Gears of War multiplayer problems: where is everyone?
by Kevin Kelly 
{ May 5th 2007 at 6:29PM }
This is one of those things we experienced firsthand, and thought "Gee, we wonder if people are talking about this on the internet." We were right. Ah yes, the internet, where everyone (including us) turns to when there's a problem with anything. If you have a doctor who looks up your ailments on Wikipedia, you might want a second opinion.
Anyhow, we downloaded the new Gears of War map pack yesterday, and jumped into multiplayer to get some game on. However, every time we searched for games, usually only one or two would show up. What the heck? Normally you'll have tons of games listed, so there must be something going on. We've emailed Epic for an answer, but until then we remain frag-inhibited. The one or two matches that do show up play fine, but we want some options to choose from.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
adam @ May 5th 2007 6:58PM
I was just talking to people about this today. Whats the deal?
Ninja @ May 5th 2007 6:37PM
Yup, same thing happening to me here(UK).
Fuji @ May 5th 2007 6:36PM
Maybe everyone is holding off till the map become free like Epic wanted them to be in the first place? I know I am.
Richard @ May 5th 2007 6:43PM
I've only played for a while on Thursday, but when I did there were certainly less matches showing up than normally, but there would still typically be 6-10 or so of them.
Lex @ May 5th 2007 6:37PM
That's been happening to me also. It started around 12am est for me. I'm glad to see it's not just my network.
juan silva @ May 5th 2007 6:44PM
mexico too... no games will show up
T3chnic133 @ May 5th 2007 6:44PM
Gears of War multiplayer has always been crap
hoOk @ May 5th 2007 6:46PM
why is there original XBOX 1's playing gears? lol, that could be the problem...
Triforceowner @ May 5th 2007 6:50PM
I have had this problem for a week or two, and I have not downloaded the new map pack. Normally I'll get around a dozen games if I search for ten round Warzone, but now I only get three to five. I didn't know if this is some piece of software giving me games I would more likely chose (the results are usually results I am pleased with) or if I'm at a playing level with few competitors. I hope you guys get a reply, because this is starting to hurt my Gears experience.
yokken @ May 5th 2007 7:01PM
I haven't downloaded the maps, but I'm pretty sure that Gears will only find people who have the maps as well. It probably won't let you play with people who don't have the maps. So until your buddies fork up the cash, you probably won't be able to play. That's my assumption. Only people with the map pack show up if you have the map pack.
Savok @ May 5th 2007 7:12PM
Welcome to the wonderful world of community fragmentation. Epic didn't want to make the maps free out of the goodness of their hearts, it was so this wouldn't happen.
REUYL @ May 5th 2007 7:23PM
You might want to try playing Gears on a 360 instead...
Deric @ May 5th 2007 7:34PM
Actually this has been a problem with Ghost Recon 2:Advanced War Fighter on the 360 for about 3 weeks now.
So it's not just Gears.
Canadianmaniak @ May 5th 2007 7:46PM
well i havent played Gears in like 3-4 months. I figured id try to get backinto it again, so i spent the 10 bucks. I figure the whole "be able to find 4 games" thing was just me, bcc iv been having trouble finding GRAW2 games ever since i used the Cache Clear code.
Jeff @ May 5th 2007 7:53PM
Omg 50 bux for live and this is what you get? They should refund us!
Snukadaman @ May 5th 2007 7:56PM
this aint just the new maps....i play warzone and only about 2 or 3 games come up as joinable with the older maps as well....so theres definetly some issues floating around after downloading the new maps...
Adam @ May 5th 2007 7:57PM
Actually, EPIC wanted them to be free. Microsoft wanted to charge. The pay now, free later was the compromise.
1/6 the price of a game for a few maps, NOT FOR ME.
D Trub @ May 5th 2007 8:04PM
Same thing with GRAW2 for the past 3 weeks, I thought I was doing something wrong. Live seems broken or nobody plays GRAW2
Dirtyboy @ May 5th 2007 8:13PM
Just look at it this way, what is your time and enjoyment worth? If you play the new maps dozens of times over several weeks, sure. If you like Gears, but don't play online much, then no. I think people get too much in a tizzy about what they charge for add-on content. You don't like it don't buy it. You can rant all day about what they charge, but there are (a lot) of people who will still buy it regardless. Those of us who are a bit older will remember the days of actually having to go to the arcades to play games and all those quarters spent...
