@ajnewman:

Hm, that was not directed at the person it says it is. I was directing that comment at mlubczyk.

ajnewman

@Quicksilver4648: why won't people stop using that phrase. stupid cake.

TeknoVagrant

@undefined:

Or perhaps you are, because you're not reading/understanding their logic in doing so.

Like it says in the article, it's to help curb people from buying used copies of the game from places like GameStop.

ajnewman

Gold-plated ANYTHING is ma-fuckin' corny. It's a shame that this is being promoted as a reason to buy the special edition. Still buying the game, though. Can't wait!

DaPress

@mlubczyk: Does it matter? I am still getting the maps for free.

Quicksilver4648

Well I was already going to be a day 1 purchase so this is just icing on the cake. I just hope the cake is not a lie.

Quicksilver4648

haha...the "extra maps" is code for "wasn't ready for submission to 1st party so its going into a Zero Day DLC."

Meohfumado

I feel sorry for people with small Xbox 360 hard drives and Download Caps along with slow internet.

Man, with all this DLC going on, every console should have launched with a 500 GB hard drive.

mlubczyk

is this because they couldnt fit it on a disk??? lol its nice to see how they are marketing this, but hey its free dlc and MICROSOFT APPROVED!!! since they didn't let the last round.

EVIL_V2

@Twoflower: The code merely unlocks songs that are already in the game. It just means you don't have to play through the game to unlock them.

Stoli

People are happy for Day one DLC that should have been on the disc? Who knew? Man, this generation of consumers are total retards.

mlubczyk

So is this nationwide in America only? I want this in the UK cos we deserve free maps too. I doubt I'll go the any launch event at midnight but I'd like free maps if others are getting it too.

Llost

Why don't they just put them on the disc....

"6.5 GB isn't a limit. We just can't fit everything on 1 disc."

boringjob2

So if it's available on day 1, why don't they just include it in the game to begin with?

Narishma

@Twoflower: Used games screw the consumer? You're crazy.

I guess I won't be getting these awesome old new maps since I'll gamefly it.

TeknoVagrant

Sneaky!

Rock Band 2 is doing the same thing with their free 20 downloadable tracks. Buy the game in stores? Congrads, you get a metric ton of stuff! Buy the game used at GameStop? Ohhhh, too bad for you... the person who bought the game in the first place is the only one who gets the extras.

I approve of this. I never buy used games; I don't approve of that business model since it screws the consumer, the game developer, and everybody up and down the chain who isn't a CEO of GameStop. If incentives are what it takes to encourage new game sales, I say go for it.

Twoflower

What about all the Amazon orders for the lancer? Since, you know, amazon probably can't do a launch event.

Rookerith

Yay! I hope Fuel Depot makes a comeback, too.

TheWaffle

Dude,
You guys should do something for the locals.How about a play night session with Gears 2. I'll be buying this for sure.Just don't need gold weapons,lol.

enewtabie(Future LittleBigPlanet Master Creationist)

yays

torgojones

Awesome Sauce!

Slippy

@glisson: It's implied; it doesn't need to be said.

XRFlip05

That's no good for me. You're screwed if you don't live in a country that has XBL, doesn't matter that the 360 was released officially in that same country, since GoW content is blocked based on your location. Instead of doing a blacklist of banned IP ranges, they did a whitelist. While it's just one country that has a problem with GoW, everyone has to suffer. That move is not bigger, better and more badass. It's just lame Dude Huge... lame.

Shinryoma

An attractive and interesting way to promote new copies versus used.
I hope we see more of this and that it works. Gamestop used games are way too expensive: perhaps this will force them to lower prices since the value of a used copy went down.

Thriceborn

@glisson: I just tossed that out there because 99% of the time a Zero Day DLC means "wasn't ready for submission."

What do I base this belief on? Long experience sir...

If it is just a "marketing strategy" to discourage second-hand sales...well...good luck to them with that...

Meohfumado

@TeknoVagrant: Because you are Portal's bitch!

bpapa9013

@glisson: We read, but don't believe their bullshit.

And I'm less inclined to believe the submission story because they are slight upgrades to existing maps. Not full on new ones. SO it takes all that effort to tweak some visual settings? No.

boringjob2

@DaPress: My thoughts also. Nothing says low budget pimp like gold plating.

