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Gears DLC out this week

[UPDATE] Two free bonus multiplayer maps for GameSpot's Game of the Year will be on Xbox Live Marketplace on Wednesday; patch to be released tomorrow.

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Fans of Epic Games' Gears of War have logged plenty of hours in the game over Xbox Live, chainsawing each other to pieces in just about every nook and cranny of the game's 10 multiplayer maps. This Wednesday, gamers will have some new places to dismember, shoot, and curb-stomp opponents, because Microsoft has announced that it is releasing two new multiplayer maps for Gears of War over Xbox Live.

As previously mentioned by Epic president Mike Capps, the content will be free to download. The content is scheduled to be available this Wednesday. The publisher did not mention what time the maps would be ready, but previous downloads for XBL Wednesdays have been up at 1 a.m Pacific time.

Microsoft has offered brief descriptions and screens (above, right) of the two maps. Raven Down sees Delta Forces battling the Locust Horde around a downed Raven helicopter. On Old Bones, gamers will duke it out around several Capitaline museums.

The content pack is being sponsored by the Discovery Channel, which will also be holding a contest to give away a total of 2 million Xbox Live Marketplace points to gamers. Details have not yet been announced but will be posted at the Web site for the TV show Future Weapons soon.

Microsoft recently announced that it has sold 2.7 million copies of Gears of War, which won GameSpot's Game of the Year award for 2006. The game is rated M for Mature and retails for $59.99. For more information, read GameSpot's full review.

[UPDATE] Epic Games is also releasing a new patch for the game on Tuesday. The developer's vice president, Mark Rein, gave gamers the heads-up on Epic's Gears of War forums today. With the new patch, the aspect ratio distortion in some instances using VGA cables has been fixed, gamers can now get the "Dish Best Served Cold" achievement, and other tweaks to gameplay have been made. To see the list of changes, head over to the Gears of War forums.

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