Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Pre-order Gears of War: Judgment at Walmart, get Gears 2 or 3 for free]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/pre-order-gears-of-war-judgment-at-walmart-get-gears-2-or-3-fo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/pre-order-gears-of-war-judgment-at-walmart-get-gears-2-or-3-fo/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/pre-order-gears-of-war-judgment-at-walmart-get-gears-2-or-3-fo/#comments Those who purchase Gears of War: Judgment will score a copy of the original Gears of War gratis, this much we know; however, Walmart is further sweetening the deal for those who pre-order through the retailer by offering Gears of War 2 or Gears of War 3 free as well.

If you're on the fence, a public demo of the new OverRun mode will be made available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers on March 19, but that just so happens to also be the launch date for Gears of War: Judgment - so that won't be much help for your decision. If you want to score the additional two free games and included Classic Hammerburst skin from Walmart, you're going to have to pre-order before then.

JoystiqPre-order Gears of War: Judgment at Walmart, get Gears 2 or 3 for free originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gears-of-war-3gears-of-war-judgmentmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiospeople-can-flywalmartxboxMon, 11 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War franchise surpasses 19 million sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/gears-of-war-franchise-surpasses-19-million-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/gears-of-war-franchise-surpasses-19-million-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/gears-of-war-franchise-surpasses-19-million-sales/#comments Gears of War franchise saws to 19 million salesThe Gears of War franchise has boomed to over 19 million sales, up a further million from the last figure disclosed back in July. Microsoft revealed the new milestone to us today.

The publisher wouldn't confirm Gears of War 3's sales figures to us, but we know the game surpassed 3 million in its first week at retail. Back in June 2011, former Epic design director Cliff Bleszinski told IndustryGamers the Gears 3 sales target was "definitely over 6 million," with the interview noting Gears 1 & 2 combined sales being over 12 million. This is only speculation, but today's reveal suggests Gears 3 is nearing if not already over its target.

JoystiqGears of War franchise surpasses 19 million sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gears-of-war-3microsoftsalesxboxWed, 07 Nov 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Skin Pack 2 for Minecraft delivers 45 new looks on XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/25/skin-pack-2-for-minecraft-delivers-45-new-looks-on-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/25/skin-pack-2-for-minecraft-delivers-45-new-looks-on-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/25/skin-pack-2-for-minecraft-delivers-45-new-looks-on-xbla/#comments Skin Pack 2 for Minecraft on XBLA delivers 45 new looksThe XBLA version of Minecraft received a new skin pack recently, which includes 45 different skins for the game's main character. Among the pack, the second released for the XBLA game, are themed skins from a variety of games, such as Left 4 Dead 2, Castle Crashers, and Gears of War 3. Skin Pack 2 is available on the Xbox Live Marketplace for 160 MS points.

Click past the break to see the complete list of all 45 skins.

Gallery: Minecraft (Skin Pack 2)

Continue reading Skin Pack 2 for Minecraft delivers 45 new looks on XBLA

JoystiqSkin Pack 2 for Minecraft delivers 45 new looks on XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castle-crashersgears-of-war-3left-4-dead-2microsoftMinecraftmojangskin-pack-2XBLAxboxSat, 25 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic Games gives away soundtrack retrospective for 20th anniversary]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/epic-games-gives-away-soundtrack-retrospective-for-20th-annivers/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/epic-games-gives-away-soundtrack-retrospective-for-20th-annivers/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/epic-games-gives-away-soundtrack-retrospective-for-20th-annivers/#comments ImageEpic Games has turned 20 years old, and to celebrate the company is giving away a free album of tunes from its games over the past two decades. You can pick up the tracks from the official blog right now. The set includes everything from the Main Theme of Unreal and the Menu Song of Jazz Jackrabbit, all the way up to tracks from Infinity Blade 2 and Gears of War 3.

And what, you might ask, did they include as a bonus track? Perhaps the pinnacle of Epic Games' musical gifts to the world at large? It's the Cole Train Rap from the first Gears of War, of course. Woo baby! Bring it on sucka! Etc.

JoystiqEpic Games gives away soundtrack retrospective for 20th anniversary originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2012 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-3jazz-jackrabbitmicrosoftmusicpcunrealunreal-tournamentxboxThu, 10 May 2012 03:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Gears of War 3 'Forces of Nature' maps out today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/psa-gears-of-war-3-forces-of-nature-maps-out-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/psa-gears-of-war-3-forces-of-nature-maps-out-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/psa-gears-of-war-3-forces-of-nature-maps-out-today/#comments
A quick note for all the Gears of War 3 players out there: The "Forces of Nature" map pack is now available on Xbox Live. The pack contains the three new maps Aftermath, Artillery and Cover, as well as the return of Raven Down and Jacinto. It also tosses in several new multiplayer characters.

Forces of Nature is free to season pass holders. For everyone else, it's 800 MS Points ($10). See a ludicrous number of map videos after the break.

Gallery: Gears of War 3 - Force of Nature DLC

Continue reading PSA: Gears of War 3 'Forces of Nature' maps out today

JoystiqPSA: Gears of War 3 'Forces of Nature' maps out today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxxbox-liveTue, 27 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Gears of War 3 title update emerges tomorrow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/new-gears-of-war-3-title-update-emerges-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/new-gears-of-war-3-title-update-emerges-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/new-gears-of-war-3-title-update-emerges-tomorrow/#comments The fourth major title update for Gears of War 3 is set to drop tomorrow, offering players yet another round of tweaks and bug fixes. For one, Savage Grenadiers and Savage Drones can now perform SWAT turns in Beast Mode.

