign in two player co-op mode as well as horde mode in five player co-op. As the Locust Horde approaches, Epic Games' team will dive in to help take them down.

Co-Optimus.com will be broadcasting the event live all night, which begins at 7:30PM EST on January 15th, via the Event page. To join in on the action use the game's built in match making tools or look for the following gamertags.

EpicDev1 (Epic)
EpicDev2 (Epic)
EpicDev3 (Epic)
BAPenguin (Co-Optimus)
pherbear (Co-Optimus)
DjinniMan (Co-Optimus)
co optimus (Co-Optimus)

This special event is a continuation of the monthly Xbox Live evenings presented by Co-Optimus.com. For more information, please visit the official event page on Co-Optimus . For more information on Xbox Live Co-Op Nights please visit the Xbox Community Page  on Xbox.com and for more information on Gears of War 2, visit the official homepage.

Favourite Microsoft Xbox 360 games of 2008 Halo 3, Bionic Commando, Street Fighter, Burnout Paradise and more...

Image via WikipediaAfter the success of Halo 3 in 2007, Microsoft started 2008 on a very rocky basis as its Xbox Live Service experienced frequent outages.

However it didn't take long for the service to bounce back and then help deliver some of the best games of the year.

Yes, this is the year I truly think digital delivery came into its own. Braid, Castle Crashers, and Geometry Wars2 headlined Xbox Live Arcade and offered some of the best new gameplay experiences available, and high definition remakes of games such as Bionic Commando and Street Fighter II made playing classics feel brand new.

Braid on its face seems like a simple Super Mario style side-scrolling action game, but your ability to roll back or speed up time made the simple timed jump mechanics one of the most complex and fun experiences in gaming.

The glorious painted graphical style and atmospheric music make the $15 price tag seem unfairly inexpensive for its creators.

Of course this is Xbox, and its power is not in the artsy or indie, but in testosterone and raw destruction. The biggest contenders for this prize are Burnout Paradise and Gears of War 2.

Burnout Paradise is an open world racing game, where you're dropped into a fictional city and can start a competition at any traffic light. Ramps and shortcuts litter the streets, inviting daring jumps and stunts, and you're rewarded new cars by running your opponents aggressively off the road. Tap the left and right bumper buttons simultaneously and your car will go into a controlled roll and a counter will keep a running tally of how much damage in dollars you can cause. One of my better runs racked up a 110-car pile-up, including 8 city buses, that totaled several million dollars in damage. The almost pornographic level of destruction is offset by there being no human drivers or consequences for such actions, making it like playing with Matchbox cars that explode.

Gears of War 2 continues the adventures of Delta Squad from the 2006 original. You'll traverse city streets, tunnels, and mountains fighting an invading alien menace with maximum machismo. The story is paper thin, but the gameplay is right there and accented with over the top voice acting and literally dozens of ways to take down and enemy, including a chainsaw mounted to the end of your rifle. Not for the faint, but what it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in replay value.

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Gears of War 2 Combustible Map Pack to download

Players will be able to enjoy the all new exhilarating action in the first "Gears of War 2" downloadable content mere hours following its exclusive premiere during the SPIKE TV Video Game Award.

More than 1.5 million people were drawn to “Gears of War 2” on Xbox LIVE during its first weekend, logging over 15 million gameplay hours and driving a new record for concurrent users. Now, the online experience has become even more explosive with the release of the Combustible Map Pack, a collection of three new maps for “Gears of War 2” available now on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 800 MS Points.

Debuted during the SPIKE TV Video Game Awards on Dec. 14, where “Gears of War 2” took home the Best Shooter and Best Xbox 360 Game awards, Microsoft Game Studios and Epic Games unveiled exclusive footage from the Combustible Map Pack with Marisa Miller (Sports Illustrated’s 2008 Swimsuit Issue cover model) and “Gears of War 2’s” Augustus “Cole Train” Cole (played by Lester Speight) presenting the first look at the new maps.

The Combustible Map Pack unleashes three new multiplayer maps: Flood, Gold Rush and Fuel Station.

• Flood is a very tight map that's made extra snug when the environmental hazard of Imulsion begins creeping up around the edges. As the playing field closes in, the firefight will intensify as combat is forced to the center of the map. Teams skilled at flanking their opponents will have a powerful edge.

• Gold Rush takes place in an old Imulsion refinery that now serves as a hotly contested battleground. Players must survive heavy crossfire as they infiltrate the factory and navigate multiple tiers. Breakable glass allows for a clean shot at those who make a dash for the Longshot rifle while bolder players make their run for the heavy weapon. In the right hands, the Mortar can be devastating on this map, so keep those smoke grenades armed as the concussive effect comes in very handy.

• Fuel Station is situated in a desolate area marked by an abandoned fossil fuel station. The team that secures and controls the station is likely to be the side that wins the match. An especially strategic location on this map is the rooftop, as there are only two points of entry – the main elevator and a staircase on the back side of the building. Heavy weaponry is situated right in front, which presents a high risk to reward ratio in this level. Lugging the Mulcher around, deploying it and revving it up can keep an entire team at bay, and unleashing hell from the rooftops is always an excellent tactic.

All of the multiplayer maps in the Combustible Map Pack are playable in the highly popular, five player co-op Horde mode.

“Gears of War 2” is the best-selling console game in the US (November NPD data) and has been named the 'best Xbox 360 game ever' by GamePro magazine. “Gears of War 2” is available exclusively on Xbox 360 and is rated “18’’ by the BBFC.

For more information about the Combustible Map Pack and for the latest updates on “Gears of War 2” visit www.GearsOfWar.com

Free Gears of War 2 poster to download

Free Gears of War 2 poster to download here...

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NEW - Christmas soundtrack for Gears of War 2 by Devotchka

Xbox 360 today announces that fans of the smash hit blockbuster Gears of War 2 can further immerse themselves in the GOW2 experience by enjoying the alternate soundtrack this Christmas.

Following on from the “Mad World” TV advert that accompanied the first game, Xbox has again delivered an emotive, cutting edge TV ad for Gears of War 2 with “Last Day”. Invoking the emotion and desperation of humanity’s last stand against overwhelming odds, the ad uses the track “How It Ends” by Colorado-based band Devotchka.

To celebrate the tremendous success of the game, Xbox is offering the original track, an exclusive remix, and the original TV spot all for the incredible value of 79p, available for download from iTunes from Monday 1st Dec 2008.

Stephen McGill, Head of Gaming & Entertainment, Microsoft UK, commented “Due to the incredible success of the game in the UK and the insatiable demand for all things GOW2 from fans of the franchise, we’re thrilled to be able to offer consumers the chance to enjoy the track from the new TV ad campaign “How It Ends” as a bona fide single release”.

Gears of War 2 is the biggest Xbox 360 exclusive this Christmas and provides an epic, adrenaline-fuelled rollercoaster ride that expands upon the original game’s themes of loss, hope and survival. On its opening weekend GOW2 sold over 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the biggest video game launches of all time.

Xbox 360 delivers the biggest blockbuster entertainment experiences through a combination of High Definition movies, music and games – a perfect fit for the Gears of War 2 and Devotchka collaboration.

“Gears of War 2” is rated 18 by the BBFC and is now available exclusively on Xbox 360 with an Estimated Retail Price of £44.99 for the Standard Edition and £49.99 for the Limited Edition.

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