Confirmed! Free GoW2 'Flashback' map DLC and a golden Hammerburst
Here's an OMG megaton for Gears of War 2 fanboys. That rumor regarding a five pack of multiplayer map DLC being included in new copies of Gears 2 (which was actually brought up during X08) has just been confirmed to be legit according to GamePro. No joke!
How it'll work is that every NEW copy of Gears 2 will come with a redemption code to download a free "Flashback" map pack from the XBLM. This free DLC contains five additional Gears 2 multiplayer maps which are (surprise!) remakes of classic Gears maps including Canals, Gridlock, Mansion, Subway, and Tyro Station. This will ultimately bump the total number of GoW2 multiplayer maps up to 15. We're told the Flashback map pack DLC should be available for download on launch day, but note that Epic has no plans to release the maps as paid content. It's their "thank you" present to loyal fans, so be sure to stay clear of those used copies that are code'less.
GamePro also confirmed that anyone attending a Gears 2 midnight launch event will be given a redemption code to unlock the in-game golden Hammerburst (as seen above) which features a gold plated paint scheme similar to the Collector's Edition's golden Lancer.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John @ Oct 3rd 2008 2:32AM
Meh, gold HB...Map pack should be fun, hopefully with the balancing they have done, the game won't boil down to a shotgun dance.
Sev @ Oct 3rd 2008 3:06AM
Wonderful. More hard drive space gone.
And I hope they change the look of the hammerburst. Looks more tan then gold. And I'd much rather prefer a gold plated one, with select areas, like the lancer.
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/gearsofwar/images/7/7b/Lancerxm5.jpg
m @ Oct 3rd 2008 3:41AM
This has nothing to do with "rewarding" fans (if it did, they'd make a better game than GoW) and everything to do with discouraging the sale of used copies.
Some reward!
Cutty @ Oct 3rd 2008 3:46AM
AHHH QUIT YOUR BITCHIN(eric cartman voice)....
so anyways, is there a place where i can find out where the launch events are?
Krownz @ Oct 3rd 2008 3:50AM
Waaa waa wa.
Christ. Quit whining.
This is great.
Doug @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:59AM
Lots of players hate Bungle for making Legendary DLC a requirement for matchmaking. How is this different?
Look at Halo 3 and see how well it works to have some players with maps and others without. To coerce players to basically buy maps to stay with the community.
Yeah, but you don't care about that, because you're buying this game day 1. But if this becomes a trend, you'll be buying all your games new. And at $60 a piece, that's not good.
Link408 @ Oct 3rd 2008 3:53AM
do you guys know if you have to buy a copy of Gears2 at the midnight launch to get the golden HB code? cause the gamestop i reserved my CE copy doesnt do midnight launches
birdshake @ Oct 3rd 2008 4:14AM
EPIC needs to give us more information regarding the hand out of codes, which exact stores are doing it, etc
Serio @ Oct 3rd 2008 4:16AM
So that means those that doesn't preorder won't get to play online thanks to the lack of maps? Meh.
birdshake @ Oct 3rd 2008 4:17AM
What are you talking about? It says the dlc is free with every NEW copy of the game, nothing about a preorder.
Boff @ Oct 3rd 2008 4:53AM
I think it's a good move on Epic's part if they want to reduce the sales of pre-owned copies.
I'd much rather see this sort of set up than some draconian DRM solution!! (You just know MS has one up it's sleeve!)
Majormayhem03 @ Oct 3rd 2008 6:02AM
Damn, GoW2 news is just getting better and better. The gold HB is nothing like I expected, which is bad. But, it's not gonna take away from the experience. Although, that gold plated Lancer looks bad-ass.
NOT MUCH CHOP @ Oct 3rd 2008 7:09AM
This is all fantastic news, but if they're going to remake maps why, oh why would they do Tyro Station?? Where's War Machine or Fuel Depot? Hopefully they'll do these for later dlc.
SadisticHam @ Oct 3rd 2008 7:56AM
Wondered that as well, no one plays that map. It's not popular at all, In fact I'd go as far as to say it's the least popular map - that or rooftops.
Still, awesome news. 15 maps, fantastic.
Dustin Burg @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:06AM
I love Tyro Station, maybe cuz I'm a torque whore ;)
NOT MUCH CHOP @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:14AM
But the train..... that goddamn train. Aaaarg.
