PC Gamer US on Gears 2: "360 gamers get it first again? That sucks, and so does the game"
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Microsoft's Kudo Tsunoda has admitted that Gears of War 1's story "wasn't necessarily as robust as it could have been" but expects the second game to change all that.
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MTV Multiplayer writes: "As he launched into a 30-minute demonstration of "Gears of War 2" yesterday at Microsoft's showcase event in San Francisco, game designer Cliff Bleszinski volunteered an update on the length of the series.

He said it is not announced as a trilogy.

He explained that the decision to make a second game occurred only once Microsoft started receiving large retail orders for the first game and said a decision to make a third one would be made closer to the release of "Gears 2? this holiday season.

And then there could be a fourth, fifth, or sixth game after, he added."
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GamePro writes: Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinksi gave GamePro a sneak peek at the second level of Gears of War 2 at Microsoft's Spring Showcase event in San Fransisco tonight.
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We've all encountered it; begging children on Xbox Live, crying to the rest of the lobby to help them unlock their multiplayer Achievements via suicide, game-breaking behavior and more, thus spoiling the fun for everyone else.Thankfully, it looks like Gears of War 2 at least is going to fight against the whiney Achievement whores, by limiting the amount of accolades players can unlock in a single multiplayer game.Speaking to ... » Read More

Last week the first Gears of War 2 campaign footage chainsawed our eyeballs with more brutal greenish-brown slaughter and an oh-so-ironic Cliffy B t-shirt. Cliffy punctuated the footage with:"There you have it - bigger, better, and more bad ass indeed." Certainly looks that way from the trailer, but two minutes of gameplay footage isn’t exactly extensive. GR editors Eric Bratcher and Charlie Barratt, however, have gotten a ... » Read More

Microsoft's Shane Kim believes that Gears of War 2 will be the biggest game of the year and points to the first game's performance against Resistance: Fall of Man on PS3 as evidence of this.

"They launched with Resistance and we've sold nearly 5 million units of Gears of War 1. I think we won that battle," Kim told Eurogamer in an interview to be published soon.

"That's why I believe it's going to be the biggest title this holiday. Killzone's out of the holiday, despite some of the earlier statements that were made. We'll see what happens with Resistance 2, but we've gone head-to-head before. I still feel very confident in the quality [of Gears of War 2]," he explained.
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Having trouble keeping track of the info-burst coming from Microsoft's spring media summit? You can find it all here in a condensed, confusion-free lump. ... » Read More

During Microsoft's Spring Showcase today, Epic Games employee and Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski teased that the much-anticipated cover-heavy sequel could include four-person cooperative play.

When asked directly if Gears of War 2 will feature 4-player co-op, Bleszinski responded: "We're not announcing anything about co-op at this time, we'll probably get around to it around E3 time, but rest assured, it will be bigger and better."

The multiplayer is incredibly robust," he continued. "We're not saying too much about it right now due to embargoes and whatnot, but lots of multiplayer maps, lots of modes. We'll have the multiplayer functionality that gamers have come to expect this day and age."
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Gamers have all encountered it; begging foreigners on Xbox Live, crying to the rest of the lobby to help them unlock their multiplayer Achievements via suicide, game-breaking behavior and more, thus spoiling the fun for everyone else.

Thankfully, it looks like Gears of War 2 at least is going to fight against the whiney Achievement whores, by limiting the amount of accolades players can unlock in a single multiplayer game.

Speaking to CVG at Microsoft's media summit this afternoon Gears honcho Cliff Bleszinski said Epic was going to be "throttling" the amount of achievements players can unlock at any given point.

"If you're going for headshots," he gave as an example, "you get one headshot that counts and any other headshots won't count towards your Achievement, so players don't just play to get headshots the entire round just to get Achievements."
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MTV Multiplayer writes: "Not that anyone should be surprised, but Shane Kim, head of Microsoft Game Studios, told me, Brian Crecente (Kotaku), Chris Grant (Joystiq) and N'Gai Croal (Newsweek) yesterday that "Gears of War 2" will be the biggest Xbox 360 game of the year, the flagship exclusive for the holiday season.

Not "Fable 2"? He said that game is coming along really well. But "Gears 2? is the big one.

So no giant surprise game for Holiday 2008, 360 fans. You already know which title Microsoft is betting its chips on.

UPDATE: Just to be clear, he's talking about titles coming from Microsoft Game Studios."
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X3F writes:

"After digging through today's new Gamer's Day Gears of War 2 press kit, on what we initially thought to be an unsuccessful mission to find something new, we stumbled across an interesting feature reveal. Listed on the official GoW2 May 2008 fact sheet comes mention that the "overall tone of 'Gears of War 2' is more badass - replete with new weapon-specific executions, chain saw duels and shocking boss fights." Weapon specific executions? SUH-WEET! Maybe that's why the recently released gameplay video didn't show the option to curb stomp Locusts which lead us to think neck-snapping replaced the iconic foot to the back of head, head to the curb move. We can only imagine what other weapon specific executions will be included when Gears ships and what twisted execution the crew over at Epic will think up for the torque bow..."
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MCV writes: "Gears of War 2, Too Human, Fable 2 and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts all arriving before Christmas.

Unfortunate internet leaks may have reduced the wow factor, but Microsoft Game Studios has finally revealed its list of big-hitting 360 software releases from now until the end of the year.

The platform holder is set to confirm the list at its product showcase in San Francisco later today."
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MTV Multiplayer writes: "There was only one close call.

Kudo Tsunoda, the new general manager for Microsoft's "Gears of War" development efforts, got through most of his dinner with me and three other gaming reporters last night with only one "can-we-say-this?" look shot over to the public relations person staffing our meal.

It came after I asked him to define what "Gears of War" is to him, and how it differs from "Halo." He threw out words like "co-op" and "tactical" and then he said "squad," which prompted me to ask about the number of players that could team up in a "Gears of War 2? mission. He looked for help.

No.

Not something he can talk about at the moment."
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VG247: Gears of War 2 will be shown at today's Microsoft Gamer's Day, played by Cliff B, Microsoft just announced. Also thee will be Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Fable 2, Too Human and Ninja Gaiden II.

Press release after the link.
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Geekpulp takes a closer look at the first Gears of War 2 Trailer "Having played way too much of the original Gears, I am eagerly awaiting the sequel and thought that a break down of what we see in the trailer would be in order."
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We are pleased to present you with the brand-newest trailer for Gears of War 2. ... » Read More

Microsoft has announced that the first Gears of War 2 footage will be viewable on Xbox LIVE Marketplace from 7am BST on May 10.

The video will feature a personal introduction by Epic Games Design Director Cliff Bleszinski, with the trailer said to capture the essence of the bigger, better and more badass gameplay in "Gears of War 2."
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GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley will be premiering gameplay footage of not only Gears of War 2, but also of Ghostbusters: The Videogame. The Gears of War 2 footage will be introduced by Lead Designer Cliff Bleszinski. The show is set to air May 9th at 1:00AM ET/PT. The video will then appear on GameTrailers.com at 11pm PT.
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The first Gears of War gameplay trailer will arrive on Xbox Live Video Store tonight at 11 PM PDT in the US and 7 AM for the UK , Microsoft has revealed.With a "personal introduction" by Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski, the trailer offers the first in-game look at the "bigger, better and more badass" gameplay in Gears 2. Cliffy will probably make a prat of himself, too.According to Microsoft, the trailer ... » Read More