King of the Hill is also tended to -- ring locations are now visibile in spectator mode, and on some levels the ring locations have been moved. Other multiplayer tweaks include balancing the pistol fire rate between hosts and non-host players. And one particular glitch involving the elevator area on the map Hotel has been fixed.

The minor maintenance, which goes live at 2AM PT tomorrow, precedes the launch of the Forces of Nature DLC pack next week. For the full update notes, check the source link below.

JoystiqNew Gears of War 3 title update emerges tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsofttitle-updatetitle-update-4xboxMon, 19 Mar 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 'Forces of Nature' DLC emerges March 27]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/gears-of-war-3-forces-of-nature-dlc-emerges-march-27/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/gears-of-war-3-forces-of-nature-dlc-emerges-march-27/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/gears-of-war-3-forces-of-nature-dlc-emerges-march-27/#comments Here we were thinking the battle for humanity was wrapped up in the Gears of War universe and Epic Games goes and ruins our celebration with new downloadable content! Revealed on GTTV tonight [via Side Mission], the "Forces of Nature" DLC will add three new maps to Gears of War 3 dubbed Aftermath, Artillery, and Cove along with two returning locales, Jacinto and Raven Down.

Revealed by Epic executive produce Rod Fergusson, each map is described as taking place in the middle of or in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Gears of War 3 'Season Pass' holders will get the content free when it launches on March 27. No price was established for the DLC, but previous multiplayer DLC was made available for 800MS Points ($10).

In addition to the maps, the DLC includes four character models, three of which were previously available as a pre-order bonus (seen after the break); five new weapon skins for immediate use; and two skins only unlockable via the Forces of Nature content. It's a good thing we didn't bronze our Lancers, because it looks like more grubs need killing.

Continue reading Gears of War 3 'Forces of Nature' DLC emerges March 27

JoystiqGears of War 3 'Forces of Nature' DLC emerges March 27 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCdownloadable-contentEpic-GamesGears-of-WarGears-of-War-3microsoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosxboxFri, 17 Feb 2012 02:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 toys bring the carnage down to a child's level]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/gears-of-war-3-toys-bring-the-carnage-down-to-a-childs-level/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/gears-of-war-3-toys-bring-the-carnage-down-to-a-childs-level/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/gears-of-war-3-toys-bring-the-carnage-down-to-a-childs-level/#comments Gears of War 3 the video game may be targeted at mature adults, but Gears of War 3 the toy? Ages 8 and up. Sure, the kids pretending to shove chainsaw bayonets into Locust chest cavities may get the hands-on enjoyment of alien mutilation, but at least they're not watching it on a screen.

A series of Gears of War 3 toys were spotted at the Toy Fair in New York, produced by Meccano and including the Armadillo APC (£24.99), the Centaur Tank (£34.99) and the King Raven helicopter (£39.99). The toys are still being approved by Epic Games, with plans to hit stores in August.

JoystiqGears of War 3 toys bring the carnage down to a child's level originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3Meccanomicrosofttoy-fairtoy-fair-2012xboxWed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Four videos from GoW3 DLC Fenix Rising show maps, Locusts, booms]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/four-videos-from-gow3-dlc-fenix-rising-show-maps-bugs-booms/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/four-videos-from-gow3-dlc-fenix-rising-show-maps-bugs-booms/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/four-videos-from-gow3-dlc-fenix-rising-show-maps-bugs-booms/#comments

Fenix Rising, the third DLC installment of four in the Gears of War 3 $30 Season Pass, is available now for 800 MS Points ($10). Fenix Rising adds five new maps, three of which you can fly through in the videos below. The above video just shows some exploding Locusts and stuff.

Continue reading Four videos from GoW3 DLC Fenix Rising show maps, Locusts, booms

JoystiqFour videos from GoW3 DLC Fenix Rising show maps, Locusts, booms originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCFenix-RisingGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxWed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Gears of War 3 title update 3 drops today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/psa-gears-of-war-3-title-update-3-drops-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/psa-gears-of-war-3-title-update-3-drops-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/psa-gears-of-war-3-title-update-3-drops-today/#comments Sick and tired of people hiding in that one spot on Mercy and, well, mercilessly gunning you down? Well, Epic's finally fixed that (among other things) in its third title update for Gears of War 3.

You'll be prompted to download the update upon booting up your game today. It also addresses ghost camera issues and allows players to prime a revive for a DBNO (down but not out) teammate by holding in the Y button before they approach. It's basically the same thing as holding in the X button before approaching a weapon pickup.

Random Quickmatch playlist map order is another addition, as is non-Versus mode weapon swaps in Horde mode. Now, players will find the default weapons on each map that were available when the game initially shipped, as opposed to the current weapon assignments found in online versus multiplayer matches.

[Thanks, Steve D.]

JoystiqPSA: Gears of War 3 title update 3 drops today originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsofttitle-updatetitle-update-3xboxWed, 11 Jan 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Top 10 of 2011: Gears of War 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/01/joystiq-top-10-of-2011-gears-of-war-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/01/joystiq-top-10-of-2011-gears-of-war-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/01/joystiq-top-10-of-2011-gears-of-war-3/#comments If my life were a book, the chapter covering the last quarter of 2011 would be one page long and contain one phrase, in bold: Gears of War 3. In reality, lots of things happened to me over the last couple months, but aside from a brief affair with Skyrim, most of my time was spent going to farmers markets and crafts fairs with Gears of War 3. You know, committed relationship couple-type stuff.

