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[Variety: Gears of War movie script back in the works]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/variety-gears-of-war-movie-script-back-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/variety-gears-of-war-movie-script-back-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/variety-gears-of-war-movie-script-back-in-the-works/#comments Gears of War movie gets a producer, script to be developedThe ethereal Gears of War movie is back in the headlines, with Variety reporting that producer Scott Stuber has signed on with the project. There's still no writer or distributor attached, but Stuber will work with his own studio, called Bluegrass Films, and Epic Games to develop a script and finance the project. Universal Studios currently has first look rights to whatever he can come up with.

Stuber has produced a number of big-budget films, including Battleship, Ted, and the upcoming 47 Ronin. A movie based on Gears of War was originally set for a release in 2010, but that project allegedly fell apart due to "creative differences."

JoystiqVariety: Gears of War movie script back in the works originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gears-of-wargears-of-war-judgementgears-of-war-judgmentmicrosoftproducerscott-stuberuniversaluniversal-studioswriterxboxMon, 29 Apr 2013 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Astronauts and Ethan Carter steer away from 'mammoth-sized' games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/the-astronauts-and-ethan-carter-steer-away-from-mammoth-sized/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/the-astronauts-and-ethan-carter-steer-away-from-mammoth-sized/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/the-astronauts-and-ethan-carter-steer-away-from-mammoth-sized/#comments Former People Can Fly devs not interested in AAA gamesThe Astronauts are working on an eerie, macabre, non-combat game called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and while we're still not sure exactly what it is, one thing is certain - it's not AAA. After founding People Can Fly, working on Bulletstorm and Gears of War, and leaving to start an indie studio, designer Adrian Chmielarz says AAA games have lost their appeal.

"We're no longer excited by mammoth-sized games," Chmielarz tells Games Industry International. "We're still very interested in high quality, but now and in the future we want to focus on smaller projects."

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter will involve death and murder, but won't feature any shooting. It's a game of discovery, similar to Dear Esther, but with more corpses, as Chmielarz describes. Horror is thriving on the indie scene, he says, and he hopes Ethan Carter shows that video games can offer a broader range of experiences. But if no one understands this approach and the game bombs, The Astronauts may need to come back to Earth.

"If we don't slip, we'll have just enough money for this first project, and then it's sink or float," Chmielarz says. "Kickstarter was tempting, sure, whether we like it or not it's a great marketing tool and gives your project that extra visibility boost. But we think that Kickstarter should only be used by those studios for which there's just no other way without losing their freedom. We're just old-fashioned this way."

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is due out on PC this year.

JoystiqThe Astronauts and Ethan Carter steer away from 'mammoth-sized' games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaabulletstormgears-of-warMainStreampcpeople-can-flythe-astronautsthe-vanishing-of-ethan-carterTue, 05 Mar 2013 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War: Judgment leaks online, Microsoft warns of account bans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/gears-of-war-judgment-leaks-online-microsoft-warns-of-account/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/gears-of-war-judgment-leaks-online-microsoft-warns-of-account/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/19/gears-of-war-judgment-leaks-online-microsoft-warns-of-account/#comments Gears of War: Judgment has reportedly leaked to torrent sites on the web a full month before the game's March 19 release date. "We are aware of isolated cases in which 'Gears of War: Judgment' content has been propped on the Web and are working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation immediately," a Microsoft spokesperson told Joystiq.

It's unclear just how finished the pirated version of the game is. According to Eurogamer, the copy of the game leaked is "apparently complete."

"Consumers should be aware that piracy is illegal and we take vigorous action against illegal activity related to our products and services. Playing pirated copies of games, such as 'Gears of War: Judgment,' is a violation of the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and will result in enforcement action, such as account and console bans," Microsoft added.

JoystiqGears of War: Judgment leaks online, Microsoft warns of account bans originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-Gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-judgmentleakmicrosoftxboxTue, 19 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War art director: 'It's tough to justify' a female lead character]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/gears-of-war-art-director-its-tough-to-justify-a-female-lead/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/gears-of-war-art-director-its-tough-to-justify-a-female-lead/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/gears-of-war-art-director-its-tough-to-justify-a-female-lead/#comments Gears of War art director 'It's tough to justify' a female lead characterIn a macho, Power Thirst-inspired market, it's difficult to sell a game with a female protagonist, Epic Games art director Chris Perna tells OXM.

"If you look at what sells, it's tough to justify something like that," Perna says.

Epic's Gears of War series features supporting female characters that Perna describes as "butch," rather than a stereotypical portrayal of feminine beauty in an action game.

"You see the implants and the blonde hair and pants and you roll your eyes - it's almost like the game geek's idealization of what a woman should be. I think because we didn't go that route we have more believability." Perna continues, "They're still feminine. Anya in Gears 3 comes across as being very feminine, and I think it works."

Perna says player feedback supports his theory, in the form of female players dressing up as Gears of War characters at conventions and shows.

