Gears maps free

By Robert Purchese Published 3 September, 2007

Locust Monday continues.

Microsoft has taken the price tag off the Hidden Fronts Gears of War map pack, making it available to download for free from Live Marketplace.

It was originally added back in May for 800 points, and is made up of four new areas to run around and grunt macho quips in.

There's the Kryll-infested swamp Bullet Marsh, where an old generator provides little light and sanctuary from the flying monsters; Garden, an overgrown conservatory that has some extra smelly fertiliser you'll need to vent before entering; Process, a battle for an active Imulsion processing plant; and Timgad's old Subway station, which is now overrun by the Locust.

You can see what the maps look like over in our Hidden Fronts gallery, or pop into our Gears of War gamepage for our review and guide to finding Cog Tags.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • macksed #1 5 years ago

    :-|

  • dave06 #2 5 years ago

    well thats was a waste of 800 points

  • morriss #3 5 years ago

    Good. Waiting has paid off. :)

  • doragor #4 5 years ago

    Having reaped most of the achievements for this game, I don't think I'll ever play a ranked match online again.

    What is it about Gears? There's a stunning amount of assholes playing it on XBox Live.

  • sickpuppysoftware #5 5 years ago

    Is it free Monday or something?

  • AndyboyH #6 5 years ago

    @doragor

    I guess they've got to play something until Halo 3 comes out...?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #7 5 years ago

    One free thing after another. I would be seriously pissed off though if I paid for the maps in the first place. Price reductions are ok, they happen everywhere, but charging 800 points and then release it for free is something I don't approve. Surely 800 points is not too much but the principle worries me a bit.

  • Fab4 #8 5 years ago

    @doragor - they must alternate between that and CoD3 then. No, wait. I think they are prevalent all over XBL, maybe even the world.

  • asphaltcowboy #9 5 years ago

    @dave06 & Der_tolle_Emil

    When this stuff went up, I'm pretty sure Major Nelson said that they would be made available for free in a number of months (as with the red and black packs for R6: Vegas).

    EDIT: Here's the link
    Edited by 1 at 03/09/07 @ 11:39

  • zuljin #10 5 years ago

    Quick question: Are these MP only maps?

  • glo #11 5 years ago

    yes. multiplayer maps only

  • zuljin #12 5 years ago

    Aww. Still, free is free right? :)

    EDIT: Why are 3 w's automaticlly replaced by an internet link?
    Edited by 2 at 03/09/07 @ 11:47

  • Der_tolle_Emil #13 5 years ago

    asphaltcowboy: Thanks, I didn't know that.

  • DUFFKING #14 5 years ago

    >> well thats was a waste of 800 points

    Good job they announced they'd be free today months ago, on the day they released the new map pack then :)

  • Mart #15 5 years ago

    Locust Monday continues.
    9/10. Good work.

  • The_Inquisitor #16 5 years ago

    Free is good but I don't know if I can be bothered with it. My GOW get zero play time now a days.

  • GamesConnoisseur #17 5 years ago

    Noooo! Just realised that since May, after purchasing and downloading the pack, only played it few times, er possibly twice cos of work, family and other games getting in the way!

    Now free! Argh! Serves me right.

    /Pondering that I may best play Warhawk as much as possible so wont be kicking myself again when it get free or cheaper this time next year on PSN

  • SomaticSense #18 5 years ago

    "well thats was a waste of 800 points"

    That's exactly why you should never have paid for them. They weren't exactly shy in publicising the fact they'd be free in early September, so it's pointless complaining about being ripped off as it's your own fault for buying the bleeding things.

    The same goes for anyone else who inevitably will come on here complaining they were ripped-off.

  • Caimbeul #19 5 years ago

    Woohoo!

  • Rash' #20 5 years ago

    SomaticSense, I don't think it's fair to blame the uninitiated for purchasing products they are excited about. The buck for this falls on Microsoft to explain what audience they were targeting when they released the maps as paid for products. Informing the hardcore in advance of they're pricing strategy suggests they were again taking the uninformed for a ride.

  • septimus #21 5 years ago

    I thought the wait would have felt longer. May have done if I hadn't forgotten about these maps. Free download, good times.

  • SomaticSense #22 5 years ago

    @ Rash:

    That point is fair enough, but isn't really relevant as regards to EG readers is it? Especially bearing in mind that if people are spending their time typing comments onto a dedicated gaming site, then they are highly unlikely to be 'uninitiated' are they?

    EG did dedicate a whole news report about the maps' original release and how they'd be free in September. So anyone who comes on here and complains about being ripped-off officially deserves the 'Idiot Stamp'. Your point is 100% valid as regards to random casual gamers though.

  • Avenger1324 #23 5 years ago

    I wouldn't be surprised if they did something similar with Halo 3 - even if they say the maps will be free in 4 months, there will still be a lot of frenzied fans who will buy as soon as it's available