Continue reading Joystiq Top 10 of 2011: Gears of War 3

JoystiqJoystiq Top 10 of 2011: Gears of War 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3joystiq-best-of-2011microsoftxboxSun, 01 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 'Season Pass,' props on sale today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/gears-of-war-3-season-pass-props-on-sale-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/gears-of-war-3-season-pass-props-on-sale-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/gears-of-war-3-season-pass-props-on-sale-today/#comments
Today's Xbox Live Marketplace holiday promotion covers Gears of War 3, with discounts on in-game content and at least one soon-to-be-discontinued Avatar prop.

The highlight of today's deals is the Gears of War 3 "Season Pass," which grants access to four DLC packs (two already available, two upcoming) for 1800 MSP ($22.50), which is 25 percent off the regular price. There's also a 50 percent discount on the "Gears 3 Skins Launch Collection," also priced today for 1800 MSP.

Microsoft will discontinue "gun-like Avatar items" from the Xbox Marketplace on January 1, 2012. This means here's your last chance to get the Gears of War Gold Lancer prop -- not only at a 50 percent discount of 160 MSP ($2) -- but, like, ever. The Gears Boomshield prop appears to be safe from delisting, and is also available for 160 MSP.

JoystiqGears of War 3 'Season Pass,' props on sale today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatar-marketplaceEpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxblmxboxFri, 30 Dec 2011 12:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Scratch one Gears of War 3 demo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/scratch-one-gears-of-war-3-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/scratch-one-gears-of-war-3-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/scratch-one-gears-of-war-3-demo/#comments A demo of the "Shipwreck" mission in Gears of War 3 is now available for download on Xbox Live, exclusive to all Gold subscribers. The mission takes place during the first chapter of the second act on Gumdrop mountain, as Delta squad defends the butterscotch fountain from the evil armies of -- okay, you got us. The mission takes place after a shipwreck.

JoystiqScratch one Gears of War 3 demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demoepicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftshipwreckxblmxboxWed, 28 Dec 2011 20:46:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: 'Gun-like' Avatar items disappearing from XBLM on Jan. 1]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/psa-gun-like-avatar-items-disappearing-from-xblm-on-jan-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/psa-gun-like-avatar-items-disappearing-from-xblm-on-jan-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/psa-gun-like-avatar-items-disappearing-from-xblm-on-jan-1/#comments An official post on the Epic Games forums states that the Lancer and Hammerbust items for Xbox Avatars will not be available starting January 1, 2012. Those who have purchased the items prior to the new year are in the clear and can keep them.

The post notes that the removal of the Lancer and Hammerburst are part of a new policy going into effect for "gun-like avatar items" on the Marketplace. It would appear that this is just the latest addition to the list of things Avatars can't have or do.

We've contacted Microsoft to receive a comprehensive list of "gun-like" items being removed.

[Thanks, Steven]

JoystiqPSA: 'Gun-like' Avatar items disappearing from XBLM on Jan. 1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatarsEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxxbox-avatarsFri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 adds 'Fenix Rising' map pack on Jan. 17]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/gears-of-war-3-adds-fenix-rising-map-pack-on-jan-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/gears-of-war-3-adds-fenix-rising-map-pack-on-jan-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/gears-of-war-3-adds-fenix-rising-map-pack-on-jan-17/#comments The "Fenix Rising" map pack for Gears of War 3 will decorate players who are already well-versed in rolling shotguns. The new add-on, due on January 17, 2012, for 800 MSP ($10), adds five new maps, four character skins and "Re-up," the Gears version of Call of Duty's "Prestige." Here, it allows players to rank through level 100 multiple times for "exclusive emblems and weapon skins."

The Re-up can be done three times to unlock the following weapon skins:
  • Re-Up Plasma - Animated flowing plasma in gold.
  • Re-Up Omen - Shiny, red Omen.
  • Re-Up Electric - Animated, golden electric shocks.
"Fenix Rising" is the third of four packs bundled with the $30 Gears Season Pass. The "underdeveloped" campaign DLC, RAAM's Shadow, was the most recent release, coming after the co-op focused "Horde Command Pack."

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Fenix Rising)

Continue reading Gears of War 3 adds 'Fenix Rising' map pack on Jan. 17

JoystiqGears of War 3 adds 'Fenix Rising' map pack on Jan. 17 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCEpicepic-gamesFenix-RisingGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxWed, 21 Dec 2011 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow DLC Review]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/gears-of-war-3-raams-shadow-dlc-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/gears-of-war-3-raams-shadow-dlc-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/gears-of-war-3-raams-shadow-dlc-review/#comments Gears of War 3 warranted some pretty enthusiastic adjective usage: "polished," "well-paced," "fantastic," even. I'd go so far as to call it the most refined, well-put-together shooter of 2011. So when the first piece of add-on campaign DLC, RAAM's Shadow, was announced, I was excited for it. More Gears 3, but set before the first game? It sounded great.

Unfortunately, RAAM's Shadow elicits some different adjectives: "sloppy," and "underdeveloped."

Gallery: Gears of War 3 - RAAM's Shadow

Continue reading Gears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow DLC Review

JoystiqGears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow DLC Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicGears-of-War-3microsoftraams-shadowMon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 celebrates the holidays with 12 Days of Gearsmas]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/gears-of-war-3-celebrates-the-holidays-with-12-days-of-gearsmas/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/gears-of-war-3-celebrates-the-holidays-with-12-days-of-gearsmas/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/gears-of-war-3-celebrates-the-holidays-with-12-days-of-gearsmas/#comments They just aren't the holidays without an active-reloaded Gnasher. Epic is ringing in the festive season with twelve days of custom playlists in Gears of War 3 and prizes, kicking off tomorrow at 5AM Eastern. Sorry, guys, the party's BYOEN (Bring Your Own Egg Nog).