ThickSkinned

@EVIL_V2: Or maybe its because if you buy used copy of the game, you wont be able to download these maps for free... unless you find one of these coupons on ebay.

uzivatel

Most of us are getting Gears on day 1 anyway, I bet, so this is pretty awesome.

Mister_Jack

@Narishma: Because the maps weren't polished enough when the game went to the manufacturers. Also, so the people who buy used copies don't get the maps for free.

ThickSkinned

I wonder if these maps will be used for the gamemode HORDE? I hope so!

The Chicken Kicker

Sorry, arcade/core owners. You may have just been hosed. But nobody owns those anyway, bonus maps for the win.

Wolfers

Pretty sweet. I'll get my copy at best buy to get that rc tank.

ndvt

@Narishma: To piss off people in non-LIVE countries...

uzivatel

Half the people didn't have the time to read the article but did have enough time to comment.

"...and will only be available to folks who purchase the game new, making buying a used copy a bit less attractive."

Where does it say they couldn't fit it on the disc or that it couldn't be submitted in time?

glisson

Tyro station but no Fuel Depot or Warmachine or Clocktower? WTF. I'm still happy but hopefully they get around to re-imaging the 3 most popular maps in the game.

Modus_Operandi

I wonder if they'll nerf the Hammerburst in Gears 2. I suppose the bullet stopping power will prevent more easy melee kills, but even the accuracy of the bullets was pretty good in multiplayer. Then again, I usually got more kills by shooting a few shots into their chest and then melee'ing them as they rushed me. Works almost every time.

formina

@Stoli: No you're wrong, it is 20 new DLC that will be coming out later this month.

BassForever

This is how you get me to buy a game new instead of waiting for it to be cheap and used.

BassForever

@Shinryoma: Well, most people are going to buy it anyway, because the game is going to be good, no matter how lame is this...

uzivatel

man I never thought I'd actually be excited for GOLD in game weapons... But for some reason I now feel like driving an hour to my nearest GameStop on midnight just to get these. And buying a LE which I usually never do...

WrenixPhight

It's awesome that they keep adding incentives for doing something that I was planning on doing anyway.

moutski

WOO! YEAH! BRING IT ON SUCKAH! THIS MAH KIND OF SHIT!

Burguois, Teabagger of Olde

@Shinryoma: That's partially to do with a countries laws though, look at Germany and Australia, they ban almost everything with even a hint of adult content for one reason, the other being that some countries may have denied Microsoft from supplying the XBL service to their country.

DragonNinja

I came.

MASOCHIST187

I dunno, maybe I'm one of the few that really doesn't care for this and will probably get the game used anyways. I personally just don't like the multiplayer on Gears, just never could get into it, but I'll play the crap out of the co-op. Who knows, maybe the MP in the new one will draw me in better than the first, I just didn't like the fact that you would have to wait for the match to end before you would "respawn" and get back into the action.

We'll see, I'll try to be Gamefly'n this one when it comes out, and if I really like the MP, then maybe I'll get a new copy, else I'll get the copy from Gamefly and save my 20 bucks....actually reading that I take all that back, no 5 maps are worth 20 bucks, especially if they're rehash's.

Ryguy226

thats an awesome spiff. Makes it even harder to wait for this game.

daddybojangles

@mlubczyk: It's worse for PS3 owners who have to go through mandatory installs though. Technically they have both been poorly designed for the purpose they were built. With Sony you can upgrade cheaply atleast but all the installs are mandatory. With MS the hard drives are small and expensive but atleast the new 60gb will be out soon and then you can just get another like with the PS3.

Llost

@The Chicken Kicker: Yes, the Locust use a mix of Player respawn points and Horde specific ones too, although Epic would've made sure they worked before releasing them anyway.

DragonNinja

@mlubczyk: It's free maps, can you complain at that? They've chose to give it to people wh buy the game first hand as it then benefits them (more sales) and us (extra maps) so there's nothing wrong with it.

Llost

@formina: Hammerburst is totally diff in Gears 2, it's now single shot but pretty darn powerful and accurate. Although it doesn't make much sense to the name it's no longer burst fire as that role has been taken by the Gorgon pistol.

