The story takes place eighteen months after the events of Gears of War 2 and the loss of the human stronghold of Jacinto. Marcus, Baird, Dom and company continue their fight to save human civilization, as they battle the Locust and face new threats from within the planet throughout the campaign mode.

Get ready to jump back in the action with Delta Squad beginning this April by pre-ordering Gears of War 3 online or from any conveniently located GameStop store. Fans can pre-order one of the three distinct Gears of War 3 editions — Standard ($59.99 USD), Limited ($79.99) and Epic ($149.99) — and gain access to three weeks of multiplayer beta action on Xbox LIVE, beginning April 25. Gears of War 3 pre-orders and multiplayer beta access is available to non U.S. consumers from a variety of participating worldwide retailers, including multiple retailers in Canada, Game (UK), and EB Games (Australia & New Zealand).

Over the course of the beta program, three new competitive multiplayer modes and four exclusive maps will be rolled out, all running on dedicated servers and providing fans with the opportunity to help shape the biggest blockbuster game of 2011. Two of the four multiplayer maps, Trenches and Old Town, were selected by Gears fans through a Facebook poll that generated thousands of votes.

The Gears of War 3 public multiplayer beta kicks off April 25 and runs through May 15. Bulletstorm: Epic Edition customers will get early access beginning April 18 through the Bulletstorm disc. Beta tokens were shipped with each retail copy of Bulletstorm: Epic Edition. Customers will need this token and have their copy of Bulletstorm to access the Gears of War 3 beta. An active Xbox LIVE Gold membership is required to participate.

Key Beta Dates:

• Bulletstorm Preview, April 18-24: Owners of Bulletstorm: Epic Edition are eligible for a one-week beta preview period featuring the new Team Deathmatch mode on four new maps (Thrashball, Checkout, Trenches and Old Town).
• Gears of War 3 Beta, April 25-May 15: The full public beta period begins April 25. Players can look forward to special events and playlists throughout the beta period. Two additional competitive game modes, Capture the Leader and King of the Hill, will be added over the course of the beta period.
• May 15 – Beta concludes: Not only will fans who participate in the beta have the opportunity to get an early taste of the year's biggest game, but they'll also have the opportunity to unlock exclusive content they can carry over to their retail copy of Gears of War 3 when it launches on Sept. 20.

Unlockables:

• Beta Tester Medal – Complete one match in the beta to unlock the Beta Tester medal, which will carry over to your gamer profile in the final game. The Beta Tester title will be featured in the Gears 3 multiplayer lobby as well.
• Thrashball Cole – Complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock the Thrashball Cole character variant in the beta. Once unlocked, complete 10 matches as Thrashball Cole during the beta and the character will carry over to your gamer profile in the final game.
• Gold-Plated Retro Lancer – Show your ultimate Gears of War fandom by unlocking the Gold-Plated Retro Lancer. Complete 90 matches in any game type to unlock it for the beta, and score 100 kills with it once unlocked to carry the exclusive weapon skin over to your gamer profile in the final game.
• Flaming Hammerburst – Complete one match by Sunday, April 24 and unlock this weapon variant.
• Flaming Lancer – Complete one match during the week of April 25 and unlock this weapon variant.
• Flaming Sawed-Off Shotgun – Complete one match during the week of May 2 to unlock this weapon variant.
• Flaming Gnasher Shotgun – Complete one match during the week of May 9 to unlock this weapon variant.

Key Features:

• An enthralling cinematic story that captivates players in an intimately intense action game
• Five-on-five multiplayer experience as well as four player campaign co-op experience
• New multiplayer game modes including "Beast Mode" – offering a new twist to the game where you take on the role of the locust horde and their assorted variations!
• New maps including: Trenches which features an impressive sand storm that reduces your visibility, as well as Overpass, Mercy, Checkout, and Thrashball
• New weapons including: The Bayonet Charge, The Retro Lancer, The Sawed-off Shotgun, The OneShot – a heavy sniper rifle that shoots through shields or cover for a surprise one shot kill, The Incendiary Grenade, The Digger Launcher and a few subtle tweaks to old favorites Hammerburst and The Classic Lancer. Don't forget that each weapon now has its own execution move!
  Stay tuned for more updates, and keep your eyes peeled for more news on the Official Multiplayer Public Beta coming soon!