Hit the source link below for the list of what's happening in Gears of War 3, though we should point out the list may change at Epic's discretion. As for prizes, Epic's not talking yet.

JoystiqGears of War 3 celebrates the holidays with 12 Days of Gearsmas originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-days-of-gearsmasepicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxTue, 13 Dec 2011 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Raam's Shadow DLC showcased in latest Gears of War 3 screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/raams-shadow-dlc-showcased-in-latest-gears-of-war-3-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/raams-shadow-dlc-showcased-in-latest-gears-of-war-3-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/08/raams-shadow-dlc-showcased-in-latest-gears-of-war-3-screens/#comments Surprisingly, the Raam's Shadow DLC for Gears of War 3 is about more than just a solemn Locust brooding in the darkness. It's also about shooting lots of stuff with enormous future guns, as portrayed in the latest screens.

Continue reading Raam's Shadow DLC showcased in latest Gears of War 3 screens

JoystiqRaam's Shadow DLC showcased in latest Gears of War 3 screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcdownloadable-contentepicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftmicrosoft-game-studiosmicrosoft-studiosraams-shadowxboxThu, 08 Dec 2011 12:55:00 EST<![CDATA[People Can Fly doing Gears of War prequel trilogy 'a likely scenario,' says OXM]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/25/people-can-fly-doing-gears-of-war-prequel-trilogy-a-likely-scen/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/25/people-can-fly-doing-gears-of-war-prequel-trilogy-a-likely-scen/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/25/people-can-fly-doing-gears-of-war-prequel-trilogy-a-likely-scen/#comments Here we are, roughly six years into the "next-generation" lifecycle and we're seeing the third installments of major franchises. In a one-year period, we'll see Resistance 3, Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3, Mass Effect 3, Assassin's Creed: Revolution (sort of), and Gears of War 3. And while not all of these episodes represent the end of a considered story arc, Epic Games hasn't been shy about calling Gears of War 3 the end of the line for Dom and crew. Which raises the question: Who will handle the lucrative Gears franchise going forward?

"Gears of War will live on, of course, but in what form?" the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine posits, via CVG, before suggesting "a prequel trilogy developed by Epic-owned People Can Fly (Bulletstorm) as a likely scenario." With Bulletstorm failing to reach profitability (and presumably failing the basic litmus test for being franchised), People Can Fly will be looking for something to work on.

With three Gears titles under their belts, the core North Carolina-based Epic team may be eager to move onto greener pastures. For now, they're working on RAAM's Shadow, the first piece of campaign DLC in the Gears trilogy, and notably a prequel. Sounds like a nice way to hand things off, doesn't it?

JoystiqPeople Can Fly doing Gears of War prequel trilogy 'a likely scenario,' says OXM originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warGears-of-War-3microsoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosmicrosoft-studiosOXMpeople-can-flyxboxFri, 25 Nov 2011 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Free Gears of War 3 DLC map pack available now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/24/psa-free-gears-of-war-3-dlc-map-pack-available-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/24/psa-free-gears-of-war-3-dlc-map-pack-available-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/24/psa-free-gears-of-war-3-dlc-map-pack-available-now/#comments The Gears of War 3 maps bundled with the "Horde Command Pack" are now available for free. The "Booster Map Pack" includes new arenas Azura, Blood Drive and Rustlong, along with tweaked favorites Bulletmarch Mulletbarch Bulletmarsh and Clocktower.

The pack strictly offers the maps from the Horde Command Pack and does not include the updated Horde fortifications, playable characters, or the weapon skins. "RAAM's Shadow," a campaign-based addition, is the next piece of Gears 3 DLC on deck for December 13, at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15).

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Horde Command Pack)

JoystiqPSA: Free Gears of War 3 DLC map pack available now originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booster-map-packdlcEpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3Horde-Command-PackThu, 24 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears 3's Bullet Marsh video flythrough will devour you whole]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/gears-3s-bullet-marsh-video-flythrough-will-devour-you-whole/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/gears-3s-bullet-marsh-video-flythrough-will-devour-you-whole/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/gears-3s-bullet-marsh-video-flythrough-will-devour-you-whole/#comments It's very, very important that you don't travel too far from the light in the upcoming, rebooted Gears of War 3 map Bullet Marsh. Not because its shadiest corners house equally shady characters -- unless, of course, you consider maneating Kryll swarms shady. Which ... um, you might, now that we think about it.

Epic recently posted some information and a video flythrough of Bullet Marsh, one of the five free battlegrounds included in the Booster Map Pack, due out Thanksgiving Day. Check it out, and seriously, watch out for those swarms. Getting eaten by bugs is one of the worst ways to die in Gears 3, right behind getting chainsawed in half, curb-stomped and exploded.

JoystiqGears 3's Bullet Marsh video flythrough will devour you whole originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booster-map-packbullet-marshdlcepicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxFri, 18 Nov 2011 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Best Buy: Get Gears 3 and 800 MS Points for $35]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/best-buy-get-gears-3-and-800-ms-points-for-35/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/best-buy-get-gears-3-and-800-ms-points-for-35/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/best-buy-get-gears-3-and-800-ms-points-for-35/#comments Baird likes Alan Rickman.
Want to put an end to the Locust threat on the cheap? Best Buy has the deal for you then, as it's currently offering Gears of War 3 for 35 bucks. As an added bonus, the retailer will even throw in an extra 800 Microsoft Points to boot. That's like getting some DLC (or one third of the season pass) for free. Just head over to the deal page on Best Buy's website, follow the instructions and get to chainsawin'.