NecronomiconUK

good thing im going to the midnight launch

ZetaCrossfire

Ahhh I was really hoping not to have to be waiting outside on a dark cold November night. Looks like I'll be bring a jug of Hot Chocolate, DS and a fold up chair. At least the multiplayer games will be fun. Explain to my husband what I'll be doing and for a gold plated online gun not so much.

Kinburn

@Llost: It most likely has something to do with disc space limitations (see Id's Rage) as well. Two birds one stone.

supo

My heart will explode!

tajash

@wswordsmen: sounds to me like consumers are getting ripped off.

sereal

@boringjob2: Because, silly, it's to discourage the used video game industry.

Cagny

@TeknoVagrant: Of course used games ultimately screw the consumer!

Considerably less money goes to the game industry cause all of the extra stuff goes to used game travesties like GameStop, which means companies who make high-quality games don't see as much profit, discouraging them to make quality games or new IP's that might sink.

So of course less and worse games hurt the consumer.

Mini-Boss

@Rookerith: ITs probably all the games they ship day one since you can preorder it online.

Ra is on House

@Narishma: It isn't included to give people an incentive to buy the game new. If it was on disk, or not locked on disk the used buyers would get the stuff, and not pay the publisher or developer anything.

wswordsmen

Haha this is a really good way for people to start buying new copies again. The little bonuses make it that much more worth your while, like when Club Nintendo will start, are you going to find that registration code in a used copy?

Kaizuden

@glisson: Apparently you don't have time to think, but lots to comment.. I hope you learned your lesson :)

supo

@mlubczyk: They really need to allow any size for 360's a la PS3. They could sell the shell for 20$ or something and allow people to use drives they've purchased on their own.

supo

What! No Old Bones and Raven Down?

Orionsaint

I love you CliffyB dudeHUGE Cliffster.

TrifeLife

@NecronomiconUK: Single shot? Hopefully it's as powerful as the magnum and not as slow. Kind of eh if I'm going to keep a single-shot rifle in one of my bigger weapon slots. I'll see how it plays.

formina

Didn't Epic reveal pretty early into GOW2 press (EGM story?) that classic maps would be in the game? How did these maps not make it on the disc?

hagridore

@Shinryoma: Why is getting screwed out of multiplayer maps such a problem for non XBL countries? Wouldn't you not be playing them anyway? I'm confused.

Toasticus

@supo: Even if it did it isn't really a problem, 2 discs = no problem unless your so fat you can't get up to change them and DLC isn't a problem unless you have no hard drive space in which case you just wouldn't download it till you got a new hard drive or deleted some stuff.

Llost

@supo: Please refer to: -

[www.dummies.com]

then come back and try again. Bless.

Shod

@Ryguy226: You might not care for the multiplayer but theres still Horde to play with your friends! :3

Your team against wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies!

belo

Yah this is a blow against the resale market of the game. But don't really care about Gamestop so oh well.

It's also supposedly have been mentioned that both the gold plated Lancer and Hammerburst will be unlockable in the game to people who don't get the codes to unlock them off the bat (like beating it on Insane or something).

belo

@Mini-Boss: Ok then... how about the guys that cant afford to buy every game new, so buys them used ay a more affordable price.

If there were no used games market, then these guys wouldnt have been able to buy the console to start with - thereby increasing sales of hardware.

More hardware sales = more devs make games for the system = bigger, better, and more badass (there...I said it ;) games.

What do you say to that my good sir?

By the sounds of things we in the UK dont get as screwed as you guys do on used games. New games here are around the £40 mark, and if we traded that game back in within the first month or so of release, we would get at least £25 (£30 in some places) back on it.

Is that similar to what you guys get?

Shod

UK launch day, normal version.
This is the version Im buying.
If my DLC code isnt included, Il be PISSED.

CanaryWundaboy

@belo: Where did you hear this at? The closest GameStop is about 45 minutes away and I really don't feel like driving 90 minutes in the middle of the night to get a code, so it would be great if it could be unlocked in-game. Although if they have the gold plated Lancer that would change my mind about the Collector's Edition of Gears, that was pretty much the only reason I was getting it. I am a sucker for exclusive in-game content.

DrowningInMercy

Clever. You know it makes you wonder what kind of value used games are gonna have if they keep limiting features for our favorite games.

