Make a Gears of War Cole Train Rap Video for a Shot to Win This Custom Xbox One

Microsoft and developer The Coalition have announced a music-themed promotion for Gears of War Ultimate Edition. The Cole Train Rap Contest, as Microsoft is calling it, challenges gamers to create their own version of the song that Cole performed during the closing credits of the 2006 Xbox 360 game.

To help you make your video, Microsoft has published an audio track and Cole samples to its website. You'll need to provide your own gameplay footage, which can be done using the Xbox One's GameDVR or a third-party tool.

Once you've made your video, you'll need to upload it to YouTube and put the hashtags #contest, #colerap, and #gearsofwar, as well as your Xbox Live Gamertag, in the description. Then submit it to Microsoft by email to colerap@microsoft.com with the subject line "Cole Train Rap Contest."

Submissions close on November 20 at 11:59 PM PDT. Full contest details and rules are available here.

Two winners will be chosen before December 20 who will receive a custom-painted Gears of War Xbox One. Microsoft will choose one winner (judging criteria was not announced), while the community will select the second based on a public vote through the Gears of War Facebook page.

Microsoft also today shared some insight into how the original Cole Train Rap came to be. According to Microsoft, it was created in a "spontaneous overnight mix session at the very end of production when it was discovered that samples of Augustus Cole's dialog were also killer vocal hooks."

Alternatively, you can enter for a chance to win this custom Xbox One console by watching an upcoming Gears of War competitive gaming livestream.

For more on Gears of War Ultimate Edition, check out GameSpot's review.