Gears of War content on Weds

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 January, 2007

Two new maps, says Epic.

Epic Games has confirmed that this week will see the release of a Gears of War patch and two new downloadable maps, as well as an "introductory video" starring lead designer Cliff Bleszinski.

The two new maps, Old Bones and Raven Down, are detailed below, and you can check out screenshots elsewhere on the site. They'll both be out on 10th January. Early reports mentioned the 11th, but Epic's Mark Rein says that's the Australian release date.

The patch part of the arrangement is what Rein has previously described as a "housekeeping" update designed to tackle a few issues that were causing problems for the game's substantial userbase. Epic had hoped to get it out before Christmas, but festive constraints seemed to put paid to that.

Anyway, without further ado, here's some info on Old Bones and Raven Down:

  • Old Bones: In an attempt to eradicate any traces of human history and culture, the Locust Horde has emerged under Sera's Capitaline Museums and has begun to destroy them brick by brick. Each gamer's mission is to help the Delta Force recapture the museums before all remnants of humankind's existence are obliterated.

  • Raven Down: A Raven Helicopter has gone down in the middle of a large scale battle with the omnipresent Locust Horde. Gears have taken out the Seeder and gamers join Delta Forces moving into the crash site from all angles to search for survivors.

Don't forget to check the screenshots, too.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

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

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

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Comments (41) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Janx #1 5 years ago

    Excellent, will be looking forward to this - I assume its pay-for content?

  • trevd72 #2 5 years ago

    are these not the freebies mentioned last year?

  • oasis84 #3 5 years ago

    I hope its free! Bet its not tho :(

  • Dyason #4 5 years ago

    Pretty sure it will be free. Can't wait! Wonder what bugfixes they've put in. Better matchmaking will be too much to hope for.

  • Furbs #5 5 years ago

    Nope, its freeeeeeee!

  • beider #6 5 years ago

    paying for fixes for a game you already paid for is stupid. The patch should be free at least, only console gamers would be dumb enough to put up with paying for patches.

  • asphaltcowboy #7 5 years ago

    Awesome! I think (hope) it will be free. Any news on what the patch actually sorts out?

    /crosses fingers for 'nade tagging and sniper rifle...

  • speedjack #8 5 years ago

    beider,

    I've never ever heard of a console game that ever charged for a patch...

    The maps are free.

    The patch is free.

    ...so you can sleep easy tonight.




  • morriss #9 5 years ago

    It's all FREE!

  • Skooch #10 5 years ago

    I love playing this online, the multiplayer rocks!

    This is like Christmas all over again... :D

  • oasis84 #11 5 years ago

    My xbox360 broke - waiting for a new one! lol

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #12 5 years ago

    Be nice to see some changes and tweaks to the multiplayer side. Two new maps is love though.

    /gives love

  • Inquisitor #13 5 years ago

    Where did you get the idea that you'd have to pay for the patch from?

    I don't theres been any game thats charged you for a simple patch.

  • Max_Powers #14 5 years ago

    Better matchmaking probably isn't going to happen is it? :(

  • Janx #15 5 years ago

    I said pay-for CONTENT not for the patch...

  • asphaltcowboy #16 5 years ago

    What is in the damn patch fgs!

  • darkphoenix #17 5 years ago

    Goodbye fuckin' grenade taggers, goodbyeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • sharpfish #18 5 years ago

    Epic Content = Free (Always has).

    Great news, 2 maps and an update can't say fairer than that! :)

  • matrim83 #19 5 years ago

    Don't have GoW but Epic are legend when it comes to supporting their stuff. Any PC gamer will tell you the same.

  • semprini #20 5 years ago

    Hope the patch stop the grenade tagging in multiplayer. Fucking annoying tactic.

  • crazyhorse174 #21 5 years ago

    Most over-rated game. Ever.

  • AtomicBanana Verified Level Designer, Playground Games #22 5 years ago

    Most pointless comment. Ever.

  • Xerx3s #23 5 years ago

    Most over-rated game. Ever.

    If you think that this game sucks, why are you reading about it? Or better yet, why post about it? Or do you just want to spam your pointless comment in the hope that other people of your kind would pick it up?

    Don't like the game? Don't fucking post in those threads and let the people that do like it be in ignorance of your nay-saying.

  • bavelb #24 5 years ago

    From the Epicforums:

    A Gears of War update should start pushing through the system at some point tomorrow, Tuesday January 9, 2007 prior to the two new multiplayer maps being available on Xbox Live Marketplace on Wednesday January 10, 2007.

    Source: [link url=http://gearsforums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=560548
    ]http://gearsforums.epicgames.com/showthr...[/link]

    So they ARe mp maps, and the things the patch fixes are also in the post.

    Best fixes of all:
    • Fixed voice issue with new players joining Player Match games in progress
    • Reduced Grenade Tag melee distance

    nice fix for soloplayers:
    • Removed host name from Ranked match server browser
    The last one will stir up some clan-shit ;)
    The way these mp maps are described on EG, it sounds like new MP modes to me though.

