Gears is gold, Emergence Day defined

We had a hunch Gears of War had gone gold. Today it was confirmed. To reflect this milestone, Microsoft and Epic have released a "Mad World"-laced promo trailer onto Xbox Live (available now). The trailer was first shown at X06 Canada and will lead the charge on TV and in movie theatres during the days leading up to November 12, or 'Emergence Day.'

While many gamers will have Gears in hand on November 7, the following Sunday will play out as an Xbox Live extravaganza -- aside from being the official launch date. Gold members can jump into a 24-hour tournament (beginning at 12:01 a.m.), with the winner receiving a Gears-branded guitar (straight to eBay!) and an automatic bye to the finals of a future tourney. The thrashing tie-ins don't stop there, as game sessions with Megadeth and CliffyB, who's considered a rock star in certain circles, will also be online. Some prize giveaways, free downloads (gamer pic, theme, video), and an MTV infomercial round out the day.

Helluva marketing blitz...

[Via Press Release]