Starting on August 19th (the first day of GamesCom in Cologne, Germany), Xbox 360 Gold members will be able to download the co-op demo for Lost Planet 2 that Capcom has been showing at events such as E3, Comic-Con and GamesCom, while Silver level members will be able to take part on August 26th.

Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers around the world will be able to experience the desperate battle against the enormous G-Type Salamander Akrid boss in online, co-operative shoot outs. Utilizing a host of weapons scattered through out the arena, squads of up to four players will face off against the huge monster in an attempt to bring it down. Players can assault the Salamander in a number of ways, from shearing off its legs to actually being swallowed and fighting their way out from the inside! Superior firepower comes in many flavours, including numerous beam and projectile weapons and several Vital Suit robotic combat units that up to three players can ride at once. There are new support weapons which allow teammates to boost attack and defense abilities, while players can share life-giving thermal energy amongst injured members of their squad. Additionally, the new Dash feature allows players to sprint for short distances, bringing greater speed to combat.

The demo is a brief glimpse into the world and possibilities of Lost Planet 2, highlighting the range of weaponry available to players while showing off the high definition graphical capabilities of MT Framework 2.0, the latest version of Capcom’s proprietary 3D game engine.

Lost Planet 2 will offer deeper insight into the world of E.D.N III and the uncertain fate of future mankind. A decade has passed since the first game, and the face of E.D.N. III has changed dramatically. Terraforming efforts have been successful and the ice has begun to melt, giving way to lush tropical jungles and harsh unforgiving deserts. Players will enter this new environment and follow the exploits of their own customized snow pirate on their quest to seize control of the changing planet.

Players will control their heroes across 6 interconnected episodes, creating a truly unique interactive experience that changes depending upon the actions of the players involved. With this concept, players will have the opportunity to engage in the story in a much more dynamic way as plot threads evolve from different players' perspectives.

Beyond the deep single player mode, Lost Planet 2 is loaded with extensive multiplayer modes. The intense and action packed campaign mode comes with the ability to form teams of up to 4 players online to clear mission objectives with friends. The grappling hooks that made the gameplay in Lost Planet a true 3-D experience are back, allowing gamers to gain tactical advantage by quickly scaling buildings and other obstacles that have become exposed by the wide range of environmental changes to the world of E.D.N. III.