Will Carmine live or die? You decide

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 21 July, 2010

By buying Avatar T-shirts.

Gamers will get the chance to decide whether videogame character Clayton Carmine lives or dies in upcoming shooter Gears of War 3.

From 29th July, two different T-shirts will be available on Avatar Marketplace, with all proceeds going to charity Child's Play.

One is emblazoned with "Carmine Must Die" on the front, the other with "Save Carmine". Whichever one sells the most will determine whether Carmine lives or dies in the game.

In the first two Gears of War games, a rookie Carmine has bit the dust as a means of teaching the player how not to fight the unending Locust horde.

The poor rookie soldiers haven't had much luck. This time, though, Carmine's fate is in your hands. Mummy Carmine will be delighted.

Gears of War 3 is due out for Xbox 360 on 8th April 2011.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (49) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • Lotos8ter #1 2 years ago

    I always play as Carmine for the multiplayer. I thought the first one was unlucky to be done by a sniper but I can't remember what happened in GOW2 - didn't he come good after some early cowardice?
    Anyway, I'll be in the Save Carmine group but I'm not buying the T-shirt cos it'll clash with my lightsabre
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/10 @ 15:22

  • VandelayIndustries #2 2 years ago

    Poor bastard doesn't have a hope in hell.

  • fiery_jackass #3 2 years ago

    Well I guess the sort of people who buy Avatar clothes (i.e. youth) might be the sort who think this is all great and interactive and Web 2.0 or whatever. Anyone older might feel it diminishes the validity of the story-telling. Anyone older still might wonder who gives a fuck and concentrate on the damned game and test the multiplayer this time so it doesn't need 6 TUs.

    edit: *buys "save carmine" t-shirt*
    Edited by 2 at 21/07/10 @ 15:22

  • insincere_dave #4 2 years ago

    Probably best to put him out of his misery if he's as much of a walking macho stereotypes as the rest of the Gears' bunch.

  • bushwod #5 2 years ago

    @Lotos8ter how can you forget Carmines death in GOW2, He's eaten by a giant worm and found inside half melted by stomach acid for heaven's sake.

    I'm defo getting a Carmine Must Die shirt!

  • nuanimal #6 2 years ago

    Interesting, as in Gears of War 2... B Carmine refers to his other 3 brothers... There are 4?

    Also, here's what happened to him in GOW2 for Lotos8ter he got ingested by a giant penis

  • ZuluHero #7 2 years ago

    According to the Gears Wiki - there are FOUR Carmine brothers.

    I wonder what we will be expected to buy to save that one in GoW 4 :S

  • the_dudefather #8 2 years ago

    TEAM JACOB

    I mean.. SAVE CARMINE!

  • wizlon #9 2 years ago

    Save Carmine? More like, Save your money!

    Edit: Oh yeah, it's for charity isn't it.... I wasn't trying to sound like an uncharitable twat or anything, honest!
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/10 @ 16:20

  • Lotos8ter #10 2 years ago

    Cheers fellas. I thought the second game was weaker than the first story-wise; and ultimately I want Marcus to die the most, inside a giant fanny, whilst someone says "Look at all that juice"

  • convercide #11 2 years ago

    What about D.Carmine? -_-

    Edited by 2 at 21/07/10 @ 15:38

  • LOLLERS #12 2 years ago

    You can't really complain about being 'expected' to buy a t-shirt or saving your money when the proceeds go to charity...

  • jonbwfc #13 2 years ago

    Oh my God, they killed Carmine. You bastards!

  • geeza2020 #14 2 years ago

    Will Carmine live or die? The more important question is, who cares?

  • miiiguel #15 2 years ago

    I don't even like Gears much, but I'm buying the Save the Cartime shirt.

  • JonFE #16 2 years ago

    I really cannot decide... I mean, he doesn't deserve to die, yet I can't help being intrigued about what horrible demise they have planned for him this time... I'll probably buy them both :s

  • PhoenixMDK #17 2 years ago

    Mummy Carmine shouldn't be delighted: give the choice to a bunch of gamers and Carmine's getting mulched before you can say "we're not here to sell cookies".

  • ParanoidZombie #18 2 years ago

    It's for charity = buy it. No need to nitpick about the rest... But anyway, i'll buy a "save carmine" shirt because I think the Carmine death is a poor idea of a running-gag.
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/10 @ 15:56

  • sonicyoda #19 2 years ago

    This is actually quite a cool little idea. Nice to see Epic Games have a sense of humour.

  • darleysam #20 2 years ago

    Brilliant idea.

    Save the Carmines!

  • Dizzy #21 2 years ago

    Noooo! Carmine must live!

    BTW and great this all goes to charity.
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/10 @ 16:24

  • Nuada #22 2 years ago

    Literati? What a Cunt Cliffy B really is.

  • skullstorm #23 2 years ago

    save ferris

  • Snidesworth #24 2 years ago

    Proceeds go to charity? Why not. Child's Play is a very good cause.

    Also, Save Carmine.

  • Stomp224 #25 2 years ago

    'For charity' What, 25% of my 400 point spend will go to a good cause? Woo.

  • cw- #26 2 years ago

    haha, 'Saving Private Carmine' !