Deezul @ Oct 3rd 2008 7:46AM
Guess us Amazon pre-order folks are screwed. Can't exactly have a midnight launch for a Web company... Or maybe they will make an exception.
xFenixKnightx @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:25AM
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!!!
Brucie B @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:46AM
WOW, there's alot of Panties up in a bunch, G-A-L.
Awesome News, Can't Wait!!!
GOW2 is Gonna ROCK!!!
Ghostbuddy @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:19AM
Some how I doubt the marketplace download will be huge. I guess the maps will be on the disc already, you just have to download the key to unlock them off the marketplace.
Either way, I like all those maps. So even if it is a blant attempt to curb used sales, and it is I don't care. More maps for me.
The only thing I hear from this update is, "more maps for Gears 2 then you thought".
josh @ Oct 3rd 2008 12:20PM
you surely mean curb STOMP used sales.
dunnypop @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:38AM
awesome! I loved those maps. looks like GOW 2's multi will play a lot smoother.
Timerider @ Oct 3rd 2008 10:25AM
I preordered GoW2 on Amazon. Is there another way to get the gold hammerburst?
edhe @ Oct 3rd 2008 10:37AM
This is the sort of thing to help encourage retail uptake of the games.
But if you're going to kull the second hand market, make the title cheaper to start with eh?
How about gears2 for £30, instead of £40 ?
Or pack in the original.
Boff @ Oct 3rd 2008 10:51AM
I like your thinking....
Can't see them taking a tenner off the price though.
Teabag @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:36AM
This is hunting 2 birds with one stone. You keep the fans happy + it encourages people to buy new copies. Great. A good move by Epic!
Dante @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:44AM
I don't get something though..
Why include Gridlock when it's already apart of the Gears 2 on-disc maps?
Will this be a "Straight" remake or something?
CABALLOTE @ Oct 3rd 2008 12:46PM
I don't get something though..
Why include Gridlock when it's already apart of the Gears 2 on-disc maps?
--The DLC maps are remakes of original Gears 1 maps I don't think Gridlock was gonna be in Gears 2 to begin with. They're not gonna give you two of the same maps.
Besides that, I'm excited... it's too bad people stopped playing on Tyro Station after a while (they changed the name to Train Station for PC) I loved that map. I've always made ranked matches on it. Surprised Fuel Depot wasn't there too. Anyway, looking forward to my CE edition preorder.
btw, call of duty 4 lets you unlock gold weapons in multiplayer when you complete weapon challenges. I thought it was a cool feature.
Muckrak3r @ Oct 3rd 2008 7:08PM
Like every single pre-order, midnight release, special codes or weapon unlocks game I have been involved with (battlefield bad company was the most recent)...
There will be issues with this freaking gold HB. Not with the maps because that will be included inside the sealed game, but the midnight launch goodies always have problems. Just be prepared to not walk away with a gold HB and most likely the inability to 'earn' a gold lancer.
JerkfacedFed @ Oct 4th 2008 6:57PM
shit yea!! i love epic
and gotta give credit for microsoft as their publisher for supporting their fans and having the map pack free. they could have charged for this and made a lot of extra money on day 1.
nice!
JerkfacedFed @ Oct 4th 2008 7:12PM
fuel depot is the worst map in the game. there is no "gears" cover and is therefore for noobs who run straight at u using lag for their advantage.
also for hiders and snipers.
BUGz @ Oct 4th 2008 8:46PM
ANYBODY THINK THAT RAVEN DOWN SHOULD OF BEEN ONE OF THE RE-CREATED MAPS AND WAR MACHINE??
TYRO STATION REALLY?? THAT MAP WAS GARBAGE WITH THE LOUD ASS TRAIN.
L @ Oct 14th 2008 1:50PM
WAR MACHINE for sure :)
mind these maps will now have 10 players... so RAVEN DOWN would have been a poor choice
alex @ Oct 18th 2008 4:01PM
Hey, im gonna pre-order my gears of war 2 LE sometime soon, its the 18 of October, and i don't have much time left. Im gonna pick it up at midnight, but the gamestop near me says that they don't know much about the gold HB?!!! I need more info on it and how to get it.
PLEASE HELP!!!