A sit down meal will cost you $10 and up.
A 1 1/2 to 3 hour movie will cost $7-$10
A night at the bar... Yeesh, don't remind me =P
Lord Chako @ May 5th 2007 8:20PM
Have y'all tried emailing microsoft as well? They might some insight as to what the problem is.
Personally, I'm waiting for september to roll around, then I'll download them. I waited for the halo 2 map packs to be free, and I can do it again.
SOTN comes first anyways. Better bang for the buck.
Proprius @ May 5th 2007 8:22PM
Is is just me, or are those guys playing Gears on a regular Xbox? Might be your problem right there...
Rami @ May 5th 2007 8:25PM
I have the SAME problem and i have NOT downloaded the maps. I wanted to play annex today. Saturday afternoon and ZERO, thats right ZERO games showed up. Even after refreshing a few times. I had to settle for one of the other game types which only had 2 or 3 options. Something's seriously screwed up with Gears multiplayer.
gamabunta @ May 5th 2007 8:35PM
Nothing new. This has been happening since around the time Lost Planet came out. Where there used to be 20+ matches there are now only 5-6 at most. I can't imagine the maps doing anything but making the situation worse by alienating those who paid from those who will wait.
GalileoAce @ May 5th 2007 8:43PM
Why not get some friends to play with? Instead of playing with total strangers.
Junior @ May 5th 2007 8:46PM
Has anyone thought that maybe people stopped playing Gears multi-player for one reason. Halo 3 Beta! I work at a video game store and some people have just stopped playing their 360 in preperation for the Beta. My brother is doing the same thing and many of his friends are all doing it as well.
So Hot!WHOOAAAA!!!
Phranctoast @ May 5th 2007 8:47PM
wow...online gaming on consoles are a lot better then pc's.
so...the best online console....with one of the best games, and you still cant find people to play with. wonderful.
Maximo @ May 5th 2007 10:56PM
It has been happening to me since the game released. It often says there are no matches available. I'll have to try multiple times and sometimes disconnect from xbox live and then reconnect to find a match. That doesn't always work.
GaryM @ May 5th 2007 8:52PM
They're all posting on messageboards, telling everyone how great the game is.
max @ May 5th 2007 8:53PM
wow this happens to me every time i try and play GoW online
Jake11 @ May 5th 2007 8:56PM
really, ive been playing Vegas alot recently, tons of people playing
Triforceowner @ May 5th 2007 8:58PM
Wait, if you guys are all SEARCHING for games, and I'm SEARCHING for games... who is HOSTING games? Do you think the problem is that no one is hosting matches?
Kurt @ May 5th 2007 9:01PM
Is that a 360 Elite, or an Xbox 1? My monitor is terrible, so I'm hoping it's my monitor that's trash, not your common sense.
LumpStatus @ May 5th 2007 9:24PM
This actually has nothing to do with Gears Of War or Graw 2 whatsoever, this all started last night and has to do with Xbox Live issues. The reason I know this is because me and about 8 other people on my friends list were ALL disconnected from live all at close to the same time, after that we couldn't find nearly any gears servers as well as downloads from marketplace were going EXTREMELY slow. There is no doubt something going on with live.
I won't claim to know what the problem is, but I know that two big things are happening really soon. The new dashboard is rolling out on MONDAY and Halo 3 beta is starting on the sixteenth. So maybe they are working to be sure these both roll out smoothly. Who knows. But it is NOT GEARS.
Roger @ May 5th 2007 9:37PM
same for me. oh well twilight princess gets my attention tonight
Duzzy @ May 5th 2007 9:44PM
COD 3 had no one playing at all. I then played Gears and I could only find 2 matches being played in Ranked. It really is messed up
stonexavier @ May 5th 2007 9:38PM
This was happening with Halo 2 last night, as NO games were able to be found. It was working better today, but still seemed slower then usual...
mike @ May 5th 2007 9:50PM
This happened to me when I bought the first perfect dark zero map pack. It was my first ever DLC purchase and I was so angry. Not because the maps cost money, but because after I bought them, only 1 in 20 games would be playing the new maps.
New maps that cost money DEVIDE gaming communities. It really sucks. After my PDZ experience, I vowed never to spend money on new maps for a game again. And it looks like I was right. I have no problem spending $10 on new GOW maps, but whats the point when problems like this occur?
