Epic releases Gears 2 map pack

By Tom Bramwell Published 15 December, 2008

800 MSP for three maps.

Epic has released three new multiplayer maps for Gears of War 2.

The Combustible Map Pack is available now on Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points (GBP 6.80 / EUR 9.60) and weighs in at 79MB.

The three maps are Flood, where players duke it out amidst lakes of imulsion, with tides that rise and fall; Gold Rush; and Fuel Station, which seems to be derived from the petrol station bit in Gears of War 1, except you can get on the roof.

However, there are already some angry people on the Epic forums moaning that the developer still hasn't fixed lag issues despite a matchmaking patch released in November.

There's a Combustible Map Pack trailer floating around from the Spike Video Game Awards in the US last night that shows off the maps, which we'll try and dig out for you as soon as possible. (Update: Major Nelson reports that the trailer's also downloadable on Live, so you can find it there for the time being.)

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • asphaltcowboy #1 3 years ago

    Yeah, I'd rather they fix matchmaking. We were waiting for 5-10 minutes trying to get a game yesterday with a team of 5. In the end, we just made it private and tried to get a few more people in. Twas a bit disappointing really! Oh and 800 points is a little steep!

  • Jonesie2k #2 3 years ago

    this is ridiculous. they have sorted the getting into games problem, but every other game or so i still get awful, unplayable lag. it really is a good game when it all works, one of my favs. but with cod 4 and 5, halo and fallout etc in my collection my patience really is waring thin with it quickly. they must sort out the lag in game asap or risk losing a lot of players

  • Pinewood_Groves #3 3 years ago

    800 pts for three maps? Does it come with Brumak Armour?

  • HolyJebus #4 3 years ago

    This is a bit of a piss take alright. If anything they should be releasing these for free to make up for the connection problems.

  • HolyJebus #5 3 years ago

    And now Epic have deleted the thread EG linked to of unhappy customers. They really aren't doing themselves any favours at the moment. I read the thread before it was deleted and it wasn't anything crazy, just disappointed players. These guys need to take some lessons from Valve and Bungie.

  • rhubarbandcustard #6 3 years ago

    As a point of principle do NOT buy dlc released this closely to the retail launch.

    DLC should be where a developer continues to support a game after release. In this case they have simply held back content that had been already completed.

    I love Gears Of War and Cliffy B is an entertaining personality in an industry full of bland.

    But on this occasion Cliffy baby... fuck you.

  • Xerx3s #7 3 years ago

    They've got to be joking. 800 points for the big halo 3 map packs is already taking the piss, what makes them think that this is worth 800 points?

  • stepneg #8 3 years ago

    No sale, at least make sure the f**king game works properly, 800pts so I can spend even more of my gaming time sat in matchmaking, no thanks.

  • KujiGhost #9 3 years ago

    I agree that these have been released suspiciously close to the release date. The game only came out, what, a month ago?

  • The_Inquisitor #10 3 years ago

    I'm glad I haven't bought the game yet. There are more games deserving of an immediate purchase from what I hear. I'll get it in the New Year though.

  • asphaltcowboy #11 3 years ago

    I don't buy the 'they should have stuck it on the disc' argument. It's entirely possible that they simply weren't ready for release, which is fair enough assuming they're well-made, balanced and fun. I'd be tempted to pick this up (yes, even at 800pts) had they fixed the matchmaking problems.

    @The_Inquisitor: Er, I'd argue it's one of the best games this year... :p
    Edited by 1 at 15/12/08 @ 11:01

  • nbnz #12 3 years ago

    Funny Epic have deleted that thread.

  • Anthony_UK #13 3 years ago

    I've not even played all the maps included in the game due to the stupid matchmaking! I'd pretty much given up on the multiplayer side of thing till I tried it last night. The matchmaking was fixed to an extent (3 mins is still to long coming from COD) but I didn't experince much lag. But chucking this map pack out now, so soon after relase for that price after all the problems is a joke!

    As someone else said they should release it for free to get people interested again!
    Edited by 1 at 15/12/08 @ 14:05

  • Skooch #14 3 years ago

    Love Gears 2 but the wait for matchmaking is really getting tiresome...when they fix that I will probably splash out on the map pack, but not before.

  • Slim #15 3 years ago

    This'll make the matchmaking worse too, wait 15 mins for a game then get dropped because you don't have the map..

  • stodgypudding #16 3 years ago

    I'm not paying 800pts for this, it's shame so many others will.

  • Pirotic #17 3 years ago

    The match making is a joke, I'm having to bloody play my DS while waiting for it to find a match.

  • CreepinJesus #18 3 years ago

    800 points!? Clearly, Bungie have had a bad influence on the market...

    I still haven't got myself Gears 2 :|

  • Progguitarist #19 3 years ago

    800 points? No thanks. Im not even that fond of the multiplayer to begin with.

  • Monkey_Puncher #20 3 years ago

    I don't have issue with the price, I have issue with the fact they still haven't fixed the fucking matchmaking. As said though, these should be released for free really to make up for the wanked up online multiplayer that has barely worked since launch.

  • Cronan #21 3 years ago

    The link to the Epic forums no longer works, because Epic keep killing threads there. Please fix it.
    No way am I buying this DLC, until they fix the b0rked multiplayer in this game.

  • RustyBullet #22 3 years ago

    Totaly agree. Fix the game first, and this time do it right. What with lag issues and the bingo of have i got a gun or not this round.The online is a joke. Epic.... yea epic balls up.

  • RedSparrows #23 3 years ago

    'This'll make the matchmaking worse too, wait 15 mins for a game then get dropped because you don't have the map.. '

    If it's matchmade that shouldn't happen.

  • CHACK #24 3 years ago

    DO NOT BUY - DONT BE SUCKERED BY EPIC

    As if Cliffy B needs another reason to buy another Lambo.

    Boycott it - they need to fix matchmaking - not fleece consumers for more cash.

  • The_Inquisitor #25 3 years ago

    @ asphaltcowboy

    I know, but I'm trying to limit my purchases. And if I can have a good old moan at the same time... well, bonus.

  • Man_s #26 3 years ago

    After all the problems the game has that have yet to be fixed, including bugs that were present in Gears 1 and fixed afterwards, this is absolutely ridiculous. Do they not understand the damage this does to their image as a studio? I realize it's probably Microsoft that wanted this to be paid for, but still... In Gears 1 we had one map pack for free then 800 points for 4 maps. Now it's 3 maps, one of them a port from Gears PC, for 800 points sensibly 1 month after release... This is just incredibly stupid, and so are the people that buy in to this.

  • TruWari3r #27 3 years ago

    Fix the Boomshield/Shotgun glitch, please pretty please with sugar on top!!

    It's the favorite glitch for cheaters in MP and it's very very annoying.

  • Kyledanutmeg #28 3 years ago

    wow they are really taking the piss are'nt they for 3 shitty maps and a game they have yet to even fix like hell im gonna pay :@

  • grav #29 3 years ago

    well i gave up on this game a week or so ago due to the constant unplayable lag. i was getting 1 in 5 games that were anygood and having to wait up to 5 minutes to find a game.

    been playing cod5 and whilst not such a great game no lag and i can get into games quickly. I won't be bothering with the map pack or any more gow2 unless they fix the lag problem.

  • Dark_Wolf_1991 #30 3 years ago

    Epic games doesnt care about their games or fans..... They just want your money just like EA games.