"They feel empowered," he says. "They put on that armor and they walk around with these massive weapons and I think they get a kick out of it - I get a kick out of seeing it. From what we've heard, when they play the game they feel empowered and they feel good. Some of the feedback I've heard from women that I talk to is that if we'd made these women more feminine and more stereotypical it wouldn't have been so nice."

JoystiqGears of War art director: 'It's tough to justify' a female lead character originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epic-Gamesfemalegears-of-warladiesmicrosoftwomenxboxMon, 18 Feb 2013 22:15:00 EST<![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[Gears of War: Judgment's Free-For-All mode playable this week at PAX Prime]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/gears-of-war-judgments-free-for-all-mode-playable-this-week-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/gears-of-war-judgments-free-for-all-mode-playable-this-week-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/29/gears-of-war-judgments-free-for-all-mode-playable-this-week-at/#comments More info on freeforall in Gears Judgment
The "Free-For-All" mode coming to Gears of War: Judgment will be playable at this weekend's PAX Prime show in Seattle. As you can tell by the name, the mode is essentially a full deathmatch, pitting each player against everyone else in a race for most kills.

The PAX demo will offer two new maps as well: Gondola features a series of apartments in the Agora foothills, with players fighting it out on various balconies and yards in a luxury living community; while Library is a huge archival building set in the Gears universe, featuring austere hallways and what are sure to be plenty of lore references to the setting of the game.

We'll definitely play through both this weekend at PAX, and you'll be able to play them yourself when the game arrives on March 19 next year.

JoystiqGears of War: Judgment's Free-For-All mode playable this week at PAX Prime originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-judgmentgow-judgmentmicrosoftpax-prime-2012xboxWed, 29 Aug 2012 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic shares Gears of War insight and trivia at Comic-Con panel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/epic-shares-gears-of-war-insight-and-trivia-at-comic-con-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/epic-shares-gears-of-war-insight-and-trivia-at-comic-con-panel/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/epic-shares-gears-of-war-insight-and-trivia-at-comic-con-panel/#comments Epic shares Gears insight and trivia at ComicCon panelCliff Bleszinski, Design Director at Epic Games, along with Production Director Rod Fergusson, voice actor Fred Tatasciore (the voice of Baird as well as "most of the Locusts") and writers Rob Auten and Tom Bissell all took the stage at Comic-Con 2012 for a panel about Gears of War: Judgment. The biggest piece of news out of the panel was that Judgment has a release date: We'll be killing grubs as Baird in the prequel on March 19.

The rest of the panel, however, contained a few juicy bits of Gears trivia, just for fans of the series. If you've lived and died with the COGs for three games now, read on.

Continue reading Epic shares Gears of War insight and trivia at Comic-Con panel

JoystiqEpic shares Gears of War insight and trivia at Comic-Con panel originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bairdcliff-bleszinskicomic-con-2012epic-gamesfred-tatascioregearsgears-of-wargears-of-war-judgmentjudgementlancermicrosoftpanelrod-fergussonsdcc-2012xboxTue, 17 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War: Judgment gameplay trailer smirks in the face of danger]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/gears-of-war-judgment-gameplay-trailer-smirks-in-the-face-of-da/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/gears-of-war-judgment-gameplay-trailer-smirks-in-the-face-of-da/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/gears-of-war-judgment-gameplay-trailer-smirks-in-the-face-of-da/#comments
If we've learned anything from the very first gameplay video of Gears of War: Judgment, it's that subterranean creatures are still super gross, and shooting them into gooey pieces still looks remarkably satisfying. In fact, everything about this video looks exceptionally Gears of Wars-y, although Epic Game's director of development Rod Fergusson maintains that Judgment is less scripted than previous entries in the series.

The game's new asymmetric, class-based multiplayer mode, dubbed Overrun, is also showcased, as are its defensively oriented COG soldiers and offensively focused Locust grubs.

JoystiqGears of War: Judgment gameplay trailer smirks in the face of danger originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012epicEpic-Gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-judgmentmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiospeople-can-flyxboxTue, 05 Jun 2012 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War: Judgment outed, looks like a prequel]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/gears-of-war-judgment-outed-looks-like-a-prequel/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/gears-of-war-judgment-outed-looks-like-a-prequel/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/gears-of-war-judgment-outed-looks-like-a-prequel/#comments Looks like Game Informer couldn't wait until Monday for the full reveal. The cover images for Gears of War: Judgment have been revealed, each depicting Damon Baird and Augustus "Cole Train" Cole in handcuffs, seemingly being escorted away from the battlefield by some COG soldiers. We're assuming this is a prequel because, dang, both these guys look young.

Look for the full unveiling on Monday, June 4 at 12:30PM ET/ 9:30AM PT during Microsoft's E3 press conference. Mantle past the break for the Baird cover.

