gow
Latest
Let the Gears begin
Some lucky bastard named lamerla racked up four Gears of War achievements on Thursday according to his profile at Xbox.com. Anybody with a retail copy in hand start spilling your guts -- before we spill yours next week.[Thanks xBlaCkPlaGuEx]
X360F Pumpkin Carving Contest Winners
When it comes to the Xbox 360 community, not all fanboys are created equal -- and neither are all pumpkins. We received around 20 entries in our carving contest and all of them (except for the odd photoshop fake) were better than the average jack-o-lantern. Richard and I would like to thank all the contestants for making this a competitive contest that proved Xbox 360 fanboys have Halloween spirit and artistic talent to spare. And special thanks to our prize sponsor RockMeTV.com for providing a copy of Gears of War to give away.Without further ado, please view the official results of our 1st Annual Xbox 360 Pumpkin Carving Contest after the jump
GOW merch madness, new faceplates, crate
Sure, Gears of War makes a great videogame, but it makes an even better lunchbox. Joystiq got their hands on the first images of the impending tidal wave of Gears merchandise (all of these are made by Mad Catz). The image above is in fact not a lunchbox, but rather a "console crate," presumably for hauling your 360 to Gears of War LAN parties. It looks like there will actually be 4 different faceplates, with 3 of them exclusive to different stores. See each faceplate after the break.
Random GOW thing: a tattoo (it's real)
This is just getting ridiculous. In a twisted version of a Klondike Bar commercial, some guy is so crazy about Gears of War, he got a tattoo. Like, a really real tattoo. The grisly design depicts a red gear emblazoned with a skull tearing its way through his flesh. According to Major Nelson (it's his Flickr account) this guy was actually flown in by MTV, claiming to be the most hardcore Gears fan alive. Let's hope the game lives up to its reputation, because this guy's arm depends on it! It's not like he'll be able to turn that thing into a heart with "MOM" in the center if the game turns out to be crap.Have any of you gotten a GOW tatoo? Done anything else crazy in anticipation of the game?[Thanks, Doc P]
GoW graffiti campaign hits San Fran
Loyal Xbox360fanboy reader Ali works next door to an advertising agency that handles things for Microsoft. Perhaps that has something to do with the suspicious (not to mention cool) Gears of War graffiti turning up around his block. This advertising is in the vein of the PSP graffiti campaign that got a lot of press a while back, and it makes sense given that locust are supposed to come up out of the ground. The familiar Gears logo is always accompanied by a cuddly phrase like "Humanity had a nice run." Ali snapped these pics (more after the jump) on his lunch time stroll through the streets of San Francisco, where we assume it's legal to spray paint skulls on the sidewalk. Either way, it has to be confusing for non-gamers, who undoubtedly think the stencils are part of some Rovian plot to contaminate the sewers. Have you checked the sidewalks in your town?
Tons of new GOW multiplayer vids
The fine folks at GameTrailers are apparently having a ball playing Gears of War multiplayer matches, because they won't stop posting videos of them. Right now, they are up to twelve (!) different videos. We've picked one in particular for its chainsaw wielding, headshot making goodness. Plus, you'll get a chance to see what it's like to play as one of the Locust horde. This video, and all the others, looks like a lot of fun. Check it out after the break. Oh, and the video is age verficataion required. And don't think you can cheat just because there's absolutely nothing we can do to stop you.
Gears of War: Marketing unnecessary?
Let's face it, at this point everyone is at least curious about Gears of War. But some people ... some people are downright nuts about it. The recent trailer and its numerous remixes prove that people are really excited about this game. Seriously, these people are so excited for it that they are actually making their own commercials for it. Come on, have you ever made a commercial for anything? One could say that it's no different from wearing a Nike shirt; people are just showing their love for a certain product. Still, I'm not sure I've ever seen someone make their own Nike commercial. It's like Microsoft doesn't even have to market GOW anymore. That said, the Gears of War montage embedded above kicks ass. Bring on Emergence Day already. We're ready for it (and some are more than ready).[Via digg]
Your Gears of War questions answered
IGN has posted an article that clarifies a few things about Gears of War. The article gives the lowdown on weapon selection, the cheapness of the chainsaw (read: it isn't), multiplayer modes, difficulty, and downloadable content. The multiplayer modes sound like a lot of fun, especially Resurrection. In Resurrection, you have to finish off your opponents. Otherwise, they revive after 30 seconds. According to the article, it makes for great team work as you protect your wounded. It's also worth noting that using the chainsaw isn't as easy as it looks. Epic has spent a lot of time perfecting the balance around the chainsaw, making sure that it's not too powerful. The game has three difficulty modes: casual, hardcore, and intense. Intense is only unlocked after clearing the game on hardcore. Also, don't be surprised if Gears downloadable content hits Marketplace before Christmas.Gears is getting closer every day, and we're getting pretty excited. What should we do to celebrate its release? What do you guys think, is it time for a 360 Fanboy Live party?[Via Fraggerrock]
Tears for Gears: It's a Mad World
Mike from the Xbox Domain dug up the original Tears for Fears version of "Mad World," recently made famous in the gaming community as Marcus Fenix's favorite song to kill to. Do you think these guys ever imagined back in the 80s that their tune (albeit in haunting minimalist form) would be gearing us all up for multiplayer war?