I think for every game, all maps should be free, if for whatever reason you cannot release the new maps free (Like M$ greed), then DONT REALEASE ANY MAPS AT ALL.
Theres no need in splitting gaming communities up.
LAcaca @ May 6th 2007 5:29PM
Guys its because everyone is enjoying the PSN Home beta and Microsoft is going down for charging for xbox live.
Hobo Joe @ May 5th 2007 10:31PM
I'm just in awe that so many people think that the picture in this news post has anything to do with the news itself.
CalabreZ @ May 6th 2007 9:03PM
Honestly Im happy that this happened. These maps should be free. Im glad I didnt buy them.
me @ May 5th 2007 11:14PM
Yeah, how the hell are they play gears of war on the original xbox
George @ May 5th 2007 11:37PM
If you'll notice, that one dude on the left is holding a 360 controller. So the 360's may be behind the tv's or something. Or possibly, they shoved a 360 into the case of a Xbox 1. Hey, maybe I should try that. Anyway, the picture's not part of the story...
TacoAssassin @ May 6th 2007 11:38AM
I hope someone finds the reason for this problem. I know it isn't Gears or problems with people not having the new maps. I've played plenty of games with people without them. By plenty, I mean about a dozen. The problem did start around the time the maps were released. Maybe Live's servers are having problems. There is more than a Million Gears players, and there are some HUGE new downloads coming. I just hope this problem gets resolved soon, I need me some Gears Fix.
Mutex @ May 6th 2007 12:18AM
2 reasons :
- Exams.
- XBox live issues due to the incoming may 7 update.
Jitty @ May 6th 2007 2:14AM
Wow, and I thought motorstorm was bad with only an average of ~150 people per region... (there are 4 regions)
ill trooper @ May 6th 2007 3:14AM
"I work at a video game store and some people have just stopped playing their 360 in preperation for the Beta."
Wha? Where's the logic in that? STOP playing video games so I can gear up for more video games! Are they worried about red-ring-of-deathing their boxes? I can see you have a lot of respect for Halo by the way you capitalized the word "Beta," but I hardly think you could think people across the nation/world are stopping all other game playing while they wait for Halo 3 to start up. What if your thumbs and eyes get lazy from entropy?! What about all those other people keeping in "top video-game fitness" by practicing in Lost Planet or GRAW?
You better call your video-game store friends and tell them they might lose the "Eye of The Tiger!" It's not too late! Start playing games again right away!
Here's some inspiration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uELMzJQSKmU
Devilish @ May 6th 2007 4:07AM
i have the same problem with Lost Planet... it´s been 3 days that became hard to find matches.
Can it be an Xbox LIVE problem other than GoW or LP ?
SeNiLe @ May 6th 2007 3:56AM
If Epic would come out with an update that would finally fix all the glitching, sticking to walls so easily and either a better matchmaking system or let achievements be earned in player matches, then more people would show up to play. Instead they come out with updates that make the game worst then the last one with all the same glitches and more. It doesn’t help that their splitting up the community either by charging for maps that they were going to give for FREE. If I never read that they where wanting to give the maps for FREE then that's one thing, I would have paid, but saying they would and not is another. I personally won't play gears until they come out with a patch to fix this broken game. I have a mix of people on my friends list doing the same. They ruined it with their updates making it worst each time a new one came out. I just can’t wait for HALO ][][][ beta to come out and then Shadowrun. People will be saying, what is Gears of War once there out. Out of sight, out of mind!
wackychan @ May 6th 2007 4:52AM
Well, at least my system link is working tonight. =P
DaveP @ May 6th 2007 7:11AM
i think there must be some problems with xbox live matching making servers because it seems to be a problem accross a few games, the new map packs have nothing to do with who you can play with or not.
And the issue of the maps costing money, in a way i think it is a good thing. it is now unlikely that if you enter a game on the new maps there are going to be loads of rubbish noobs in there that just cant compete at your level and spoiling the game for the few decent players.
wether epic wanted to charge for the new maps or not is irrelevant, microsoft own epic and can do whatever they want with them, if your that tight to not spend $10 because epic didnt get their own way is pathetic.
i also agree that they need to fix the roadie running sticking to walls, its getting ridiculous. one way to combat it is to not roadie run at all, either roll or just walk (its only 20% slower after all).