October 4th 2011 6:00 am PT

Gears of War 3 Horde Command Pack Available Nov. 1

Today Microsoft and Epic Games announced the Horde Command Pack game add-on for Gears of War 3 is launching Nov. 1.

While you review the high rez screen shots I’ve posted, here are the details directly from the press release (with my emphasis) :

Taking you deeper into the fight with three explosive new maps, three new playable characters, two new weapon skins, and additional achievements worth 250 Gamerscore, the Horde Command Pack also includes new fortification upgrades to help you mow down the Lambent and Locust threats in the fan-favorite Horde mode.

Available for 800 Microsoft Points or for download automatically to consumers who have purchased the “Gears of War 3” Season Pass, which entitles you to the game’s first four game add-ons at a 33 percent discount, the Horde Command Pack includes:

Three spectacular new maps:

Blood Drive – The Jacinto Medical Plaza was overwhelmed by evacuated citizens after the government-sanctioned Hammer Strikes, and the ensuing riots quickly turned this safe haven into a dangerous inferno. An abundance of high ground and funneled choke points make this map a returning favorite to Horde.
Rustlung – Once the pride of the Royal Tyran Navy, the foredecks of this decommissioned battleship are now riddled with bullet holes. Any team with the fortitude to hold the exposed central torpedo bay will find that the ship’s Loader has been replaced with a battle-ready Silverback mech suit.
Azura – This island resort was once the exclusive domain of Sera’s educated elite, but the tranquil water gardens and lush foliage have become a hotly contested combat zone. Dual snipers overlook a powerful explosive weapon, while the defensive central platform may be your last resort of retreat.

New fortification upgrades:

Command Center – A brand new type of fortification that allows you to call in fire support from sniper teams, mortar strikes and even multiple Hammers of Dawn.
Decoy Upgrade – A new fortification level that turns your decoy into an Onyx Guard bot that will fight in your defense.
Sentry Upgrade – This upgrade adds a fire bolt sentry that deals much more damage and is very effective against Berserkers.
Silverback Upgrade – This advancement allows you to upgrade your Silverback exo-suit with devastating rockets and extra levels of repair cost reduction.

New characters:

Onyx Guard
Big Rig Dizzy
Bernie

New weapon skins:

Team Plasma
Jungle Camo

Also playable in Beast mode and privately hosted Versus matches, the Horde Command Pack promises to extend your “Gears of War 3” experience with countless hours of multiplayer mayhem on Xbox LIVE.

# # #

Game Add-on, Gears of War By Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson

permalink: http://majornelson.com/2011/10/04/gears-of-war-3-horde-command-pack-available-nov-1/

http://twitter.com/SSaadSaleem Saad Saleem

awesome.
http://twitter.com/SSaadSaleem Saad Saleem

awesome.
http://twitter.com/Navarin Bennijin Turbo

Meh.
http://twitter.com/Bradski1119 Brad D

Looks sick!
http://twitter.com/Bradski1119 Brad D

Looks sick!
Anonymous

Please tell me that new achievements have not been added… paying for achievements is not a good model to get people to buy your products. That is the reason to why I never purchased the Halo Reach Maps and the Gears of War 2 maps.
- http://twitter.com/Dninja Scott Hickman
  
  It clearly says 250 extra gamerscore.
  
  Actually, paying for gamerscore is a great model, look at sites like x360a and Achievement Hunter, they eat this stuff up and as a result money gets thrown at the content.
  - Anonymous
    
    You’re right, I overlooked that. It looks like a no buy for me. No big, I’m not big on multiplayer anyways.
    - http://twitter.com/The_Dukenator Mark
      
      But like I said, there is a sp deleted scene available.
    - http://twitter.com/The_Dukenator Mark
      
      But like I said, there is a sp deleted scene available.
- http://twitter.com/The_Dukenator Mark
  
  It includes a deleted scene in one of its map packs. All Fronts is the way to go plus when you play mp they might be on maps you don’t have..
Anonymous

Please tell me that new achievements have not been added… paying for achievements is not a good model to get people to buy your products. That is the reason to why I never purchased the Halo Reach Maps and the Gears of War 2 maps.
http://twitter.com/Hallonrobot Aron Strandberg

“and privately hosted Versus matches”Do you mean it’s not available in regular versus?
http://twitter.com/BTHRZeroX BTHR Zero X

Yeah these arn’t new, they are already on the disc its not DLC at all
http://twitter.com/PrestonNorthLad David Casey

How would this work with online Horde teaming up with people who have not purchased the pack – does it mean the pack purchasers cannot play with unpurchased gamers?
http://twitter.com/PrestonNorthLad David Casey

How would this work with online Horde teaming up with people who have not purchased the pack – does it mean the pack purchasers cannot play with unpurchased gamers?
- http://twitter.com/Dninja Scott Hickman
  
  It’ll probably be part of an extra playlist for those with the DLC or like in Halo Reach, the matchmaking won’t offer the map as a choice if someone in the lobby doesn’t have it.
- Anonymous
  
  if your on about the fortications it properly means you can upgrade to your level but they can’t like it’s all ways been
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000081692800 Iskandar Dzulkarnain

Looking forward to this actually. Horde’s been great to me.
Anonymous

This is so soon that I wonder why this maps and other goods aren’t already on the game on launch date….