    But with the voicebug gone, Ill be going back to playing :)
    Edited by bavelb at 08/01/07 @ 15:11

  • crazyhorse174 #25 5 years ago

    @Xerx3s

    Shut the fuck up man...isnt that the point of a comments thread, to put my opinion down? And I'm not allowed to read something, simply because I dont like it?

    Are you married to someone who made GoW? Are you related to them? Are you making money from the game itself? Then why stick up for it, to the point where your biting someones head off, simply for having a differing opinion of it from yourself!?

    Are you going to slag off the guy below you for slagging off the multiplayer? Doesn't look like it.

    So pull your head out of your arse and realise that your opinion isnt fucking gospel and that other people are allowed to think what they like.

  • homerramone #26 5 years ago

    What it really needs is not new maps, but new game modes IMHO.

  • bavelb #27 5 years ago

    Its the single player i found a bit disappointing tbh. The multiplayer did it for me. Glad with the patch because of that, hope some new modes will be introduced. Those new maps sound like new modes to me....capturing museums (checkpoint type gameplay?) and searching for survivors....
    Edited by bavelb at 08/01/07 @ 15:17

  • homerramone #28 5 years ago

    I hope your right. Rainbow six has 4 player co-op modes, which means lots of people would rather play that then GOW.

  • AcidSnake #29 5 years ago

    Are you married to someone who made GoW? Are you related to them? Are you making money from the game itself?

    Did I urinate on your rug?
    Sorry...bit obscure I'll admit...

    I have not played GoW yet, but as soon as I get an X360 I will...Still sounds like a must have title, and this kind of support from Epic should be applauded...

    EDIT: type O
    Edited by AcidSnake at 08/01/07 @ 15:20

  • bavelb #30 5 years ago

    here's some pics.

    looks rather sweet
    http://www.mygen.com.au/article.php?page...

  • kangarootoo #31 5 years ago

    @crazyhorse174

    I'm kind of with you in principle, insofar as your freedom to comment on the thread. But you are sort of courting attack if you can't bothered to expand on why you think the game in over-rated.

    A critisism that has no contructive content is just trolling. By all means we should be able to say what we wnt, but what kind of shit tip would these pages be if the depth of discussion never got further than 4 word posts such as yours?

    If you think GEoW is over-rated then I'm sure you can tell us why. For the record, I totally agree with you, but I wouldn't say so outside of this particular comment without backing it up (as I have done in other threads on the subject, and will do again if pressed).


    @Xerx3s

    I can see where you are coming from, but did you really mean this?

    "Don't like the game? Don't fucking post in those threads"

    Only people that like a game should post in threads related to said game? Balls to that says I, and I bet you don't stick to your own rule (in fact I know you don't and so do you if you are honest).

  • homerramone #32 5 years ago

    'Did I urinate on your rug?'
    Dude !

    :-)

  • DanMW #33 5 years ago

    Over at Kotaku.com they have this info on the patch:

    • Fixed aspect ratio distortion when using VGA cable with 4:3 displays at resolutions higher than 640x480
    • Fixed voice issue with new players joining Player Match games in progress
    • Players can now get the Achievement for "Dish Best Served Cold" when using Troika turret to kill RAAM
    • Fixed rare situation where host could loop countdown and never start match
    • Fixed rare situation where players could get stuck after chainsawing in multiplayer
    • Reduced Grenade Tag melee distance
    • Enabled "Strict" NAT check on host to prevent possible connection issues
    • Optimized server browser queries to return results more quickly and prevent scroll bars from hiding quality of service icons
    • Reduced number of possible revives in Execution to match Warzone
    • Removed host name from Ranked match server browser
    • Disabled security cameras in Ranked matches
    • Ranked matches now require balanced teams (3v3 or 4v4)
    • Increased penalty for quitting a Ranked match to -50 points
    • Added additional cheat detection code
    • Additional housekeeping updates

  • BadDevotions #34 5 years ago

    Best fixes of all:
    • Fixed voice issue with new players joining Player Match games in progress

    yippee ki yay! that bug really pissed me off.
    Edited by BadDevotions at 08/01/07 @ 17:11

  • zeroK #35 5 years ago

    Arer these really single player maps? If so, absolutely great :D I wouldn't have expected to release this kind of content anytime soon :D

  • OllyJ #36 5 years ago

    Vegas stopped me playing this as sadly enough I'm enjoying levelling up my player....GoW whilst fun just now seems a bit empty to play for more than a few games as I'm not ranking up...

    Still these new modes sound good so i'll be playing it again soon!

    Ranks are ace!

  • effinwooly #37 5 years ago

    crazyhorse - stop being a tit, its no wonder sony fanboys have such a bad name......

  • The-Bodybuilder #38 5 years ago

    beider, no patchm has ever been premium content on any game. WHat the heck are you talking about?

  • The-Bodybuilder #39 5 years ago

    and it gets released on my final exam day. good.

  • davisorle #40 5 years ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • davisorle #41 5 years ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012