Gears of War to do a million?

By Tom Bramwell Published 17 November, 2006

S'what Microsoft reckons.

Microsoft is predicting that Gears of War, which goes on sale in Europe today, will accumulate sales of more than one million copies worldwide this Christmas, and become the fastest-selling original game for Xbox 360 in the process.

Gears is already the most played Xbox 360 title on Xbox Live, according to Microsoft's stats, and in Europe in particular - where Nintendo Wii is still three weeks away and PlayStation 3 isn't out until March - the game's likely to be one of the most recognisable symbols of the next generation this festive period.

Those of you heading out to the shops to make Microsoft's Christmas dream come true will be able to pick between a regular edition of the game or a special double-thick tin-box version featuring a dinky art book and a bonus disc featuring some trailers and making-of material.

Obviously on the Gears front we thought the single-player was a pretty handsome devil, and will be bringing you our thoughts on the multiplayer later. We're also reviewing something else involving guns today, so stick around.

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 (45) Latest comment 6 years ago

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

  • lambtron #1 6 years ago

    Resistance by any chance?

    I would have though Gears would easily do a million.

  • Eighthours #2 6 years ago

    The Resistance review.

    Ohhhhhhhhh crap.

    *awaits 8 million page comments thread*

    (It'll get a 9, there will be massive outrage, then you'll put up your GOW multiplayer review a couple of hours later which raises the GOW mark up to 9 itself. Then you'll go into the Resistance comments thread asking what all the fuss was about, since GOW has got its 9. I can see it coming a mile off - you're going to milk this!)

    Incidentally, Gears is a cast-iron 9 as far as I'm concerned.

    EDIT: I assume that nobody's going to ask me to predict the lottery numbers now, seeing as Resistance got a 7! :) :) :)
    Edited by Eighthours at 17/11/06 @ 12:32

  • Steroyd #3 6 years ago

    Resistance review today? \o/

    /gets the popcorn.

    tis a shame that out of all the very good new IP's an original game involving blowing stuff up sells more. :`(

  • Santino #4 6 years ago

    i would be shocked if it didnt do it on hype alone

  • Psychotext #5 6 years ago

    Yeah, Gears will do a million with no hassle.

    Oh, and expecting Resistance to get a 9 and for the reviewer to cover his ass by finding the most tenuous examples of innovation he can get his hands on. I also predict that the comments will level the server...

    Oh, and remember to drink every time you read blu-ray, biased, M$ and when YellowTruck posts an idiotic opinion. Feel free to add to my list. :)

  • rudedudejude #6 6 years ago

    Midnight Resistance? They doing a remake?

    Damn I loved that game.

  • Steroyd #7 6 years ago

    don't forget people will bring up DOOM, the reviewer will bring in the words Halo, COD and Half Life.

    And Someone check the Ratchet and Clank review to see if they loved those weapons. ;)

  • trevd72 #8 6 years ago

    i played it at my bro's last night and i have to say the AI stunk and it was just a flashy killswitch clone. Fear is much better. I will lend it when he does not play it so much. i would go as far as to give it 7 just because the hype was so big.....the new halo this is not. saying that never played it online.

  • fizzer25 #9 6 years ago

    I was in asda last night or this morning I should say at 12:10 buying GoW and had five minutes on it before I crashed out. I have to say it looks amazing never been this excited about a game in ages and I mean years probs since I was let down with Mario Kart on N64!! They only had 16 copies and loads of them were reserved so I think the hype, backed up by what looks as though is going to be a solid game will mean that GoW sells a million no problem, I think this is a pretty conservative estimate TBH.

  • asphaltcowboy #10 6 years ago

    God I hope it arrives today!

    /prays

  • ralphwolfenstein #11 6 years ago

    Gears will do about 200,000 in the UK - highest seller to date is PGR3, just shy of 200k, followed by Ghost Recon, CoD 2, Saints Row and Oblivion (in that order)

    It will do a million in the US alone

  • sharpfish #12 6 years ago

    Today is Gears Day for many euro gamers (me included), better arrive soon!

  • jack_klugman #13 6 years ago

    I'm not sure it deserves to do a million.

    /sad

  • Psychotext #14 6 years ago

    jack_klugman: Any particular reasoning behind that post?