    I'd love it if, no matter the outcome of this "vote", throughout the game he comes close to dying like 4 or 5 times (or whatever).. and then right at the end... he lives/ dies*.


    *obviously without breaking the flow of the story

  • DarthInsinuate #27 2 years ago

    I feel this is an appropriate time for me to exercise my pop culture knowledge.

    DC Comics used a similar stunt to decide the fate of unlikable rapscallion Jason Todd. Using premium rate phone numbers to vote over a 36 hour period, 10,614 votes were cast. The poll's verdict was 5,343 votes for Todd's death to 5,271.
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/10 @ 16:50

  • JimWest #28 2 years ago

    @stomp224

    From 29th July, two different T-shirts will be available on Avatar Marketplace, with all proceeds going to charity Child's Play.

    Stop being so cynical.

    CARMINE MUST DIE

  • LR100 #29 2 years ago

    So you get the chance to spoil part of the story in advance, for yourself? Awesome! Unless they avoid posting the results.

  • Kikizosan #30 2 years ago

    I can understand Epic wanting to cover their costs for doing this, but it can't take that much work to developer two virtual t-shirts...and have more than 25% of proceeds going to charity...

    Still, it's a great idea and props to them.

    (Oh and...CARMINE MUST DIE! It's the only chance the 4th Carmine brother has for survival.)

  • darkmorgado #31 2 years ago

    Will Carmine Live or Die? Will you even give a shit?

    I like Gears as much as the next guy but it's a bit of a stretch to say that its characters are well-loved or developed enough to give a toss about.

  • darkmorgado #32 2 years ago

    @DarthInsinuate

    Todd deserved to die. Worst. Sidekick. Ever.

    Plus, his death revealed a more interesting side to Batman's character and gave weight to his "loner" attitude.

    Let's just forget about his resurrection...

  • Mopzey #33 2 years ago

    What about letting us decide in the story while playing the game, So already we going to have the storyruined by what happens to on of the characters

  • Quixz #34 2 years ago

    LOl his doomed!

  • mrboshingles #35 2 years ago

    Where in the world is Carmine Sandiego?

  • GooseUK #36 2 years ago

    The thing with these gamer t shirts i buy (usually from gamestation) is that they only cost about £10 often less, fit really well and last ages.

    Its a bittersweet trade off that women wont speak to me in them

  • Amblin #37 2 years ago

    carmine's brother No2 is already as good as dead then unless it's his sister in gow3, then let her live!

    All gamers share your fate goose.
    Edited by 2 at 21/07/10 @ 19:35

  • Slipstream #38 2 years ago

    They were all good guys, if they had bad attitudes then I'd be for them dying but, I like them, and I think one need to stay, in-fact, thay should make this one pretty badass, a very skilled Carmine out to avenge his brothers, you know, have the players respect him.

  • Machiavellian #39 2 years ago

    So you get the chance to spoil part of the story in advance, for yourself? Awesome! Unless they avoid posting the results.

    Spoiling, I doubt it. Even if you know Carmine will bite it, not know when and how adds more suspense to the situation. I am sure no matter how the votes go, Carmine will face all kinds of close calls. Hell, even if the votes say he should live, it doesn't mean how he will lives.

  • Kami #40 2 years ago

    Just echoing the call that this Carmine is so doomed. But I guess that's the fun part, knowing that it's down to people who buy the T-Shirts to call whether our hero lives or dies... even if it's kinda inevitable, because we all love a good heroes demise, right? :p

  • AphoticCosmos #41 2 years ago

    Of course Carmine's going to die, but I'll still get the Save Carmine shirt . . .

    Family's had it a little rough, dontcha think?

  • Kami #42 2 years ago

    I guess.

    I am sold on this T-Shirt idea though...

  • Bill Gates is Evil #43 2 years ago

    I'm sorry, but I love this idea. It's hilarious. I've witnessed the first two Carmines die, and am actually hoping the 3rd makes it through. Save Carmine!

  • NewbieZilla #44 2 years ago

    In either case, I don't want to know whether he lives or dies till I play it.

  • Jackface #45 2 years ago

    @Stomp234 - "'For charity' What, 25% of my 400 point spend will go to a good cause? Woo."

    No. Read the article again.

  • Shinetop #46 2 years ago

    In the first two Gears of War games, a rookie Carmine has bit the dust as a means of teaching the player how not to fight the unending Locust horde.

    So he died in both games and may die again? Er, how does that work?

    Edit: oh, they're all brothers. I see.
    Edited by 1 at 22/07/10 @ 09:42

  • Marviewarvie #47 2 years ago

    I think the point Stomp224 is making, albeit badly, is that when Chime was released and donated it's proceeds to charity it was only the portion that went to the developers that was in turn donated to charity. Microsoft still very happily took their cut.

    It just needs basically stating in black and white what "all proceeds" actually means in this case - every single penny, or just Epic's cut.

    And if it is every single penny, I'm certainly going to buy one and play along. Let's make it third time lucky.....

    Carmine must live!!

  • JayKwon #48 2 years ago

    Let him die!

  • metalangel #49 2 years ago

    Save Carmine!