Continue reading Gears of War: Judgment outed, looks like a prequel

JoystiqGears of War: Judgment outed, looks like a prequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-judgementgears-of-war-judgmentmicrosoftxboxFri, 01 Jun 2012 17:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Next Gears of War graces Game Informer cover, full reveal Monday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/next-gears-of-war-graces-game-informer-cover-full-reveal-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/next-gears-of-war-graces-game-informer-cover-full-reveal-monday/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/next-gears-of-war-graces-game-informer-cover-full-reveal-monday/#comments ImageThe next installment in the Gears of War franchise will be the cover of the July issue of Game Informer. The final name and cover art won't be revealed until next Monday, during Microsoft's E3 press conference.

JoystiqNext Gears of War graces Game Informer cover, full reveal Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 May 2012 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warmicrosoftxboxThu, 31 May 2012 12:03:00 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[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[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[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[Unreal Engine 3 comes to Mac OS X, courtesy of September UDK release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/unreal-engine-3-comes-to-mac-os-x-courtesy-of-september-udk-rel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/unreal-engine-3-comes-to-mac-os-x-courtesy-of-september-udk-rel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/unreal-engine-3-comes-to-mac-os-x-courtesy-of-september-udk-rel/#comments A scant four years after announcing Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 3 were coming to Mac OS X, Epic has finally renewed its enthusiasm for the Mac with the announcement of native Unreal Engine 3 support, courtesy of the free-to-use Unreal Development Kit. "Every UDK game's potential user base has increased dramatically yet again," the announcement reads, promising a previews of the engine's Mac OS support in the September 2011 UDK release.

Considering Epic's high-profile support of Apple's Mac OS X-derived mobile operating system iOS, not to mention consistent Mac support from developers like Valve and Blizzard, Epic's entry in the space is hardly unexpected. But Mac support from Unreal Engine should extend far beyond Epic's own games; as one of the most popular development environments in existence, today's announcement (coupled with viable markets like Steam and the Mac OS App Store) should help UE-based developers reach an entirely new audience.

JoystiqUnreal Engine 3 comes to Mac OS X, courtesy of September UDK release originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Epic-GamesGears-Of-WarmacMac-OS-XUDKUE3Unreal-EngineUnreal-Engine-3Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3's Gridlock map has a special nod to Gary Jules' 'Mad World']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/gears-of-war-3-gridlock-gary-jules-mad-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/gears-of-war-3-gridlock-gary-jules-mad-world/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/16/gears-of-war-3-gridlock-gary-jules-mad-world/#comments
A few years ago there was no escaping the Gears of War ad that used Gary Jules' cover of "Mad World." Well, it's made its way into Gears of War 3, and right into the Gridlock map. It's a nice piece of fan service that you can check out in our video above.

JoystiqGears of War 3's Gridlock map has a special nod to Gary Jules' 'Mad World' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>easter-eggepic-gamesfan-servicegary-julesgary-jules-mad-worldgears-of-warGears-of-War-3mad-worldmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosxboxFri, 16 Sep 2011 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 review: The damage done]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/gears-of-war-3-review-the-damage-done/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/gears-of-war-3-review-the-damage-done/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/gears-of-war-3-review-the-damage-done/#comments A lot of high profile sequels are exceedingly self-conscious exercises in trying to manage player expectation, to change just enough, but throw in enough of the same to keep things familiar. Gears of War 3, on the other hand, is the most confident release this year.

The word polish is bestowed often, but Gears of War 3 is embarrassingly well assembled. Anyone who played this spring's multiplayer beta has an inkling of this. From a mechanical standpoint, the third-person, cover-based shooting in Gears has never been as fluid, as responsive to player input. Weapons feel and sound fantastic and pack the punch that previous iterations struggled with. But it isn't just those meat and potatoes aspects - or the beautiful, colorful visual palette on display, a marked departure from Gears 1 and 2 - it's the entire package. Nothing in Gears of War 3 feels like an afterthought.

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Review)

Continue reading Gears of War 3 review: The damage done

JoystiqGears of War 3 review: The damage done originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warGears-of-War-3microsoftmicrosoft-game-studiosxboxThu, 15 Sep 2011 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft looking into Gears of War 1 and 2 in Germany]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/microsoft-looking-into-gears-of-war-1-and-2-in-germany/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/microsoft-looking-into-gears-of-war-1-and-2-in-germany/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/microsoft-looking-into-gears-of-war-1-and-2-in-germany/#comments Epic Games president Mike Capps spoke at GDC Europe today, reiterating his surprise that Gears of War 3 received an "18" rating from the German USK, making it the first Gears not to be indexed in the region.

"We were so surprised that Gears of War 3 was rated here that we really didn't have an action plan," said Capps. "I'm very happy that the marketing team at Microsoft was able to put together a booth presence for us at Gamescom with a couple weeks notice. I've never even met them, cause we've never sold anything [Gears of War] in Germany before."

Capps said he thinks Microsoft is looking into getting the first two installments of the franchise released. He'd "love" to see that, especially if the company does a trilogy compilation and that passes the board.