Xtreme_Hindu_Cow

I hope we see a lot of developers follow Epic's lead on this one. Not because I give a shit about DLC, but because I want to see Gamestop's lose it's high-margins on used games and go out of business.

James in Dupont

@Shod:

Not even close.

We trade in a $60 game, were lucky if we get $20.

EtisArap

Dang I wish they had Clocktower and War Machine :( Oh well I like all those maps too.

SynchronizedBlink

deal with Microsoft to try encourage more live subs i bet

Infamous.mpgEU

OR anything*

AshxMFxKetchum

@Llost: Well its not a matter of the consumer having problems with multiple discs, its a matter of cost: [www.joystiq.com]

It wouldn't make financial sense to throw in a couple hundred MB on a second disc when its not needed.

supo

How about all you stupid little 13 year old girls who can't buy the game without mommy and daddy, shut the fuck up, and realize you are getting free stuff. My god, since when do people complain about free? oh so 5 maps for free epic? can you please just raise the price of the game by $10 so that i feel like you actually completed this game? Why in the world would they lie about the used games thing? even if they did, it's not like they are encouraging reservations are anything. They are just encouraging a day one purchase, and giving you free shit... and you stupid assholes complain. My god.

Next you'll all complain about getting paid to buy a game. Get a life, kids.

AshxMFxKetchum

@Shod: I looked for reading between the lines for dummies but I couldn't really find one for you. Try again.

supo

@Xtreme_Hindu_Cow: Oh come on. By the time buying a used copy of Gears 2 will even be worth the savings I'm sure the code will be leaked or the maps will be available as DLC. Hell, a used copy of the original gears was $55+tax for almost 18 months.

TrifeLife

Shit. Me and my bro have our own Xboxs and Accounts, does that mean I will have to pay for the Flashback Map Pack once, or does it mean I can't get it at all without the coupon?

I hate this kind of thing because I have bought the CoD4 map packs twice and the Halo map packs twice. Usually I would be excited at news like this, but because of the above stated situation, this sucks.

Refused

@AshxMFxKetchum: and that was oh so mature

Infamous.mpgEU

@Refused: If you were planning on sharing a single copy of the game, looks like you'll have to buy the DLC once. Assuming you both want to play every map, that is. Judging from how the first Gears handled servers, you should be able to find plenty of games without the map pack, which is just redone maps from the first game anyway.

Toasticus

@uzivatel: I don't follow. Why would you want online multiplayer maps in non-LIVE countries? Do you have access to online multiplayer but not the marketplace somehow?

Toasticus

@Modus_Operandi: Fuel Depot maybe, but I didn't think Clocktower or War Machine were that popular (or special for that matter).

I've generally preferred the maps with symmetric weapon placements as opposed to big weapons in the middle. Fuel Depot, for example, isn't really a mad rush to the Hammer (for most), so you don't always know how the enemy is going to approach. Whereas on Clocktower and War Machine you always know where the initial encounters are going to happen. Gets more repetitive.

formina

Its a good techniue to encourage ppl to buy the game new, (and hurt Gamestop?)

piecesofwork

DVD not big enough?

Weasal

@James in Dupont: you realize thats stupid right? like, why even bring gaemstop into the picture? and even so, this will help gamestop, cuz they will get reserves for a day one purchase and they also sell new games. its not really gonna hurt them at all. they say it wont be in used copies for the same reason a month of xbox live wont be in a used copy of GTA IV, cuz someone took it and used it. ist not like they are bringing the pain.

coml

well i was planning on getting this day one anyways. so this is just a bonus.

Assassin_Kensei

@Toasticus: Because LIVE works even in non-LIVE countries.
At MS they do realize they would not sell many consoles and games, if there was no online service. At the same time, they do not have much to gain by starting LIVE in those countries, because the market is not that big and many customers are already registered in countries like UK (you really think there are that many gamers living in Buckingham Palace?). They give us the service - we pay for Gold, we buy points etc., but they do not give us support - it does not cost them.
It was working well until the Video Marketplace arrived, the former blacklisting was changed to whitelisting, which is understandable for Movies but it really sucks for game content...

uzivatel

@uzivatel: Ah, gotcha. That makes sense, and it sucks. Thanks for the explanation.

Toasticus