Microsoft showcase – Gears 3 beta out mid-April, Fable III PC and second Reach map pack dated
Microsoft's confirmed that it'll launch the multiplayer beta for Gears of War 3 in mid-April in a ton of news coming out from its San Francisco showcase.
It's also announced that it's releasing new Fable III DLC, Traitor's Keep, on March 1, as well as announcing the PC version of the Lionhead RPG will launch on May 17 in the US and May 19 in the UK. Screenshots for the PC version are posted below.
It also confirmed the Defiant Map Pack for Halo: Reach will release on March 15.
The Gears 3 beta will contain three multiplayer modes and four new maps as the game heads into its September 20 launch. Fans can decide what maps it would like to see included by going to its Facebook page.
Read our interview with Gears of War 3 producer Rod Fergusson and art director Chris Perna here.
The Traitor's Pack for Fable III will feature three new levels: Ravenscar Keep, Clockwork Island, and the Godwin Estate. You'll also take on new quests as well as meet "a mysterious prisoner."
DLC will also come with "additional content" and a further 250GS of achievements.
For the Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack, it will feature three new maps for both competitive multiplayer and Firefight: Condemned, Highlands and Unearthed.
The pack will cost 800 MS points.
Also confirmed is that Doodle Jump and Plants vs Zombies will make the jump to Windows Phone 7, with Nelson confirming that Angry Birds will also be on the platform.
As well as that, the sequel to The Dishwasher, known as Vampire Smile, will launch with full 3D support in spring.
Other games at the showcase in San Francisco right now include:
- Batman: Arkham City
- Crysis 2 3D
- Homefront
- Child of Eden (Kinect)
- Shift 2: Unleashed
- Sesame Street: Once Upon A Time (Kinect)
- The Gunstringer (Kinect)
- The Da Vinci Disappearance [Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood add-on]
- The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile
- Beyond Good and Evil HD
Justin Kranzl attended the event for VG247, and you can read up on what all he saw through here.
Here's the confirmed line-up for the console in 2001 so far:
Exclusive Games for Xbox 360
- Fable III Traitor's Keep (DLC) - March 1, 560 MSP
- Gears of War 3 - September 20
- Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack (DLC) - March 15, 800 MSP
- Once Upon a Monster (Kinect XBLA) - Fall
- The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile (XBLA) - 2011
- The Gunstringer (Kinect XBLA) - 2011
- Torchlight (XBLA) - March 9, 1200 MSP
Multi-platform games also on Xbox 360
- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - The Da Vinci Disappearance (PSN, XBL) (DLC) - 2011
- Batman: Arkham City (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) - Fall
- Beyond Good & Evil HD (PSN, XBLA) - March 2, 800 MSP
- Child of Eden (XBLA, PSN) - 2011
- Crysis 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) - March 22 & 25
- Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) - March
- Homefront (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) - March 15 & 18
- Shift 2: Unleashed (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) - April 1