Microsoft's response during its Gamescom event when we asked for comment: "We're looking into it."

JoystiqMicrosoft looking into Gears of War 1 and 2 in Germany originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-GamesGamescom-2011gdce-2011Gears-Of-WarmicrosoftxboxTue, 16 Aug 2011 22:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic on Gears of War 3 leak: 'saddening' and 'frustrating']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/epic-on-gears-of-war-3-leak-saddening-and-frustrating/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/epic-on-gears-of-war-3-leak-saddening-and-frustrating/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/epic-on-gears-of-war-3-leak-saddening-and-frustrating/#comments As you might imagine, Epic Games wasn't exactly thrilled when an unfinished version of Gears of War 3 leaked onto torrent sites early last month. Executive producer Rod Fergusson told Edge in a recent interview that the breach was "saddening" and "frustrating," mostly because some fans were choosing to "ruin their own experience" before the full game's launch.

Fergusson specifically called out folks who shared video of the leaked game online, adding, "I get people going, 'oh no, I just watched this thing on YouTube and it's totally given away something'. And I go, 'well, why did you go looking and why did you watch it?" Probably the same reason why we can't stop going to Nicolas Cage movies: We can't not watch them, despite the fact that they're pretty harmful to the human psyche.

JoystiqEpic on Gears of War 3 leak: 'saddening' and 'frustrating' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warGears-of-War-3leakmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosrod-fergussonxboxWed, 03 Aug 2011 00:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 grants extra goodies to previous Gears players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/25/gears-of-war-3-grants-extra-goodies-to-previous-gears-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/25/gears-of-war-3-grants-extra-goodies-to-previous-gears-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/25/gears-of-war-3-grants-extra-goodies-to-previous-gears-players/#comments If you got yourself a golden Lancer or Hammerburst (or both) in Gears of War 2, worry not about your bling when Gears of War 3 launches on September 20 -- they'll transfer over, Epic producer Rod Fergusson told MTV Multiplayer. Other unlockables tied to older Gears of War games will mainly revolve around Achievements.

"If you did something in Gears PC you get a chrome skin, if you did something in Gears 2 you get a chrome skin. The chrome set is sort of our thank you to people who played our games in the past." Fergusson also hinted at an incentive for those who've hit level 100 and unlocked the Veteran Gear Achievement in Gears 2, though he wouldn't provide exact details on what having that Achievement would mean in Gears 3.

Better get cracking if you're looking to get that "Seriously" Achievement in the original Gears of War!

JoystiqGears of War 3 grants extra goodies to previous Gears players originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Achievementsepic-gamesgears-of-warGears-of-War-3microsoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosxboxSat, 25 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Buy Bulletstorm, get Gears of War triple pack for $5 at Best Buy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/21/buy-bulletstorm-get-gears-of-war-triple-pack-for-5-at-best-buy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/21/buy-bulletstorm-get-gears-of-war-triple-pack-for-5-at-best-buy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/21/buy-bulletstorm-get-gears-of-war-triple-pack-for-5-at-best-buy/#comments As if you needed more incentive to pick up Bulletstorm outside of the Gears of War 3 beta inclusion (and, you know, all of the dick-scaring you crave), Best Buy is offering a special deal: the Gears of War triple pack for $5. It's $15 off the usual asking price, only when buying People Can Fly's private parts pounder. The Gears of War triple pack comes bundled with Gears of War, Gears of War 2 and the All Fronts DLC collection.

Caveat: the items may ship separately, so you may not receive both at the same time.

JoystiqBuy Bulletstorm, get Gears of War triple pack for $5 at Best Buy originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-frontsbest-buyBulletstormeaepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-2gears-of-war-triple-packmicrosoftpeople-can-flyxboxMon, 21 Feb 2011 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War free with Bulletstorm on Games For Windows next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gears-of-war-free-with-bulletstorm-on-games-for-windows-next-wee/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gears-of-war-free-with-bulletstorm-on-games-for-windows-next-wee/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gears-of-war-free-with-bulletstorm-on-games-for-windows-next-wee/#comments Microsoft's Games for Windows Marketplace is having a buy one, get one free sale on Epic Games shooters starring guys with really big arms. Specifically, the digital storefront is giving anyone who buys next week's foul-mouthed FPS Bulletstorm a free copy of the original Gears of War.

The deal will be valid from February 22 -- Bulletstorm's on-sale date -- through March 8. People Can Fly's game will carry a sticker price of $59.99, while Gears normally goes for $19.99.