GoW: Odyssey Remix
Not to beat a clever idea to death, but here's one more Gears of War trailer remix for the road.
Rift widens between Silver and Gold XBLA memberships
Xbox Live's Major Nelson announced on Wednesday that the newest Gears of War trailer was available online ... to Gold subscribers only. This marks the first time that exclusive XBL content has been delayed (not denied) for the free Silver members, and it's just the tip of the iceberg. Nelson commented on his blog entry after mixed reaction from readers, "So here is the deal ... Silver members WILL get access to this ... probably in about a week. This is going to happen more and more (Gold getting things before Silver) so you may want to think about upgrading if you want all the latest and greatest trailers, demos etc."It's not really a big deal at this point, because the trailer was available online within seconds of appearing on the XBLM. The real problem starts when Gold members start getting demos and downloadable game content before Silver members do; perhaps, eventually, the Silver members won't get them at all. Microsoft will find themselves treading a fine line between how much a Silver member will put up with not having, and how much a Gold member needs to feel justified in paying the cost for their features. It's important to note that this trailer is most likely a trial run by Microsoft (through Major Nelson) to see how things go, since it's not even true "exclusive" content. Nelson (can we just call him Larry, already?) admits that this is the same commercial played last week at X06 Canada. So where's the real super exclusive platinum fanboy stuff, eh?The point is that Microsoft is finally treating the Gold level like what it is supposed to be, a step above the Silver membership. Silver members don't pay for anything; it's a free service meant to provide an "introduction" to XBL. Gold members pay for additional features and, with it, they expect some perks to be delivered. While it's limited to trailers right now, expect to see it expand to demos, downloadable content, and anything else Microsoft can think about leveraging for more subscribers to make the jump up to the next tier while their model for microtransactions seems to be falling apart with the inmates running the asylum.And just because we love you, check out that Gears trailer after the jump in SD, or click here for the HD version.[Thanks, E.J.]
GoW Flickr pic explained
Brymo wrote in to explain the suspicious appearance of Gears of War in his stack of Xbox 360 games. It looks like it was an innocent misunderstanding and not an attempt to defraud the nerd public:Here is the story. I bought the BestBuy pre-order thing - for the shirt. I go home to make sure the shirt is my size, so as I took the shirt out, and laid my Dead Rising game and the gears box on top of my stash, just habit.A friend came over, and went through my games to find something to play - thus the game went towards the bottom.I posted this picture in my thread at TeamXbox.Showing my "addiction" of buying video games. I forgot about the Gears box even being in the middle of the mix. This of course turned huge when I got PM's, comments about how did I get the game already.I stated I believe 2-3 times in that thread that it was truly the pre-order box that comes with the shirt. I guess no one read or wanted to believe that.Obviously, Brymo didn't steal anything from GameStop. And we're sorry Richard called you a schmo. I think the universal lust for early copies of Gears of War has everybody on edge right now.
Some schmo already has Gears of War? [Updated]
Dutiful 360 Fanboy reader, AlexH, spotted a suspicious photo on Flickr. Uploaded by user, Brymo, the picture claims to show off his 360 game collection. No big deal there. Lots of people host pictures of their hobbies, collections, etc. There is one little issue, though. Almost halfway up the stack is a copy of Gears of War. You know, the blockbuster game that's not supposed to emerge until November 7th at the earliest. So, we have three possibilities. One, he actually has a pre-release copy of GOW. Two, he's joking. Three, he likes to steal display boxes from GameStop. In the words of Judge Judy, don't piss on our leg and tell us it's raining. 'Fess up, Brymo, if that is your real name.[Update]Brymo has spoken. He says it's just the box that came with a t-shirt when he pre-ordered at Best Buy. See our follow-up post.
