New Gears 2 DLC expands campaign

By Tom Bramwell Published 7 May, 2009

Plus seven new MP maps. 1600 MSP.

Microsoft and Epic have announced the Gears of War 2 "Dark Corners" expansion pack, which will be sold through Xbox Live and as part of a new DLC bundle-in-a-box called the All Fronts Collection.

Dark Corners and All Fronts will both go on sale worldwide on 28th July. All Fronts, which also includes the Flashback, Combustible and Snowblind map packs, will cost GBP 14.99 / EUR 19.99, while Dark Corners will cost 1600 Microsoft Points (GBP 13.60 / EUR 19.20).

Dark Corners, then, consists of seven multiplayer maps, but it also includes a new campaign chapter called Road to Ruin, where Marcus and Dom return to the Locust Hollow (they just can't get enough). Players can either blast it out with the Locust or opt for stealth.

The new multiplayer maps, meanwhile, are Allfathers Garden (the sacred grounds of the Coalition founders), Memorial (a battle in the Tomb of Unknowns, with Boomshot control paramount), Sanctuary (tight paths, blind corners and corridors), War Machine (abandoned train station), Highway (underground road system), Way Station (a minefield of hidden grenades, apparently) and Nowhere (long sight-lines in the middle of nowhere for the Longshot to feast on).

Epic has also said that Dark Corners will offer new Achievements - "in fact, more than any previous Gears DLC" according to producer Rod Fergusson, taking the total available from Gears 2 and its add-ons to the ceiling of 1750G.

You can check out screenshots in our Gears of War 2: All Fronts gallery.

Announcing the bundles, Microsoft said that Gears of War 2 has now sold over 5 million units worldwide, bringing total sales of the two Gears games to more than 11 million. Not too shabby!

Inevitably though, with an unusually high Xbox Live price, there's been some debate on the boards. Fergusson explained: "In the past, like other games, we've charged 800 Points for 3-4 multiplayer maps. This time we are doubling that to 7 maps and including a new single-player chapter (a deleted scene if you will) for the price of 1600 Points. As a one to one comparison that seems fair."

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.

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

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Comments (25) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Buztafen #1 3 years ago

    Got to admit, 1600 points is a bit steep.

  • Eraser #2 3 years ago

    Hmm, if it's 1600 MP I might actually consider getting the All Fronts pack.

  • Darren #3 3 years ago

    Couldn't Epic have split the campaign and multiplayer stuff and sold them at lower prices?

    I've no interest at all in the multiplayer (especially now I'm reverted at last to a Silver subscriber) but I'd have bought the campaign chapter. Mind you, I still need to finish Gears of War 2's campaign first!

  • DFawkes #4 3 years ago

    I like boxed expansions, it feels like actually buying something. I wonder if it'll be like the Oblivion expansion, where you could install it then pass it to someone else. If so, EG readers could buy one copy and pass it around! It'd be cheap then.

  • thenastypasty #5 3 years ago

    1600mp for a chapter that should have been in the game anyway and 7 maps for a multi-player that is still not fit for purpose,Epic can go and fuck themselfs.

  • Moonprince #6 3 years ago

    When has Gears ever been about stealth? wtf is this shit?

  • DjFlex52 #7 3 years ago

    The one good thing about Wii is developers don't try to rape the user base with extra content every few months. I've lost track of how many 360 and PS3 games I've got that have DLC, maps, extra trophies and achievments a few weeks after release, it's a joke. Milk away but I'm not biting anymore. This is just another case of developers having no respect for their fans. Gears 2 is finished, we don't need a extra chapter. I killed the bad guys now go and make a bug free sequel if you're up to the job. Or has all the money you're making from raping your fans made you not care anymore.

    @Coin-Op

    Please speak for yourself..."raping your fans"? And I thought rape was a forceful action not voluntary.
    Nobody's forcing you to buy anything. You're always bitching, complaining or criticizing something, Coin-Op. You must be loads of fun to live with...o.0

  • muscleblade #8 3 years ago

    325 new achievement points. Hope there is Horde Achievements for multiplayer maps. Horde rules.

  • smernicki #9 3 years ago

    shame the matchmaking is fecked and it's impossible to find a decent game online....

  • HolyJebus #10 3 years ago

    Epic should be rewarding their fans for sticking with them after releasing such a bugged multiplayer portion of the game, not charging them through the nose for some new maps. Disappointing.

  • RedSparrows #11 3 years ago

    Iherd there was a pack being released with all the DLC in it, somewhere on the forum.