JoystiqGears of War free with Bulletstorm on Games For Windows next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bulletstormeaelectronic-artsepic-gamesGames-for-Windowsgames-for-windows-livegames-for-windows-marketplacegears-of-warmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosThu, 17 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Gears of War an on-rails shooter on Kinect]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/rumor-gears-of-war-an-on-rails-shooter-on-kinect/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/rumor-gears-of-war-an-on-rails-shooter-on-kinect/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/09/rumor-gears-of-war-an-on-rails-shooter-on-kinect/#comments Though Epic design director Cliff Bleszinski has succinctly ruled out Kinect support for Gears of War 3, Kotaku's informants insist that Microsoft's motion-sensing camera will be used for a different Gears of War game (there's no indication of a connection to the recently trademarked title, Gears of War: Exile). According to "sources claiming to be familiar with the project," the unannounced game will be an on-rails shooter that automatically moves your meat-head man-tank while you mow down enemies.

Sources claiming to be totally unfamiliar with the project were like, "What, how's that going to work?" and, "Is there going to be another train level?" Thus far, Mr. Bleszinski has offered only a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the rumor, and we don't expect to hear concrete details until an official announcement -- if there is one. Twisted Pixel's upcoming marionette-'em-up, The Gunstringer, is one of the first games to promise accurate shooting via Kinect, but we've yet to see hand-guided cursors that can move with enough celerity to compete with shooters on the Wii or PlayStation Move.

Then again, Kinect also allows us to defeat Michael Phelps in a swimming contest, so anything is possible.

JoystiqRumor: Gears of War an on-rails shooter on Kinect originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warkinectmicrosoftshooterxboxWed, 09 Feb 2011 05:25:00 EST<![CDATA['Gears of War Ultimate' coming in February for $30, retail listing says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/gears-of-war-ultimate-coming-in-february-for-30-retail-listi/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/gears-of-war-ultimate-coming-in-february-for-30-retail-listi/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/gears-of-war-ultimate-coming-in-february-for-30-retail-listi/#comments The Gears of War franchise is no stranger to re-releases, having "Platinum" and "Game of the Year" collections across its two titles so far. However, it appears Microsoft is planning one more re-release, tentatively titled Gears of War Ultimate, according to a GameStop listing spotted by IGN. Pegged with a February 15th date, Ultimate has a $29.99 price tag.

Although the listing has since been removed, a Microsoft representative confirmed plans for a "forthcoming bundle SKU," suggesting that Ultimate is, at the very least, a compilation of the two Gears of War games. Don't expect to see any Gears of War 3-related content, though. The representative confirmed "it will not involve Gears of War 3 or the beta." You'll have to pick up Bulletstorm instead if you want entry into the beta.

Joystiq'Gears of War Ultimate' coming in February for $30, retail listing says originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warGears-Of-War-2gears-of-war-ultimatemicrosoftre-releasexboxSat, 01 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Marcus Fenix has a nice bust]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/marcus-fenix-has-a-nice-bust/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/marcus-fenix-has-a-nice-bust/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/marcus-fenix-has-a-nice-bust/#commentsFiled under: , ,

San Diego Comic Con is going to see up-close what Gears of War's Marcus Fenix would look like if he were ripped in half by a locust and preserved as a trophy. The "Marcus Fenix Epic Scale Bust," created by TriForce Sales (which also created the Locust bust a couple years back), will be available for purchase starting next Wednesday, July 21, online and at the show. The bust is approximately 32 inches (81 cm) tall and features LEDs throughout the armor and a COG Lancer gun.

The "Marcus Fenix Epic Scale Bust" will have a limited run of 500 units, selling for $350 apiece. The "Marcus Fenix Epic Scale Gold Lancer Edition Bust" will retail for $400, with only 100 made. A perfect piece for any corporate lobby or Locust hive.

Gallery: Marcus Fenix Epic Scale Bust

Continue reading Marcus Fenix has a nice bust

JoystiqMarcus Fenix has a nice bust originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-GamesGears-of-Warmarcus-fenixmarcus-fenix-bustmicrosofttriforcetriforce-salesxboxFri, 16 Jul 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War, Max Payne and Bioshock added to GFWL Games on Demand]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/gears-of-war-max-payne-and-bioshock-added-to-gfwl-games-on-dema/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/gears-of-war-max-payne-and-bioshock-added-to-gfwl-games-on-dema/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/gears-of-war-max-payne-and-bioshock-added-to-gfwl-games-on-dema/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Better late than never, right? Gears of War ($20), Bioshock ($20) and Max Payne ($10) have been added to Games for Windows Live's Games on Demand service.

[Thanks, TheWeaponeer]

JoystiqGears of War, Max Payne and Bioshock added to GFWL Games on Demand originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesbioshockdigital-distributionEpic-GamesGames-for-Windowsgames-for-windows-livegames-on-demandGears-Of-WarIrrational-Gamesmax-payneremedy-entertainmentSat, 10 Jul 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Rein: Epic is committed to PC, also making a game 'for mobile and tablet']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/mark-rein-epic-is-committed-to-pc-but-making-a-game-for-mobil/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/mark-rein-epic-is-committed-to-pc-but-making-a-game-for-mobil/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/mark-rein-epic-is-committed-to-pc-but-making-a-game-for-mobil/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Epic vice president Mark Rein talked to Rock, Paper, Shotgun recently and, when confronted with the allegation that the company has abandoned its PC roots, came out shooting. Rein says that a little console success with Gears of War doesn't mean that Epic has moved on from the platform that spawned Unreal and Unreal Tournament. "Don't confuse Gears of War with everything we do," he said. "Bulletstorm is PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, and you'll see when it comes out, it will be a full-blown, oh-my-god amazing PC game."

