Matt Martin
08:45 (BST)
15/10/2008
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20,000 stores to open for Gears of War 2 midnight launch
Over 20,000 retailers worldwide are opening at midnight on November 7 for the release of Gears of War 2.
Microsoft has revealed that pre-orders of the shooter developed by Epic Games have surpassed pre-orders of the original title, released back in 2006.
Consumers attending the Midnight Mayhem events will receive a token for a limited-edition in-game item, and over the launch weekend players will be able to take on the development team at Epic over Xbox Live.
Everyone buying Gears of War 2 will also be able to download a free map pack and gain free access to the Xbox Live Gold service for 48 hours.
Exclusive to Microsoft's console, Gears of War 2 is the company's big release for the hardcore consumer before Christmas.
Epic's Cliff Blezinski had recently told GamesIndustry.biz that although the title is aimed at shooter fans, it's does have a softer edge which may appeal to a wider audience.
"There's still a fair amount of jock, fratboy, macho bullshit in the game - I'm not going to lie," he said. "But at the same time, there's a little bit more personal elements in there, and some of the themes in the game with loss, retribution and the sadness of war, I think they're coming through a lot more in this game."
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