JoystiqBest Buy: Get Gears 3 and 800 MS Points for $35 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-buyepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxWed, 16 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 getting Title Update 2 tonight with spectator mode, easier medals and mutators]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/gears-of-war-3-getting-title-update-2-tonight-with-spectator-mod/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/gears-of-war-3-getting-title-update-2-tonight-with-spectator-mod/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/gears-of-war-3-getting-title-update-2-tonight-with-spectator-mod/#comments Epic's Rod Fergusson says on Twitter that Gears of War 3 is getting its Title Update 2 this evening at 2am PDT. Here's the list of what's changing; the biggest update is that the game is getting a spectator mode for gaming leagues to use which will turn the normally 5v5 matches into 4v4, with each team getting an optional spectator spot. Players grinding for rewards will appreciate the update as well, as the Leader and Vengeful medals are easier to earn, as are the Roadie Comet and Regen Enemies mutators.

The update also tweaks some UI functionality, including adding an indicator during King of the Hill matches, and adding the option to remove the UI for machinima and video producers. And there are a few bugfixes as well -- host migration in Horde will now stick to the same wave as when it happened, and there are fixes for the lost progress and profile freezing issues that players have experienced.

Fergusson says the update will bring down the game's dedicated servers temporarily, and players will need to restart their games to load it up. But follow those instructions, and you can be back to scratching all of the grubs you want.

JoystiqGears of War 3 getting Title Update 2 tonight with spectator mode, easier medals and mutators originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gearsGears-of-War-3improvementsmachinimamicrosoftpatchrod-fergussonspectator-modetitle-update-2uiupdatexboxxbox-liveTue, 15 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RAAM's Shadow priced and dated; Horde Command Pack maps go free on Nov 24]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/raams-shadow-priced-and-dated-horde-command-pack-maps-go-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/raams-shadow-priced-and-dated-horde-command-pack-maps-go-free/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/raams-shadow-priced-and-dated-horde-command-pack-maps-go-free/#comments If you've purchased the Gears of War 3 Horde Command Pack, now available, you've got access to three new maps titled Azura, Rustlung, and Blood Drive. However, if you wait until November 24, you'll be able to snag those three maps along with two Gears 1 favorites, Swamp and Clocktower, in the free "Versus Booster Map Pack" update. Of course, that free update leaves out the new Horde fortification upgrades, the new playable characters and weapon skins and, perhaps most importantly for some of you, the Horde Command Pack's 250 Achievement points.

But if it's single-player DLC you're interested in, RAAM's Shadow will be available on December 13 for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15). That buys you "more than three hours" of prequel gameplay, six new multiplayer characters, and another 250 Achievement points. It also gives us another opportunity to learn more about Locust war hero, General RAAM ... what are his motivations? What about his feelings?

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Horde Command Pack)

Continue reading RAAM's Shadow priced and dated; Horde Command Pack maps go free on Nov 24

JoystiqRAAM's Shadow priced and dated; Horde Command Pack maps go free on Nov 24 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftmicrosoft-game-studiosmicrosoft-studiosraams-shadowrelease-dateversus-booster-map-packxboxTue, 01 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 'Horde Command' DLC available now [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-dlc-delayed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-dlc-delayed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-dlc-delayed/#comments Gears of War 3's first major piece of DLC, "Horde Command Pack," has been temporarily delayed. Epic Games made the announcement on its forums, blaming a "technical issue" for the last-minute postponement.

"We have folks working around the clock to resolve this issue ASAP so you can all play and enjoy the Command Pack," Epic noted. "The Epic Games Community team will stick around and keep you posted with any further information."

Epic informs us that the current delay will not affect the launch plans for the second piece of DLC, "RAAM's Shadow," already scheduled for December.

Update: Less than a day, good on Epic. The "Horde Command Pack" is available now.

[Thanks, Dusty]

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Horde Command Pack)

JoystiqGears of War 3 'Horde Command' DLC available now [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delaydlcEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3horde-commandmicrosoftxboxTue, 01 Nov 2011 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 celebrates Halloween with pumpkin heads]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/gears-of-war-3-celebrates-halloween-with-pumpkin-heads/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/gears-of-war-3-celebrates-halloween-with-pumpkin-heads/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/gears-of-war-3-celebrates-halloween-with-pumpkin-heads/#comments
Have you loaded up some multiplayer in Gears of War 3 yet today? You may notice something festive: all players now have gigantic cartoonish pumpkin heads in celebration of Halloween.

The video above was captured and sent in by one of our readers. Overall, it's a pretty neat nod to the holiday, if we may say so, though the headshot around the 1:20 mark is a bit unsettling. We don't like the idea of blood inside of a pumpkin.

[Thanks, KingOfGods]

JoystiqGears of War 3 celebrates Halloween with pumpkin heads originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicGears-of-War-3halloweenmicrosoftxboxMon, 31 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 ventures into 'RAAM's Shadow' DLC this December]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/gears-of-war-3-ventures-into-raams-shadow-dlc-in-december/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/gears-of-war-3-ventures-into-raams-shadow-dlc-in-december/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/gears-of-war-3-ventures-into-raams-shadow-dlc-in-december/#comments You can now count time travel and resurrection among the miracles made possible through DLC. Microsoft and Epic Games have announced "RAAM's Shadow," an add-on campaign for Gears of War 3 that precedes the events of the first game and brings back a few familiar, snarling faces.