Pumpkin Emergence Day contest reminder
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than carving an Xbox 360-themed Jack-O-Lantern for our 1st Annual Xbox 360 Pumpkin Carving Contest. Readers have submitted a number of quality efforts so far. We're accepting entries until late Monday and since everybody carves a pumpkin for Halloween anyway, there's really no exscuse for not putting blade to squash. Oh yeah -- First prize gets a copy of that under-the-radar sleeper title from Epic that you may have heard about.If you need inspiration, check out these the incredible pumkin art from last year's Halo.Bungie.org contest (Damn. I thought I had an original idea). They're holding the same thing again this year, so there's no reason you couldn't carve one Xbox-O-Lantern and enter it in both contests.
GoW remix an instant classic
Here's another Gears of War trailer remix set to a classical piece that I really should be able to identify. Kind of sets the mood for impending violence.
How Epic cost MS $1 billion dollars
...and spared the world Xbox 1.5. This historical anecdote turned up in Major Nelson's last podcast (as transcribed by 1up):When Microsoft was finalizing hardware specifications for Xbox 360, they apparently asked developers to make a choice: a bundled hard drive standard to every Xbox 360 or 512MB RAM, compared to the previously planned 256MB RAM. Epic Games' VP Mark Rein told this story at an Xbox Community Party in Canada recently, as recorded in a Major Nelson podcast and picked up on by Team Xbox.Epic Games chose RAM and produced a screen shot of what Gears of War would look like with just 256MB RAM for Microsoft. "...the 512 megs of RAM was way more important, cause otherwise you couldn't do this level of graphics if you had to both write your program and do your graphics in 256 megs. Nothing would really look that HD," he said.Despite the costs, Microsoft gave into the pressure. "So the day they made the decision, we were apparently the first developer they called; we were at Game Developers Conference, was it two years ago, and then I got a call from the chief financial officer of MGS and he said 'I just want you to know you cost me a billion dollars' and I said, 'we did a favour for a billion gamers'." You can say that again. It almost makes me feel obligated to run out and buy a five copies of Gears of War in weepy gratitude. I hope that comparison shot is framed in the Narrowly Averted Disaster Hall of Fame.
Your GoW Emergence Day planner
Here's what Microsoft has scheduled for Gears of War fans on November 12, otherwise known as "Emergence Day": A 24-Hour Leader board Tournament. The tournament winner receives a one of a kind "Gears of War" branded guitar as well as an automatic bye to the finals of a Global "Gears of War" Tournament planned for 2007. Hourly sweepstakes drawings and prize giveaways including the chance to win one of several Samsung HT-P29 Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound Systems An exclusive free "Gears of War" Gamer pic and theme only available on Emergence Day Game with Fame sessions with legendary heavy metal band and "Gears of War" fans Megadeth, the game's lead designer Cliff Bleszinski and other members of the Epic Games team Never before seen videos including a special Emergence Day transmission from Cliff Bleszinski An MTV "Gears of War: The Road to Launch" Sneak Preview Not a bad culmination to two years worth of hype. Do you plan on paying attention to this stuff, or will you be too busy actually playing the game?
Gears of War trailer remixes
Many people, myself included, thought that the music selection in the latest Gears of War trailer was inspired. It served both to highlight the action and to contrast the rawk music that we usually get in game commercials. Still, not everyone liked it, and Aeropause decided to take it one step further. They took the trailer and set it to several different tracks, ranging from country to 80's ballads. In so doing they have proven an old adage: everything needs more cowbell (see above video). Watch our second favorite video after the break.
Happy random GOW thing day!
Mike from the Xbox Domain sent us a video from Gears of War. We know what your thinking, "I've already seen tons of GOW footage." This one is a little different. Made by an Epic employee during the holidays last year, this GOW video is filled with Christmas magic. Check it out after the break.
GoW demo sighting?
Sure, Epic shot down the idea of a pre-launch Gears of War demo, but somebody in marketing land seems to think it's happening. Reader Jeremy spotted an ad for Xbox Live Marketplace on page 58 of the December OXM that says "Download demos for top Xbox 360 games such as:" with the words "Gears", "of" and "War" prominently displayed below. Is this just sloppy copy writing, or is something in the works? Mark Rein said they would be working on "other things" as soon as Gears went gold. With most people eager to pick this one up sight unseen, would you rather see a demo, or some quality additional content in short order?
