“Gears of War 2” picks up six months after the events of “Gears of War,” and thrusts players back into a deep and harrowing story of humankind’s epic battle for survival against a nightmarish force of underground creatures known as the Locust Horde. Players continue the story of Marcus Fenix, a reluctant war hero, as he leads Delta Squad on a series of perilous and adrenaline-pumping missions. “Gears of War 2” blends a best-in-class third-person shooter with unsurpassed high-definition visuals, all layered on top of an engaging story of survival, loss and retribution.

Gamers can enlist to join Delta Squad from the Xbox 360 exclusive game “Gears of War 2” at Comic-Con International 2008 (July 24-27), the largest comic book and pop culture gathering of its kind. Xbox 360 is bringing this blockbuster sequel to the original five-million-selling action game to San Diego, along with renowned design director, Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games. Comic-Con attendees may also walk away with one of two limited edition Xbox 360 consoles – featuring custom artwork by Brandon Badeaux from the upcoming “Gears of War” comic book – in exclusive giveaways being hosted in both the Xbox 360 (#5225) and DC Comics (#1915) booths.

To meet and get an autographed “Gears of War 2” poster from Cliff Bleszinski and lead writer Joshua Ortega, Comic-Con attendees are invited to drop by the Xbox 360 booth on Saturday, July 26th from 2:00-2:45PM. For those who want a more in-depth look into the next harrowing chapter in humanity’s struggle against the nightmarish Locust Horde, fans are invited to the Xbox 360 “Gears of War” Showcase Panel on Saturday from 3:30-4:30PM in Room 6B. Epic Games’ Cliff Bleszinski will again be joined by writer Joshua Ortega (of Spider-man, Batman and Star Wars comic book fame), as well as New York Times best-selling novelist Karen Traviss (Star Wars: Republic Commando novels) from Del Rey Books, to discuss exciting new installments to the “Gears of War” universe. Those in attendance will also get a sneak peek into the action, characters, weapons and vehicles of “Gears of War 2” for the Xbox 360.

As one of the most popular and best-selling Xbox 360 games, the “Gears of War” phenomenon continues with the much-anticipated sequel debuting November 7th worldwide. Additionally, fans will soon also be able to get their hands on the following products from the franchise:

• Collectibles from NECA (#4345), including a limited edition 7” Anthony Carmine figure that will be available exclusively at Comic-Con for $20. Show attendees will also get a first look at the new prototype figures of General RAAM and the “Gears of War 2” Locust Flame Grenadier enemy, as well as a full-size electronic Lancer Assault Rifle toy replica. Additionally, NECA will have the original “Gears of War” Series 1 (Marcus Fenix, Augustus Cole, Locust Sniper and Locust Drone), and Series 2 (Dominic Santiago, Damon Baird, and two Locust Theron Guards with and without their trademark red helmets) 7” action figure sets on display at Comic-Con. Visit www.necaonline.com for more information.
• A comic book series from DC Comics’ WildStorm Productions debuting in October that features a storyline that bridges the central events of the two videogames. The series involves comic writer Joshua Ortega and artist Liam Sharp, and is the inspiration for artist Brandon Badeaux’s 20 “Gears of War” custom Xbox 360 consoles – two of which will be given away to fans at Comic-Con (more info about future giveaways can be found at www.gearsofwar.com).
• Three “Gears of War” novels from best-selling writer Karen Traviss and Del Ray Books, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group. The first novel, Gears of War: The Battle of Aspho Fields, will go on sale October 28th. For Marcus Fenix – decorated war hero, convicted traitor – the return of his old comrade, Dominic Santiago, threatens to dredge up an agonizing secret he's sworn to keep. As the beleaguered soldiers take a last stand to save humankind from extermination, the harrowing decisions made at Aspho Fields have to be relived and made again. Marcus and Dom can take anything the Locust Horde throws at them, but will their friendship survive the truth about Dom’s brother Carlos? Visit www.delreybooks.com for more info about this new chapter in the “Gears of War” universe.

Comic-Con attendees can also get a look at the latest game titles in the Xbox 360 booth, including “Ninja Gaiden II,” “Too Human,” and more. Additionally, Microsoft will be “Bringing Comic-Con Home” on Xbox LIVE throughout the event, so anyone can get a behind-the-scenes look at all the action from the show floor. Daily coverage will be featured on Inside Xbox and Xbox.com, as well as through downloadable content available through Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Features:

• Bigger, better and more badass gameplay. “Gears of War 2” builds upon the gameplay of the first title in every way. First, the scope of the action is bigger. New characters, more weapons, nastier enemies, bigger vehicles and grander locales offer players more action, more emotion and more thrills. Next, every major aspect of the game has been refined to create heightened, more immersive experiences. Finally, the overall tone of “Gears of War 2” is more badass — replete with new weapon-specific executions, chain saw duels and shocking boss fights.
• Jaw-dropping visuals. “Gears of War 2” raises the graphics bar for next-generation games through its breathtaking visual effects, which are made possible through advances in Unreal Engine 3. New visual effects in “Gears of War 2” include ambient occlusion, dynamic shadows, improved character lighting, the ability to render hundreds of on-screen characters simultaneously, improved water physics, additional blood and bullet decals, advanced destructible environments, new weather effects, and the introduction of fluid objects. When combined with the sweeping vistas and evocative locales in the world of Sera where the “Gears of War 2” story unfolds, these additions help make “Gears of War 2” the most gorgeous game available this generation.
• Gripping story that pulls you in and won’t let go. “Gears of War 2” continues to push deep, immersive storytelling in video games to greater heights. Humanity’s epic battle for survival is felt on both personal and epic levels as players explore multiple story arcs that introduce new characters and flesh out the histories of familiar ones.
• Unparalleled Xbox LIVE competitive and co-op action. “Gears of War 2” takes full advantage of the industry-leading Xbox LIVE service. Xbox LIVE, which is home to millions of gamers, is a robust online entertainment network, and allows gamers to enjoy “Gears of War 2” either competitively or cooperatively. Enhanced competitive multiplayer gameplay over Xbox LIVE will introduce new modes and weapons, and a multitude of new maps.2 Also new to “Gears of War 2” is the ability for gamers to drop in and drop out of the co-op campaign at any time, while playing at their own difficulty setting. Enjoying the visceral thrills of “Gears of War” has never been easier.

Gears of War 2 will be available in a Standard Edition ($59.99) or Limited Edition ($69.99) and is scheduled to launch November 2008.