Of course, Rein admits that the PC isn't all -- in the rest of the interview, he maintains that mobile platforms like Apple's iOS and Android are going to be very important for gaming in the future, and that getting the Unreal engine running on those is a big priority with Epic. While PC is still the foundation, Epic is "going to make a game for mobile and tablet," Rein says. "We haven't announced anything yet, but it's due."

JoystiqMark Rein: Epic is committed to PC, also making a game 'for mobile and tablet' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidBulletstormepicgears-of-wariosmark-reinmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3unreal-development-kitxboxTue, 06 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Cliff Bleszinski on Gears of War 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/cliff-bleszinski-gears-of-war-3-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/cliff-bleszinski-gears-of-war-3-interview/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/cliff-bleszinski-gears-of-war-3-interview/#comments During E3, we managed to distract Cliff Bleszinski, design director for Epic Games and the face of Gears of War, long enough for an interview. Despite our intense interrogation, he remained a good sport throughout and offered us candid answers. The full interview follows.

Joystiq: Most of the things we want to ask, you probably can't talk about yet -- like Gears 3 multiplayer ...

Cliff Bleszinski: Can't talk about that yet.

Okay, let's try it this way: in Gears 1, a lot of people complained about opponents being able to roadie run into them, stun them with a punch and then shoot them -- and you guys fixed that with updates. Are you concerned that the new spearing ability, with the retro Lancer, is going to lead to similar complaints in Gears 3 multiplayer?

You know, we try our best that before we ship, we balance these things as much as possible. But when you release into the wild, you never know what the gamers are going to come up with.

So in regards to the Lancer charge, we're going to try our best to, you know, play with it as much as we can and you never know. We did six title updates to Gears 2 and we continue to refine that experience. Matchmaking wasn't the best at the start, but we stand behind our products and continue to support them.

Gallery: Gears of War 3

Continue reading Interview: Cliff Bleszinski on Gears of War 3

JoystiqInterview: Cliff Bleszinski on Gears of War 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cliff-Bleszinskie3-2010Epic-GamesGears-of-WarGears-of-War-3Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bleszinski: Horde mode will return in Gears of War 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/bleszinski-horde-mode-will-return-in-gears-of-war-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/bleszinski-horde-mode-will-return-in-gears-of-war-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/bleszinski-horde-mode-will-return-in-gears-of-war-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We recently sat down (literally) for a chat with Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski here at E3 and grilled him on all things Gears of War 3. While he couldn't give us much on the planned changes to Versus mode, he did confirm that everyone's favorite co-op online mode from Gears of War 2, Horde mode, would in fact return in Gears of War 3.

Even though Beast mode is in the limelight right now, it doesn't mean Epic Games has forgotten about Horde mode. "Everyone's assuming, for some reason, on my Twitter and stuff, that we're not going to have Horde," Bleszinski said. "Horde will be back. We're just not talking about it right now."

You can look for our full interview with Bleszinski in the next few days.

JoystiqBleszinski: Horde mode will return in Gears of War 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2010Epic-GamesGears-of-WarGears-of-War-3hordehorde-modeMicrosoft-Game-StudiosThu, 17 Jun 2010 13:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3, now with Ice-T]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/gears-of-war-3-now-with-ice-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/gears-of-war-3-now-with-ice-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/gears-of-war-3-now-with-ice-t/#commentsFiled under: , ,

That rumor about Ice-T playing a role in Gears of War 3? Totally true. The man himself took the stage at tonight's Gears of War 3 shindig in downtown LA, as indicated by Major Nelson on Twitter (and seen in the picture above, also care of Major's tweet). Apparently, he'll voice a character named Griffin, with Gears creator Cliff Bleszinski mentioning Ice "won't stop telling everyone about his role as Griffin in Gears 3."

What's that, you say? You're just as excited as we are to hear Ice-T's debut gameplay voiceover role? Good! Now get back to reading about E3 2010, won't you?

Update: Microsoft officially detailed Ice's character Griffin as the leader of "a rag-tag group of human survivors, known as the Stranded, who Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad will encounter as they battle the infected Lambent."

JoystiqGears of War 3, now with Ice-T originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cliff-Bleszinskie3e3-2010Gears-of-WarGears-of-War-3Ice-TmicrosoftThu, 17 Jun 2010 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More Gears of War 3 shots than you can shake a Locust at]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/more-gears-of-war-3-screens-than-you-can-shake-a-locust-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/more-gears-of-war-3-screens-than-you-can-shake-a-locust-at/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/more-gears-of-war-3-screens-than-you-can-shake-a-locust-at/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Click image to light up your eyes with new screens
Maybe you were sitting around today, contemplating Gears of War 3, expecting some new screenshots to pore over -- if so, we'd say Miss Cleo has got some competition. Epic Games was kind enough to send us some weapon renders, concept art and even some new in-game shots.

