Gears of War 3: The end of beta! (sadness) & Collector’s edition contents! (joy)

The Gears 3 Beta is over. Sadness ensues. Gears fans will have to wait all the way until September 20th in order to witness the climatic conclusion of Epic’s gory masterpiece. The Beta was a well organized frag fest that offered up very few headaches, and a whole lot of fun. With dedicated servers and an excellent net code, Gears of War 3 was one of the smoothest multiplayer games I’ve ever played. In the coming months EPIC will no doubt fine tune the game in order to give us one of the most polished games in history. If you’re curious about the details of the beta, check out my review HERE. Fans of the series will be delighted to see the contents of the TWO collector’s editions below. As a fan of the series I think they did an amazing job filling the box with what the fans actually WANT.

INFO BELOW PROVIDED BY EPIC GAMES

In this new video, we go behind the scenes with Epic Games Art Director Chris Perna, giving fans a window into the mind of the visionary artist who helped berth some of gaming’s most iconic characters and settings.

In this revelation, Perna unveils the centerpiece of the “Gears of War 3” Epic Edition – a hand-crafted statue of Marcus Fenix, designed by his own hand and brought to life by the expert artisans at Triforce. Available for pre-order now, “Gears of War 3” will be available in a Standard Edition ($59.99 US), and two special editions:

Limited Edition ($79.99 US) – The must-have for fans who want to celebrate the culmination of the trilogy, the Limited Edition includes:

• An Octus Award Box and Octus Service Medal – Replicas of the honors bestowed on Adam Fenix, Marcus’s father, for his work on the Hammer of Dawn.
• Exclusive Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character – Each Octus Service Medal replica is engraved with a unique Xbox LIVE code that is the only way to unlock Adam Fenix in multiplayer.
• A fabric COG Flag – Proud colors that once flew above the House of Sovereigns.
• The personal effects of Adam Fenix, including his “Last Will and Testament,” the initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos.

Epic Edition ($149.99 US) – The ultimate collection for hardcore fans who can’t get enough “Gears of War 3,” the Epic Edition includes:

• A Limited Edition Marcus Fenix Statue – Designed by Epic Games Art Director Chris Perna and expertly crafted by the artisans at Triforce, this fine PVC statue collectible makes the ultimate living room centerpiece for any true “Gears” fan.
• The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell – Through unprecedented access to the Epic Games team, acclaimed author Tom Bissell (Extra Lives) gives readers an incisive behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated sagas in video game history with 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept artwork and more.
• Infected Omen Weapon Pack — Custom multiplayer skins for the game’s five starting weapons; Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and Gnasher Shotgun.
• All the contents of the “Gears of War 3” Limited Edition.

The “Gears of War 3” Limited Edition and Epic Edition are the only ways to obtain these high-end collectibles and downloadable content. With production values worthy of the most discerning fans, the “Gears of War 3” Epic Edition is available in very limited quantities and only while supplies last.