Midway Games have announced that Unreal Tournament 3, for the Xbox 360 is now available, with several new features including split screen, five exclusive maps and two all-new characters, as well as all previously released downloadable content.

Xbox 360 owners will also get an exclusive video preview of Gears of War 2, included on the Unreal Tournament 3 disc. The exclusive video content will include never-before-seen footage of the game’s multiplayer modes featuring new maps, new modes, new weapons and new gameplay elements. The video is narrated by Cliff Bleszinski, and Gears of War senior producer, Rod Fergusson.

Europe got their copies a few days earlier on July 4th and UT3 has already shipped over one million units for the PC and PS3 thus far, so it will be interesting to see how many sell for the Xbox 360 now that it has been unleashed.

Via: Press Release

To this day, Gears of War still has a strong following in online multiplayer. As awesome as the single-player campaign looks in the sequel, most fans’ questions pertain to the new and improved multiplayer. So X-Play sat down with Cliff Bleszinski to talk about what sort of changes they’re planning to implement. Aside from new weapons and maps and such, it seems the team has thankfully identified some problems plaguing the first game, which they hope to correct (i.e. more cover-focused action and less problems from achievement whores). So far, it definitely sounds like they’re on the right track.

Via G4TV

This is the fourth and final post in our Gears of War 2 Screenshot Extravaganza. Where as part three showed campaign artwork, these are actual screenshots and this time we have more than just pretty pictures, we have some actual multiplayer map descriptions too.

Here are the maps we know about so far:

• GRIDLOCK: A tranquil highway next to a river rapidly filled with evacuating vehicles immediately after the Locust emergence. Few of the panicked owners made it out alive as ruthlessly efficient Locust squads swept through the area, taking out civilians one by one.

• RIVER: Old grain mills located on the outskirts of the city of Landown make the perfect setting for a cross-bridge clash.

• SECURITY: Older Coalition technology was built to last, as witnessed by the laser fences and security turrets located in this Pendulum Wars–era work camp. Soldiers must first deactivate the lethal defenses before making a dash for the weaponry in either wing of the arena.

Screens for each map are posted after the jump along with more screens from the game featuring Grenadiers, Hammerheads, Dizzy, Cole and more.

Be sure and check out the other GoW2 screens posts:

• Pt. 1
• Pt. 2
• Pt. 3

Read the full article »

Part Three of the Gears of War 2 Screenshot Extravaganza is here and full of Campaign Artwork featuring not only some really nice looking locales, but artwork depicting some of the characters and bad guys you will encounter in the game.

If you though the concept art in Part Two was neat, these are even better.

Hit the jump for more.

Read the full article »

If you enjoyed part one of the Gears of War 2 Screenshot Extravaganza, here is a bunch of artwork depicting the weapons available when playing multiplayer. At your disposal will be the Hammerburst, Locust Gorgon Pistol and the Locust Poison Grenade, plus we have some Stranded Flame Thrower and shield concept art as well.

Next up will be Part Three: Campaign Artwork.

Enjoy.

Microsoft and Epic released so many screenshots for Gears of War 2 today that if I were to put them all in one post, the thin silver cord connecting us to the Prime Material Plane would snap and all we know would be lost to us as we floated around in the different Astral realms – that or the Matrix would collapse, or any other sort of nerdy reference to all hell breaking loose. Therefore, my fellow gamers, I have decided to break these up into different posts so as not to wreak havoc or to put it bluntly, get called out by my boss for making a “monster” post.

Part one of this Gears of War 2 screenshot extravaganza contains five campaign screenshots featuring Markus fighting a rockworm, environments, and a couple more.

Check back later for Part Two: Competitive Multiplayer Artwork.

Channel Flip is hosting a video mini series on Mac gaming. Your video host Katharine is kicking off Mac Gaming 101 with native gaming options for the Mac.

Now, much as we all love our various Mac computers here at ChannelFlip, we’re ready to admit that the issue of gaming has long been a thorn in the side of Apple fans.

But the perception that you have to have a high powered Windows PC for gaming on a computer, combined with a lack of publicity for the growing Mac gaming industry, means that a surprising number of people aren’t aware of what you can achieve gaming wise on a Mac.

Some of the games that can be played on the Mac include Unreal Tournament 3, Neverwinter Nights 2, Guitar Hero 3, The Sims 2: Castaway Stories, Fable: The Lost Chapters and World of Warcraft.

via ChannelFlip

ChannelFlip has five copies of Unreal Tournament 3 for the Xbox 360 to give away. Each of the games include an exclusive preview of Gears of War 2. Gamers have a chance to answer an Unreal Tournament trivia question to be entered for their chance to win one of the games.

The Rules

• This competition is open to all ChannelFlip viewers
• Emails must be received by 11:59 AM BST Friday 4th July 2008 to qualify.
• Multiple entries will be disqualified – please include your forum username in your submission.
• The five winners will be chosen randomly from correct entries
• The Editor’s decision is final.
• Prizes cannot be swapped for a cash alternative.
• Any questions, post them in the comments section below!

As you can see there is nothing in the rules that disqualifies ChannelFlip viewers outside the UK from participating. You just have to be a registered user. To register with ChannelFlip if you’re not already on the list and enter the contest, pop over to ChannelFlip Unreal Tournament 3 competition page.

Great lineup of games for this week’s 1UP Show, with three big name games fighting for your attention. You can expect Dan Hsu to get the answers to your questions about Gears 2 directly from the face of the franchise, Cliff Bleszinski.

If that’s not your thing, then perhaps a little Battlefield: Bad Company talk will interest you? I think the general consensus is that the game’s trailers have been hilarious — who doesn’t like poking fun at Metal Gear Solid, Rainbow Six and Gears of War, after all? — but that won’t count for much if the game doesn’t live up to the franchise’s name. David Ellis and Shawn Elliott will discuss.

And finally, the newest addition to the lineup of 1UP podcasts, 1UP FM, gets a major plug during the segment featuring Atari’s Alone in the Dark.

Now make with the downloading and check out this week’s 1UP Show in the format of your choice:

QT M4V (Podcast)
WMV 640×360
QT 640×360

Good news Gears of War fans. Today Microsoft released new Gears 2 screens featuring campaign and multiplayer aspects and 1Up/EGM has an exclusive interview with Cliff which also features footage showcasing new multiplayer modes, new weapons and tons of lovely gore.

Enough with my rambling, watch the video, check out the screens and remember to read 1UP’s preview here.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!