Feel free to take a spell in our gallery below and check out the new screens. We've got big dudes, bigger guns and even bigger mechs. What more could you want?

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (6/8/2010)

JoystiqMore Gears of War 3 shots than you can shake a Locust at originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EpicEpic-GamesGears-of-WarGears-of-War-3MicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosXbox-360Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 2 title update adds 'social matches,' DLC price drops]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/gears-of-war-2-title-update-adds-social-matches-dlc-price-dro/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/gears-of-war-2-title-update-adds-social-matches-dlc-price-dro/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/gears-of-war-2-title-update-adds-social-matches-dlc-price-dro/#comments Perhaps in an effort to get the Gears of War franchise back at the front of your mind meat before the third iteration arrives next year, Microsoft is trying a two-pronged effort to lure fans back to GoW 2. The first, Title Update 6, adds a feature called "Social Matches" which allows individual players or parties to drop in or out of ongoing games (yep, even Horde mode matches) without interruption. But you knew that already, right?

The only catch is that you can only use social matching if you own all of the game's map packs which have luckily been slashed to $10 for the lot of them (that's the second prong, by the way). Individual prices have been cut as well. Other balancing and fixes implemented by Title Update 6 (a full list of which is available right here) will be available to all players.

To mark the occasion, players will get triple experience gain from May 27 to June 1, which we guess is technically a third prong. Yep, that's right: We've got a rare promotional trident on our hands.

JoystiqGears of War 2 title update adds 'social matches,' DLC price drops originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcepicgears-of-wargears-of-war-2microsoftpatchtitle-updatetitle-update-6Xbox-360Wed, 26 May 2010 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[New Gears, BioShock 2 toys coming exclusively to Comic-Con]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/new-gears-bioshock-2-toys-coming-exclusively-to-comic-con/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/new-gears-bioshock-2-toys-coming-exclusively-to-comic-con/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/new-gears-bioshock-2-toys-coming-exclusively-to-comic-con/#comments Worried you'd never get a collectible based on Gears of War comic character Jace Stratton, a gentleman who has yet to put any face time into an actual Gears of War game series? Well quit it, worrywort! (You're only hurting yourself.) NECA recently told Toy News International that it'll be bringing Stratton -- and several BioShock 2 figures -- to the upcoming 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International for sale in limited quantities.

We'd love to tell you more about the BioShock 2 figures, but we're not trying to ruin the end of the game for those of you who might still be wary of spoilers. You can have a look for yourself right here.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqNew Gears, BioShock 2 toys coming exclusively to Comic-Con originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 May 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-figuresbioshock-2gears-of-wargears-of-war-2jace-strattonnecasan-diego-comic-consan-diego-comic-con-2010toysFri, 21 May 2010 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic's Mike Capps: PC piracy 'changed our business model']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/epics-mike-capps-pc-piracy-changed-our-business-model/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/epics-mike-capps-pc-piracy-changed-our-business-model/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/epics-mike-capps-pc-piracy-changed-our-business-model/#commentsRecent comments from Epic Games president Mike Capps in Edge Magazine (via Develop) show the developer's frustration with the PC piracy scene, as well as its hesitance to fully embrace the platform. "We still do PC, we still love the PC, but we already saw the impact of piracy: it killed a lot of great independent developers and completely changed our business model," Capps said.

Of course, Epic's shift to console development (think: Gears of War) also makes a lot of cents ... err, sense. "And now, people are saying 'why do you hate the PC? You're a console-only company.' It's because the money's on consoles," he said. Capps' candid stance likely doesn't preclude future success on PC -- there's still fertile land out there -- but for now, Epic has prioritized console blockbusters.

It's a shame it'll have to miss out on that $13 billion pie, though. We know how much Cliff Bleszinski likes his pie.

JoystiqEpic's Mike Capps: PC piracy 'changed our business model' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskiepicepic-gamesgears-of-warmike-cappspc-piracypiracyTue, 18 May 2010 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic: Gears of War 2 Title Update 6 is 'about a week' away]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/epic-gears-of-war-2-title-update-6-is-about-a-week-away/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/epic-gears-of-war-2-title-update-6-is-about-a-week-away/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/epic-gears-of-war-2-title-update-6-is-about-a-week-away/#comments Epic has posted the Title Update 6 patch notes for Gears of War 2 and the biggest bullet point has to be the ability to join matches in progress. Not only can players now join Horde matches mid-game, the update adds a new Social Xbox Live playlist which lets players join matches in progress and doesn't penalize those who quit early -- but it's only available to those who have all of the DLC. The new Social list also bypasses matchmaking screens and cycles to the next map immediately following the conclusion of the current match, cutting down on the time spent in menus.

