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.

Rally your brothers in arms and charge into battle with Delta Squad as the multiplayer beta for this year’s most anticipated blockbuster, “Gears of War 3,” officially launches today on Xbox LIVE. Fans who’ve preordered “Gears of War 3” from GameStop* can jump into the action and help perfect the award-winning multiplayer experience in the epic finale to one of gaming’s most celebrated sagas.

Over the next three weeks, players will have the opportunity to get an early taste of three brand new competitive modes on four breathtaking maps:

Beta Content Schedule

1. April 25 – May 1: The beta kicks off with the new Team Deathmatch and King of the Hill modes on three explosive battlegrounds: Thrashball, Checkout and Trenches.
2. May 2 – May 8: The action amps up with the addition of Capture the Leader and a fan-picked map from the Facebook voting contest, Old Town.
3. May 9 – May 15: The mayhem continues with Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill and Capture the Leader on all four maps.

Additionally, fans can look forward to special events and surprises throughout the beta, and unlock exclusive medals, weapon skins and character variants, which they can carry over to their retail copy of “Gears of War 3” when it launches on Sept. 20. For example, players can complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock Thrashball Cole during the beta. Completing 10 matches as the Thrashball athlete during the beta period will permanently unlock the character variant for the retail version of “Gears of War 3.” For additional details on the unlockables and the beta, please refer to the official Epic Games FAQ.

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!