Due on Dec. 13, "RAAM's Shadow" sees Zeta Squad attempting to evacuate Illima City in the wake of Emergence Day. Your muscular protagonists for the trip are Michael Barrick (plucked from Gears of War comics), original character Alicia Valera, Gears of War 2's tattooed Tai Kaliso, and a perforation-free version of Lt. Kim. (Presumably, he's still got the codes.)

RAAM's running time is pegged at three hours, and it offers a couple of other bonuses. For $15 / 1200 MSP you'll also get six more multiplayer characters, the "chocolate" weapon set (we're unclear if that refers to a color scheme or a dairy-based construction), Achievements amounting to 250 Gamerscore and -- oh, what's this? "In addition to fighting as a new squad of Gears, players will step into the boots of RAAM himself, and for the first time storm the human stronghold from the perspective of one of the series' most legendary bosses."

As with the first round of upcoming DLC, "Horde Command," Gears of War 3 Season Pass owners get RAAM'd for free.

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (RAAM's Shadow)

Continue reading Gears of War 3 ventures into 'RAAM's Shadow' DLC this December

JoystiqGears of War 3 ventures into 'RAAM's Shadow' DLC this December originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftmicrosoft-studiosq4-2011raams-shadowrelease-datexboxThu, 20 Oct 2011 09:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Bricks of War murders a lot of Lego Locust]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/bricks-of-war-murders-a-lot-of-lego-locust/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/bricks-of-war-murders-a-lot-of-lego-locust/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/bricks-of-war-murders-a-lot-of-lego-locust/#comments
Legos make everything better -- if you need proof, simply play the video above. Entitled Bricks of War, it's a pretty great interpretation of the Locust genocide Marcus Fenix is responsible for. What happened to live and let live?

JoystiqBricks of War murders a lot of Lego Locust originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bricks-of-warepicepic-gamesGears-of-War-3legomicrosoft-studiosTue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[September NPD: Madden, Gears, Dead Island are hits (Updated with Nintendo hardware numbers!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/september-npd-madden-gears-dead-island-are-hits/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/september-npd-madden-gears-dead-island-are-hits/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/september-npd-madden-gears-dead-island-are-hits/#comments It should come as no surprise that Madden NFL 12 beat everything else in NPD's software chart for the month of September, unless you're really not into sports games and forgot it came out. Second place is also pretty expected, with the massive rollout of Gears of War 3 massively rolling into people's homes. Third place, however, is a bit more interesting -- Dead Island, from semi-obscure publisher Deep Silver, outsold almost everything else based on the strength of that trailer and the word "zombies." Find the top ten after the break.

In hardware, Microsoft reported Xbox 360 takes the top hardware spot once again, touting 438,000 units sold in the month. Nintendo reports sales of 360,000 3DS units in the five week September reporting period, as well as 240,000 Wiis and 145,000 DS systems. Sony has not released official sales numbers for the PS3 or PSP.

In larger trends, total industry sales are down 6 percent year over year, with a mere $1.16 billion changing hands in September.

Continue reading September NPD: Madden, Gears, Dead Island are hits (Updated with Nintendo hardware numbers!)

JoystiqSeptember NPD: Madden, Gears, Dead Island are hits (Updated with Nintendo hardware numbers!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdead-islanddsgears-of-war-3madden-nfl-12microsoftnintendonpdnpd-monthlypcplaystationps3wiixboxThu, 13 Oct 2011 20:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 stats show shotgun domination; sawed-off weakened]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/gears-of-war-3-stats-show-shotgun-domination-sawed-off-weakened/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/gears-of-war-3-stats-show-shotgun-domination-sawed-off-weakened/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/gears-of-war-3-stats-show-shotgun-domination-sawed-off-weakened/#comments
This isn't going to make the rollin' shotties crowd happy. Effective today, the sawed-off shotgun in Gears of War 3 no longer results in "gibs" at a range further than the gnasher. Epic shared that little detail along with weapon stat slides that showed, among other things, that shotguns comprised 72 percent of quick match kills.

"Pretty much, 45 percent of the kills are caused by gnasher [in quick match]," Epic's Senior Gameplay Programmer Pete Knepley explains in the video. "Gnasher domination is still continuing, but it's not as bad as Gears 2, where it was pretty much 10 to 1 against the lancer."

If you're looking to avoid the Gears shotgun frustration fest(R), head into a "ranked match" instead of "quick match" to reduce the odds of being shredded.

JoystiqGears of War 3 stats show shotgun domination; sawed-off weakened originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3microsoftstatsxboxxbox-liveWed, 12 Oct 2011 10:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 'Horde Command' DLC detailed by X-Play]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-dlc-detailed-by-x-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-dlc-detailed-by-x-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-dlc-detailed-by-x-play/#comments Gears of War 3's "Horde Command" DLC arrives on November 1, and X-Play has a clip detailing the contents. The video explains the new command center fortification, along with the Onyx Guard decoy, fire turret and Silverback upgrades.

Horde Command will be available for 800 MSP ($10) standalone, or unlocked with the Gears of War 3 season pass. Check out X-Play's video after the break.