The update addresses certain exploits, such as the ability to get out of the map on Subway and Blood Drive, and also improves the pellet grouping on the Gnasher shotgun "to increase hit consistency." Rod Fergusson, senior producer on Gears, says players can look forward to downloading the update in "about a week." We'll let you know when it's live.

[Thanks, Dusty]

Source - Title Update 6 patch notes
Source - Fergusson says update is around a week away

JoystiqEpic: Gears of War 2 Title Update 6 is 'about a week' away originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-gamesgears-of-warGears-of-war-2patchpatch-notesrod-fergussontitle-updatetitle-update-6xbox-liveTue, 18 May 2010 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[The Gears of War story in 5 minutes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/the-gears-of-war-story-in-5-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/the-gears-of-war-story-in-5-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/the-gears-of-war-story-in-5-minutes/#comments Gears of War 3 is only a year away so it's, like, totally imperative to brush up on the story thus far. IGN has compiled a little video feature that compresses all the twists and turns of Gears' epic story into five minutes. Obviously, the recap is full of spoilers, so it's probably best not to watch it unless you've played the first two games.

Haven't played the first two Gears yet? Well, it's possible to pick up both for $50 or less. They're good games, we promise -- and there's still plenty of time to casually grind through them before the sequel emerges. For those who just want the quick recap fix, that's available after the break.

Continue reading The Gears of War story in 5 minutes

JoystiqThe Gears of War story in 5 minutes originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epic-gamesgears-of-warGears-of-war-2gears-of-war-3microsoft-game-studiosvideoTue, 27 Apr 2010 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 Avatar items emerge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/20/gears-of-war-3-avatar-items-emerge/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/20/gears-of-war-3-avatar-items-emerge/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/20/gears-of-war-3-avatar-items-emerge/#comments
Attention Gears heads: the promised Gears of War 3 Avatar items are now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. So far there are eight items in the collection, including T-shirts, sleeveless COG armor, a hat, and, sweetest of all, a Ticker Avatar pet. The items range in price from 80 ($1) to 320 ($4). Granted, it's not the same as actually playing Gears of War 3 -- which you won't be doing until next year -- but at least you can pretend, right?

JoystiqGears of War 3 Avatar items emerge originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatar-marketplaceavatarsepicgears-of-wargears-of-war-3Microsoftmicrosoft-game-studiosxblmTue, 20 Apr 2010 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3 dated April 5, 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/gears-of-war-3-dated-april-5-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/gears-of-war-3-dated-april-5-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/gears-of-war-3-dated-april-5-2011/#comments The Gears of War "trilogy" will conclude on April 5, 2011 in North America, followed by Japan and Europe on April 7 and 8, respectively. The game, announced last Friday on the Xbox Dashboard, finally had its big (delayed) coming-out trailer last night on late-night national television.

For those interested in Gears apparel for their Avatars, new items for the little scamps will be available beginning April 20, 2010. Items, like the new Gears 3 COG armor, can be picked up in the Avatar Marketplace, along with other Gears gear. Find pics of the COG armor in the gallery below.

Update: The Gears 3 campaign will feature four-player co-op, according to Cliff Bleszinski.

Gallery: Gears of War 3

JoystiqGears of War 3 dated April 5, 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatar-marketplaceavatarsdlcepicepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-3Microsoftrelease-datetrilogyxblmXbox-360Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch the Gears of War 3 trailer right now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/watch-the-gears-of-war-3-trailer-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/watch-the-gears-of-war-3-trailer-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/watch-the-gears-of-war-3-trailer-right-now/#commentsWhy wait for Cliff Bleszinski to debut Gears of War 3 on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon? Here's the trailer for the "worst-kept secret in the video game industry," posted to the Late Night website (and embedded above) ... before it's appeared on television. The trailer is prefaced by some banter with Mister B about his vintage Nintendo Power appearance and what makes a great game.

The new game has playable female soldiers in it! Take that, Crackdown 2! Don't worry, it's still jam-packed with men who look like refrigerators and mellow music, like the famous Gears of War trailer (in this case, Sun Kil Moon's "Heron Blue"). Other elements mentioned by Cliff include new weapons and new aliens -- "crazy tentacle monsters" with mutating ability. Bleszinski said GOW3 will arrive "probably around April 8" -- one year after his Late Night appearance was supposed to be shown. Wouldn't that have been nice marketing? Oh, well.

Update: Official release date is April 5, 2011. And catch Cliff's Late Night appearance after the break.

Gallery: Gears of War 3

Continue reading Watch the Gears of War 3 trailer right now

JoystiqWatch the Gears of War 3 trailer right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffy-bCliffyBepic-gamesgears-of-wargears-of-war-3Jimmy-Fallonlate-nightlate-night-with-jimmy-fallonMicrosofttrailervideoXbox-360Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:08:00 EST