  • gourry #12 3 years ago

    The screenshot of Marcus and Dom in Horde clothing looks interesting.

    I still play Gears 2 and while it has some issues in multiplayer even after 3 patches, I still find it quite enjoyable. I will probably go for this extra content.

  • Starkillah_79 #13 3 years ago

    NICE!

  • nbnz #14 3 years ago

    The pricing baffles me.

    The people that supported Epic and bought the 2 previous packs for 800 points each, and now wants the new maps and chapter have to pay another 1600 for a total of 3200 ($40).

    The people that didn't support Epic and didn't buy the 2 previous packs, can now buy the 2 previous packs and the new maps and chapter and pay $20.

    Way to support the fans that support you Epic.

  • gourry #15 3 years ago

    @nbnz

    In fairness, all content looses its value / gets reduced over time and while I agree it is a bit of a kick for those who bought the map packs originally, its just the way things work. Also bear in mind that at least one of those map packs was free anyway to a lot of people as the game came with a free code.

    Buy a game on release day, you'll pay full price. Wait a while and you'll likely get it cheaper.

  • dingo75 #16 3 years ago


    Please speak for yourself..."raping your fans"? And I thought rape was a forceful action not voluntary.

    It's actually "surprise" sex.

  • fiery_jackass #17 3 years ago

    hmm hmmm. I can see why people who've already shelled out for combustible/snowblind might feel a bit miffed. Personally I'd rather they worked on the netcoding to improve the remarkably inconsistent multiplayer experience. A recent reduction in allowable ping seemed to improve matters somewhat (at least, it reduced the incidence of inept pairing with Mexican/West Coast hosts): unfortunately it also seemed to blight matchmaking times and it seems to have been reverted.

    It is a *deeply* irritating online experience, flipping between profanity-laden frustration and everything-works-bliss, mostly the former.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/09 @ 10:35

  • LiveForever #18 3 years ago

    Epic must be swimming in money. Milking the xbox360 community for all their worth.
    This sadly is a trend being set by Ms and soon enough all games on 360 will be like this.
    Bye bye xbox live we've had some good times.

    Epic = new EA
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/09 @ 10:44

  • andywilkie35 #19 3 years ago

    I'm with Darren, I've got no interest in the multiplayer stuff but wouldn't mind the extra chapter. Not gonna pay 1600mp for that though! Ah well

  • Ninja_Tino #20 3 years ago

    £15 is a great deal, unless of course you've got the previous maps. I don't, so woo for me. Dom and Marcus as the Theron guards looks crazy but here's hoping the stealth is entirely optional.

  • BobsUncle #21 3 years ago

    The way I read it, is that you can buy All Fronts which is ONLY all the old maps in one go, OR you can get Dark Corners which has ONLY the new maps and this new campaign section.

    So if you already own Flashback, Combustible and Snowblind you need only get Dark Corners. If you already own one or two of the previous packs you'll probably still be able to get them individually, but if you have none then the All Fronts pack might be a good deal.

    Personally, I've not even used the free code that came with it. Gears sucks monkey balls on multiplayer.

  • ronuds #22 3 years ago

    Definitely sucks they aren't splitting out the extra chapter from the MP maps. I haven't really played this online much, so don't care much about the maps but I'm definitely looking forward to a new chapter.

    It's about effing time someone added something to the SP portion of their games! Of course, everyone complains anyway - but I say HOORAY, and, more please!

  • Lamb #23 3 years ago

    No GOW2 wasn't that good. No DLC for me. And it is overpriced regardless. For £3 quid more you can get a new computer game.

  • sjmlondon #24 3 years ago

    Personally I felt that neither the Combustible and Snowblind packs added anything really extra to the orginal game. I did buy them both, but 'kicked myself' afterwards for buying theSnowblind pack in particular for @800 ms points which I thought was dead ordinary.

    Once I'd done the Hoard achievements on each I moved on. I loved the campaign but found the general multiplayer experience of GOW2 tedious with the exception of Hoard where everyone worked together. If the extra level was MS400 I'd buy it but not MS1600 for yet more hoard maps. There's a recession on you know!

  • COUNTERpyro #25 3 years ago

    jesus christ, why does everyone on this site have talk down about anything, who cares if there charging that much, i no i would!!!!!!!! just shut up and dont buy it if your poor. And i think the stealth is a really cool twist.

    Die hard Gears fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    GOW 4 LIFE

  • Figgernaggot #26 3 years ago

    You tell 'em COUNTERpyro.