Continue reading Gears of War 3 'Horde Command' DLC detailed by X-Play

JoystiqGears of War 3 'Horde Command' DLC detailed by X-Play originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3hordehorde-commandmicrosoftxboxTue, 11 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 causing some Xboxes to grind to a halt [Update: Epic responds]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/gears-of-war-3-causing-some-xboxes-to-grind-to-a-halt/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/gears-of-war-3-causing-some-xboxes-to-grind-to-a-halt/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/gears-of-war-3-causing-some-xboxes-to-grind-to-a-halt/#comments Gears of War 3 players are flooding the Epic forums with complaints of freezing issues, which occur when players attempt to load a game mode. Specifically, it seems to be limited to splitscreen Horde play with two profiles -- when the glitch hits, it permanently alters one of the profiles, making it impossible to enter any game mode. So ... that's not a great bug.

Epic is aware of it; in fact, Epic rep Rykard posted a questionnaire attempting to nail down the exact issue. We're checking in with Epic for an ETA on the fix. Until then ... try not to play Horde mode in splitscreen.

Update: Epic Games tells us, "Getting this resolved is a priority for Epic. We are collecting information internally, sourcing as much as possible from the community and exploring potential fixes. We do not have any recommendations to share with players just yet."

[Thanks, CJ]

JoystiqGears of War 3 causing some Xboxes to grind to a halt [Update: Epic responds] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesfreezingGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxMon, 10 Oct 2011 10:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 'Horde Command Pack' gets defensive Nov. 1 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-pack-gets-defensive-nov-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-pack-gets-defensive-nov-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-pack-gets-defensive-nov-1/#comments Gears of War 3's first DLC pack, "Horde Command," will enter the fray on November 1. Available for 800 MSP ($10), or through the game's "season pass," the DLC includes three new maps, a few characters (Onyx Guard, Big Rig Dizzy, Bernie), weapon skins and, most exciting, new fortifications for Horde mode.

The new fortifications include a command center that allows players to call in support from snipers, mortars or Hammers of Dawn. A decoy upgrade that can create a fighting Onyx Guard bot, a sentry upgrade that adds a fire bolt for more damage and is really helpful against berserkers, and a Silverback upgrade with rockets and repair cost reduction.

Update: Contacted Microsoft about "Horde Command" compatibility with non-DLC users. Answers after break.

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Horde Command Pack)

Continue reading Gears of War 3 'Horde Command Pack' gets defensive Nov. 1 [update]

JoystiqGears of War 3 'Horde Command Pack' gets defensive Nov. 1 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3microsoftxboxTue, 04 Oct 2011 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[FIFA 12 first on UK charts, beats GTA 4 debut]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/fifa-12-first-on-uk-charts-beats-gta-4-debut/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/fifa-12-first-on-uk-charts-beats-gta-4-debut/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/fifa-12-first-on-uk-charts-beats-gta-4-debut/#comments
FIFA 12, obviously, debuted at the top of the UK charts this past week. The semi-surprise is the latest installment of the footie franchise became the third largest multi-format debut ever, surpassing Grand Theft Auto 4 and sitting comfortably behind Call of Duty's Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2, which hold first and second place, respectively.

According to Chart-Track, FIFA 12 unit sales were up 18 percent from FIFA 11, with revenue up 34 percent. Last year, EA announced that FIFA 11 was its "fastest selling sports game ever." Unless the rest of the world suddenly develops some football aversion, it would appear that FIFA 12 is about to best that record.

Gears of War 3 experienced a 76 percent drop in sales from its mega premiere, but it was still enough to maintain second place. Codemaster's F1 2011 kept the gas on and held its position right behind Gears for a second week.

Debuts that didn't make the top ten last week included Activision Blizzard's slapdash X-Men: Destiny in 18th, and the PS3 version of Child of Eden, which helped the series jump 765 percent and into 29th place. The UK top ten can be found after the break.

Continue reading FIFA 12 first on UK charts, beats GTA 4 debut

JoystiqFIFA 12 first on UK charts, beats GTA 4 debut originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BritainChart-Trackchart-track-weeklyF1-2011fifa-12fifa-soccer-12Gears-of-War-3microsoftnintendoplaystationps3UkwiixboxMon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LEGO Lancer is a ludicrous, life-size labor of love]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/lego-lancer-is-a-ludicrous-life-size-labor-of-love/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/lego-lancer-is-a-ludicrous-life-size-labor-of-love/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/lego-lancer-is-a-ludicrous-life-size-labor-of-love/#comments
We've been known to have a bit of a penchant for LEGO ourselves, but the kits we snap together usually come with diagramed instructions and have more to do with fanciful medieval castles than brutal alien slaughter, and they sure as hell aren't life-size, functional engineering marvels.

PlumBrothers' 1:1 scale Lancer is one of the most impressive LEGO builds we've seen in a long, long time, partly due to its aesthetically accurate construction, but mostly because of the boggling amount of engineering that went into this thing. Not only is it a working rubber-band gun, but the weapon's rubber payload is loaded into working clips. Once the safety (!!) is disabled, the user has their choice of single or burst firing modes at their disposal. The chainsaw even moves and everything.

Screw gold, plastic is the new hotness.

JoystiqLEGO Lancer is a ludicrous, life-size labor of love originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-Gamesgears-of-warGears-of-War-3lancerLEGOlego-lancermicrosoftxboxYouTubeSat, 01 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 sold over 3 million units in first week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/gears-of-war-3-sold-over-3-million-units-in-first-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/gears-of-war-3-sold-over-3-million-units-in-first-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/gears-of-war-3-sold-over-3-million-units-in-first-week/#comments
Microsoft announced this morning that Gears of War 3 surpassed three million sales during its first week at retail. The publisher also reveled in this small window of opportunity to say that Gears 3, in just one week, "has already grossed more than any 2011 video game to date." That's a record it'll be lucky to hold past November 8 when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 drops.

