Gears of War

"Gears of War" Juggernaut Continues With More Than 3 Million Units Sold

Top-selling game of December sees more than 750,000 downloads of its exciting new multiplayer maps UK - 19th January – “Gears of War®” has gone triple platinum, reaching the 3 million-units-sold milestone in just 10 weeks on store shelves, ending 2006 as the top-selling game among all platforms during the month of December.

Expanding upon its reign as the fastest-selling title of 2006 and the fastest-selling original exclusive Xbox® game of all time, “Gears of War” has captivated gamers across the globe with its action-packed single-player campaign, thrilling online modes and recently released multiplayer maps, Raven Down and Old Bones. Since the downloadable content’s release via Xbox Live® Marketplace less than two weeks ago, the new maps have garnered an astounding 750,000 downloads. There have been more than 1.5 million total downloads of all “Gears of War” content currently available via Marketplace, including the maps, themes and video walkthrough, by gamers who can’t get enough of Delta Squad and the Locust Horde.

“Like blockbuster titles from Microsoft's ‘Halo®’ franchise and the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and ‘Zelda’ franchises, ‘Gears of War’ is tracking to be one of the best-selling video games of all time and has established itself as the most successful new IP of the next generation,” said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of Global Marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft Corp.

“Gears of War” continues to wow consumers and critics alike, garnering more than 20 nominations for game of the year. The game is a truly global phenomenon: prestigious Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu recently gave “Gears of War” the coveted Platinum award; “Gears of War” joins “Blue Dragon” as the second Microsoft Game Studios title in the past two months to receive this high honor.

Not just a gaming sensation, the acclaimed “Gears of War: Mad World” cinematic trailer was featured in Advertising Age’s Book of Tens as one of the top creative concepts of 2006. With more than 2.4 million views of the trailer online, the campaign has inspired not only tremendous sales, but also a number of hilarious parody videos currently circulating around the Internet.

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Press release (19th January 2007)

EMERGENCY DAY ... AND AFTERYears ago, the Locust Horde gathered under every major city and launched a surprise attack. Once thought fictional boogeymen, the Horde are frighteningly real and stronger than anyone had imagined.On Emergence Day, untold masses perished, and countless more died in the days that followed. Rather than allow the Horde to keep the spoils of their aggression, humans used chemical weapons and orbital particle beams to neutralize them, along with the cities and bases they controlled.With most urban centers and military installations rubble, the human survivors gathered on Jacinto Plateau, whose solid granite strata could not be easily penetrated. When the Horde breached the plateau's defenses, Marcus Fenix defied orders to save his father at East Barricade Academy ... but he was too late. Marcus was subsequently charged with dereliction of duty and sentenced to 40 years in Jacinto Maximum Security Penitentiary.Now, the Horde have overrun the penitentiary.

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Manual description (US)

Gears of War® an Xbox 360™ exclusive that blends tactical action with survival horror, thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.

Lead war hero Marcus Fenix and his fire team as they face the onslaught of merciless warrior fiends.

A revolutionary tactical combat system and breathtaking, high-definition visuals from the new Unreal Engine 3 immerse you in a horrifying story of war and survival.

• Engaging, cinematic story:In this epic tale that plays out like a Hollywood blockbuster, lead Marcus Fenix as he pits advanced human technology against the overwhelming Locust Horde.
• Fire team co-op:A.I. team-mates are indiscernible from human players. Voice recognition and real-time lip synching heighten the immersive experience.
• Unprecedented visuals:Unreal Engine 3 technology brings out the smallest details in the largest battle.Experience a rich, dynamic world where characters come to life.
• Intense, hyper-realistic combat:The battlefield is a lethal place.To survive, suppress your enemy with blind fire, take cover in interactive environments or use weapons and team-mates to outwit your foes.
• Xbox Live™ action:With the next-generation of XboxLive, experience individualised matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customise games and build and personalise gamer profiles.

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www.xbox.com