  • crazyhorse174 #15 6 years ago

    Mine was shipped by Amazon last night - should be there for when I get home! :-)

    Actually, I can feel a sore head and throat coming on just now... ;)

  • dog2_99 #16 6 years ago

    last time i preorder from Play.com no gears for me today...tempted to buy it at game and just take it back on monday!

  • Darkedge #17 6 years ago

    preorder of limited ed at Virgin - which they canceled on Tuesday.
    Damn
    Well to the shops today - oh no - they reinstated the order yesterday but I won't get it till next Tuesday
    DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL!

  • MEGAJIMZ #18 6 years ago

    OMG! YOU ALL HAVE TO GETTO ACT 3.. ITS SOOO F'ING SWEET ON A HIGHDEF TV.. OH GOD NEED TO PLAY MORE!

  • sharpfish #19 6 years ago

    "ast time i preorder from Play.com no gears for me today...tempted to buy it at game and just take it back on monday!"

    Normally Play are quite good (i've even had stuff a day before release in the past), however it's looking likely that my Play ordered GeOW is also not arriving today :(

    Any play.com ordered GeOw-ers get their copy today?

  • brooza #20 6 years ago

    I think I'm on act IV. not sure though

  • The_Programmer #21 6 years ago

    Bumped into my brother this morning who was also out buying GOW. There's a voucher on page 8 of the Daily Star today which will get you GOW for £34.99 at PC World.

  • Mordum #22 6 years ago

    It better not be the Resistence review... why the hell would they review a game thats not out for another 4 months here? (well 4 months is a little optomistic). This is 'EURO'gamer right? so why review games that are'nt out in Europe for ages?

    Of course it may not be Resistence getting reviewed today... in which case ignore my entire post, thank you.

  • Arnold__ #23 6 years ago

    Sharpfish, yes, my Play GOW arrived yesterday, however Play's 'your order has been sent' email arrived last night, i.e. after I had received the game. These days I am getting the impression that slowly but surely the wheels are coming off over there at Play.

  • alpha-0ne #24 6 years ago

    Had a quick go last night with a few friends in the multiplayer it rocks, so addictive and you actuaully get teamwork because you have 4 ppl on each side :-)

    When i read there was a sniper rifle i was a bit annoyed but is is balanced well, it has quite a long reload time and only a headshot will get a kill from it

    The graphics are truly far and above anything on ANY other system, the detail is superb!

    The http://www.gamerankings.com average is 95% (from 42 reviews), eurogamer gave 8 hmmm
    Edited by alpha-0ne at 17/11/06 @ 10:36

  • Psychotext #25 6 years ago

    rdexter: Why take my comments seriously? They're just a reflection of the huge amount of posts from after the gears review. I think an 8 was a fair score.

  • sharpfish #26 6 years ago

    "Sharpfish, yes, my Play GOW arrived yesterday, however Play's 'your order has been sent' email arrived last night, i.e. after I had received the game. These days I am getting the impression that slowly but surely the wheels are coming off over there at Play."

    Cheers for that, it said it was posted on wednesday night so hopefully then it will be here today. Typically the postie is late for the first time ever (maybe cos he's weighted down with a thousand copies of Gears of War for my area!) ;)

  • S.J.Rogers #27 6 years ago

    Just picked up a copy from my local Tesco this morning.

    Only cost me £37.89.

    Bargin..!

  • Xerx3s #28 6 years ago

    That's the problem with big budget games in the early life cycle, isn't it? It has to sell millions but there are not enough consoles out to get high numbers.:\

    (more than 3 million units)

    We're also reviewing something else involving guns today, so stick around.

    /places bet on 9/10
    /wanders off to play some games

    EDIT: GoW that is, and it's absolutely brilliant, but something that grows on you (next to the other things) rather than hitting you in the face.
    Edited by Xerx3s at 17/11/06 @ 10:49

  • Machiavellian #29 6 years ago

    A few people have stated that the AI in the game is bad or worst then Fear and I would like to ask those people at what setting are you playing the game at is it casual or Hardcore.

    Having played Fear and also having played GOW on hardcore, I am hard pressed to see Fear emeny AI being better. In GOW, the enemy will flank, move from cover to cover and also pressure you. There were many times when I ran out of ammo, that the enemy came out of cover and attacked. Also when I had the wrong gun they would be more agressive in attacking my possition like when I have the Hammer of GOD.

    Anyway, if anyone has an opinion on the AI and believe that it is bad, could you give some examples instead of just stating that its crap.

    On the review that is coming up, I put my money on Rainbow 6. IGN game the game a 9.3 which has set my expectations that this could be the R6 game to get. With 4 player co-op can we say that R6 has set the bar for co-op games.
    Edited by Machiavellian at 17/11/06 @ 10:51

  • rhinoxious #30 6 years ago

    debenhams oxford street 20% off today on all chart titles for loyalty card holders,

    GOW special edition for £40 from retail, not bad.

    Won't get to play it till I escape the office at 6 though :(

  • gizmo #31 6 years ago

    Having spent last night on GOW, I have to say I am mightyly impressed.

    The game has that AAA feel to it, the battles are fantastic and flow really nicely. Absolutely cannot wait to try co-op there are so many possibilities in tackling different situations. Love the way when the path splits, you can still see those on the other path fighting their battle.

    Graphics are incredible, love the destructable scenery too - makes the gunfights a visual treat.

  • Dark_Stranger #32 6 years ago

    Guys - GOW @ Blockbuster - £34.99

  • sharpfish #33 6 years ago

    I can now confirm I am in possession of GEARS OF WAR!!! Play.com DID deliver on time so those who didn't get it from them today, check your postman is not asleep in his van somewhere!

    Now, I can give up posting useless comments and putting sony Fanboys backs up for a while why I go and enjoy "Teh R3al Next G3N". ;)


  • Macross #34 6 years ago

    bah, picked GoW up from game this morning, managed to sneak into the board room to have a brief go on our office 360, it seems really good but i darent get too much into it or i might get sacked :)

  • bonker #35 6 years ago

    Interesting all these mega price-cuts that you guys are seeing for a new game (GOW).

    There's obviously deals been done to try and sell as many units as possible to re-invigorate the hype behind another flag-carrier for MS ...

  • trevd72 #36 6 years ago

    @Machiavellian. I played it on hardcore and there are parts when they act like the AI from call of duty 3.

    when there is a locust on a gun and you flank him and shoot him, considering that this is not a one hit kill game you pump a fair few bullets into him and at no point does he turn to shoot you or leave the gun emplacement and fall back he just stands there and pumps bullets at you squad. in similar situations in fear when you isolate a baddie he will fall back and take cover, even leaving a grenade to cover his withdrawal.

  • Nostromo13 #37 6 years ago

    It is the best 360 game yet in my opinion, so i hope it does achieve that goal and more.

  • sharpfish #38 6 years ago

    PLayed tutorial, 5 online matches and start of single player.. amazing stuff so far. !!! (yes I played on hardcore).

    What I may do is hang around in the tutorial a few times until i'm better with the controls so that I don't use the main game as a learning run.

    Loving the online map "Escalation" or whatever it's called, great atmosphere in the rain with the gloomy palette.


  • DCrider360 #39 6 years ago

    gears of war is undoubtedly, the game of the year!!!

    i've just completed it, and can honestly say, it's THE BOLLOCKS!!!

    i'd have thought the title would have already sold a million.

  • Xerx3s #40 6 years ago

    We're not playing the same game then. I distintcly remember sneaking up on a Locust manning a turret. As soon as I started gunning him down he let go of the turret in leaped behind cover in the adjacent room.

    Funny, I used a grenade and his bits took cover all over the room. They didn't bother to enter the other room though. I think.


    >:D

  • killyourtv #41 6 years ago

    calling it 'gears' is so cheesey. trying to be all lifestyle

  • Psychotext #42 6 years ago

    killyourtv: No, it's lazy. You can't use GOW cos of God of War and Gears of War seems like too much effort. Gears it is then.

  • The-Bodybuilder #43 6 years ago

    >"I was completely underwhelmed by the tutorial intro bit, and thought 'Is that it?'. Then the game started."

    Fully agree.
    I was dulled by the tutorial bit and first level.
    Although I'm no where near finished (just started a few hours ago), the game slowly picked up, and then took it to the next "gear" when the (minor spoiler alert) beserkr came through.

    And night time is falling...

  • The-Bodybuilder #44 6 years ago

    >"Anyway, if anyone has an opinion on the AI and believe that it is bad, could you give some examples instead of just stating that its crap."

    I play it on harcore, and get my bum handed to me on a regular.
    No doubt the AI does some dumb stuff (like standing right there whilst I pummel them with lead), but overall, they are definately like you described.

  • Jheronimus #45 6 years ago

    Just picked it up during my break. Can't wait to check it out this evening!