The success of the latest sequel also pushes the Gears of War franchise over the billion dollar mark in lifetime sales, Microsoft claims. It is also the only Xbox 360-exclusive franchise to reach this milestone after being introduced during the current console generation -- ruling out the longer-running Halo for that ultra-specific sales commendation.

Continue reading Gears of War 3 sold over 3 million units in first week

JoystiqGears of War 3 sold over 3 million units in first week originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epic-GamesGears-of-War-3microsoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosMicrosoft-GamessalesxboxThu, 29 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 campaign DLC will focus on different cast]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/gears-of-war-3-campaign-dlc-will-focus-on-different-cast/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/gears-of-war-3-campaign-dlc-will-focus-on-different-cast/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/gears-of-war-3-campaign-dlc-will-focus-on-different-cast/#comments We know to expect the voice of Aisha Tyler in upcoming Gears of War 3 campaign DLC, but the rest of the cast remains a mystery. Posting in a NeoGAF thread, designer Cliff Bleszinski shared some additional details, explaining that the story won't be focused on the game's core cast.

And though it won't be based on the Gears of War graphic novels either, former Stranded-turned-COG Michael Barrick will appear. "No, it won't be the graphic novel, but it will have all new campaign content that doesn't have Marcus, Dom, Cole and Baird in it," Bleszinski wrote. "Expect Barrick and more..."

We're assuming Aisha Tyler won't be the one playing Barrick.

JoystiqGears of War 3 campaign DLC will focus on different cast originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskidlcepic-gamesGears-of-War-3microsoftmicrosoft-studiosxboxWed, 28 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3, F1 2011 race to top of UK charts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/gears-of-war-3-f1-2011-race-to-top-of-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/gears-of-war-3-f1-2011-race-to-top-of-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/gears-of-war-3-f1-2011-race-to-top-of-uk-charts/#comments
Codemaster's annual F1 racing series would have taken the checkered flag for a second year in its debut week on the UK charts, but with competition like Gears of War 3 it'll have to settle for a respectable second place finish. According to Chart-Track, Epic's conclusion to the Gears trilogy sold nearly as many copies in its first week on sale as the first two combined during their launch weeks. Gears 3 is the seventh largest Xbox 360 launch to date (Call of Duty: Black Ops rules that roost).

Zombie RPG Dead Island won't die. Having held the top spot for the past two weeks, the title finally shambles on down to third. It's poetic, really, since it's keeping Zumba Fitness company. The unholy fitness game, which danced into fourth last week, must be a death walker since it refuses to die, despite insane competition.

Zumba Fitness keeps selling as Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Driver: San Francisco, Warhammer 40K: Space Marine and Resistance 3 slip down the charts. Check out the UK top ten after the break.

Continue reading Gears of War 3, F1 2011 race to top of UK charts

JoystiqGears of War 3, F1 2011 race to top of UK charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>britainChart-Trackchart-track-weeklyDead-IslandF1-2011Gears-of-War-3microsoftpcplaystationps3UKxboxZumba-FitnessMon, 26 Sep 2011 09:25:00 EST<![CDATA[The Cluckshot is Gears of War 3's fabulous hidden weapon, here's how to get it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/the-cluckshot-is-gears-of-war-3s-fabulous-hidden-weapon-heres/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/the-cluckshot-is-gears-of-war-3s-fabulous-hidden-weapon-heres/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/the-cluckshot-is-gears-of-war-3s-fabulous-hidden-weapon-heres/#comments
Standard issue anything is such a drag, you know? These days, you have to accessorize and customize just to get noticed on the battlefield, and even then it's become such a chore to stand out while staying alive. Sure, golden Lancers are cool and everything, but experienced COGs know that flashy blinged-out weapons only exist to give away your position and get you killed.

What's a Gear like you to do, then? Well friend, take it from the fashionistas over at GameFront: Chickens are the new black. Their helpful how-to video (above) details every little thing you need to do in order to unlock the Cluckshot, Gears of War 3's avian-themed (and rather literal) easter-egg weapon. With this trendy new weapon, you'll be the cock of the walk, and those fashion-backward Locusts will have egg on their faces!

JoystiqThe Cluckshot is Gears of War 3's fabulous hidden weapon, here's how to get it originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cluckshoteaster-eggEpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3microsoftwalkthroughxboxYouTubeSun, 25 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mysterious Gears of War 3 maps revealed by leaderboard, no you can't play them]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/mysterious-gears-of-war-3-maps-revealed-by-leaderboard-no-you-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/mysterious-gears-of-war-3-maps-revealed-by-leaderboard-no-you-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/mysterious-gears-of-war-3-maps-revealed-by-leaderboard-no-you-c/#comments Gears of War 3 may not see its first infusion of downloadable goodness until November, but the xenophobic chainsaw sculpting simulator may have already given us a glimpse at the battles yet to come: Tucked away in the leaderboards are listings for three unannounced and currently inaccessible maps: Rustlung, Azura, and Blood Drive.

Now, we're not entirely prepared to call this thing a duck, despite its rather convincing quacking. These maps could be part of a future DLC pack, true, but they could just as easily be developer levels used for testing; maps which will never, ever be released to the public. For now, all we can do is wait, and speculate.

[Thanks, Laurence!]

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Azura, Blood Drive and Rustlung)

JoystiqMysterious Gears of War 3 maps revealed by leaderboard, no you can't play them originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCEpicEpic-GamesGears-of-War-3map-packmapsmicrosoftrumorxboxSun, 25 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST