If you have not picked up Bulletstorm’s Epic Edition and are not ready to preorder Gears of War 3 yet, there is another route into Epic’s multiplayer beta on the way. Microsoft is packaging beta access with Xbox Live Gold subscriptions sold at retail, so renewing your membership could also land you a spot in the beta when it kicks off next month.
According to an announcement from Microsoft’s Russian office, Gold subscription packs carrying a free Gears of War 3 beta code will hit major retail chains from March 21. That particular announcement covers a three month membership, and exactly which packs carry a code, including any longer memberships or bundles with Microsoft Points, may vary by country and retailer. Check what is actually in the box, and confirm the beta code is included, before you hand over any cash.
Four Maps, Three Modes And Exclusive Unlockables
The beta itself is shaping up to be a generous look at the game. Owners of the Bulletstorm Epic Edition get in first, with early access running from April 18 to April 24. That opening week is Team Deathmatch only, played across four maps: Thrashball, Checkout, Trenches and Old Town. The beta then opens to everyone else with a code from April 25 and runs until May 15, with Capture the Leader and King of the Hill joining the playlist for the final week.
Epic is also giving players reasons to stick around. A Beta Tester Medal is on offer, along with unlockables that carry over to the finished game. Finishing 50 matches in any mode unlocks the Thrashball Cole character model, while 90 matches unlocks a Gold Plated Retro Lancer, and 100 kills with it carries that skin into the final game. There are also flaming weapon skins tied to specific weeks of the test, which should keep the servers busy right up to the end.
Why Microsoft Is Tying The Beta To Gold
It all adds up to an unusually broad beta for a series that has always been Microsoft’s flagship shooter. Late last month the wider access drew criticism on behalf of Bulletstorm buyers who had paid extra for the Epic Edition largely for its beta invite. Epic Edition owners do still get a full week on their own before anyone else, which is a fair perk for early adopters.
For Microsoft the logic is easy to see. Gold is required for online play on Xbox 360 anyway, so tying the most anticipated Xbox 360 beta of the year to a subscription is an easy way to nudge lapsed members back, and to get more players hammering Epic’s servers before launch. Epic, meanwhile, gets the large stress test it needs ahead of the full game.
Gears of War 3 is due on September 20 as an Xbox 360 exclusive. If you already have a Gold membership with months left on it, the cheapest route in is still a preorder, but anyone due for renewal over the next few weeks has a good reason to wait for these packs to reach shelves.