Add-ons are supposed to “refresh” the joy of playing a game, to give to it a breath of life…
http://www.facebook.com/damianjansen Damian Jansen

I want. Azura looks so nice.
http://twitter.com/0wde Dave Palmer-Johnson

Nothing there for me, even though I have it on the disc already. Bad, bad practise Epic.
http://twitter.com/Meiyer89 Andrew Johnston

Sorry… anyone else read the fine print? “Also playable in Beast mode and privately hosted Versus matches” Is this saying that there won’t be a social or ranked playlist for the 3 new maps??? Cuz on top of everything else that will fry my buzz.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Adam-Collins/1361035090 Adam Collins
  
  no, that comment is for the character skins and weapon skins…
  - Anonymous
    
    That’s not what it says. It says “Command Post Pack”, as in the entire pack, including maps.
  - Anonymous
    
    That’s not what it says. It says “Command Post Pack”, as in the entire pack, including maps.
Anonymous

Maybe it should have 1 or 2 flashback maps added, and some kind of new game modes, like classic horde or “Human lambents overrun!” in a Left for dead-like game mode.
http://twitter.com/worldpattern Rick Kump

I love playing Horde/Beast and hate playing public Versus, so this makes me happy. FU shotgun ninjas!
http://www.facebook.com/HansjeNL86 Stefan van den Berg

Not playable in regular versus?
I regret buying the season pass!
What a bunch of BS!
Whats next? a second piece of DLC that will unlock it for regular versus?
I’m looking forward for downloading the remaining 160kb!
- Benjo
  
  I think they just don’t want to have to create a million different playlists like they did in Gears 2 before All Fronts came out.
  - http://www.facebook.com/HansjeNL86 Stefan van den Berg
    
    The maps are there, they are making the playlist for horde mode, so why not for regular versus?
    I don’t like horde mode that much, so this map pack has no value to me.
    I was expecting new MP maps, too bad i already paid for the season pass…
    I could have saved the 33% discount by not buying this package.
    - Benjo
      
      I hear your point. I’m a huge Horde fan that has a consistent group that I play with, so this is perfect for me.
      
      There’s definitely some challenges for people who are into versus multiplayer.
      
      It really wouldn’t be to hard to create a vs. playlist for DLC at this point. Also, why couldn’t they just build in that it only connects you to matches where people have the same map set as you.
  - http://www.facebook.com/HansjeNL86 Stefan van den Berg
    
    The maps are there, they are making the playlist for horde mode, so why not for regular versus?
    I don’t like horde mode that much, so this map pack has no value to me.
    I was expecting new MP maps, too bad i already paid for the season pass…
    I could have saved the 33% discount by not buying this package.
Anonymous

I bought the pass an eventhough the stuff is locked on the disk I’m happy to hear they added 250 achievements to it

Sometimes they charge for stuff locked on the disk without achievements

But least you know if there achievements involved work has been done to it an the people who worked on it need paying
Benjo

Can’t wait for this. Looks so amazing.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=36819209 David Ellis

This should be available in Public Versus!
http://twitter.com/williamronholm Anonymous

Really surprised and really really excited that it wasn’t just a three map, map pack.. This is awesome! Epic never disappoints.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Peter-van-Dam/100000713945783 Peter van Dam

Hi Major,

Like others i’m with the same question about how this dlc works for online versus? Can I play, with friend or other people ONLINE who have this DLC on the new maps or can I not.

I know some folks below tried answering, but I need facts not guesses. If it’s just local-only, i’m glad that I didn’t purchase the season pass.

Thanks!
Anonymous

How come the comments about this being on-disc DLC are getting deleted? Why am I paying again for something I already bought? Horrible policy. I love Gears of War, Epic’s games and the 360, but that’s truly something Epic and Microsoft should be ashamed of.
- Anonymous
  
  My comment never got deleted
- Anonymous
  
  My comment never got deleted
- Anonymous
  
  My comment never got deleted
Logic Squirrel

Thats stupid, gow3 not long out and now dlc, why was this not included on the disc? I’ll tell you why GREED.
- http://twitter.com/NBAKirkland NBA Kirkland (Nick)
  
  Seriously bro? You feel like you didn’t get your money’s worth from Gears 3? And the 1st DLC will be out 6 weeks after the game’s release. Sounds good to me. How long would YOU like to wait?
- Logondo
  
  You ask why this wasn’t included on the disk because you assume the maps were already made by the time the game was launched.
  
  Are you an idiot?
- Logondo
  
  You ask why this wasn’t included on the disk because you assume the maps were already made by the time the game was launched.
  
  Are you an idiot?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Reist-Carmine/1603132046 Reist Carmine

And what about a D.Carmine? Or at least a white COG gear? ¬¬
- http://twitter.com/labtec514 Mark G
  
  There’s only 3 carmines retard
  - John Villalpando
    
    There are 4 Carmines… retard… It was in Benjamin’s letter to his 3 other brothers…
Anonymous

dam I was hoping there be a armoured kantus in the playable charcters
z z

This is ridiculous. Paying for an advantage in horde mode? Is that how low you’re stooping now? It was bad enough with Gears of War 2 and charging people to be able to join games in progress, but this just reeks of greed.

I have no problem with charging people for maps or skins, as they are purely aesthetic, but charging people for clear advantages in game modes is the lowest of the low.

That’s like bringing out a new weapons with the gib power of the sawed off and range of the long shot and charging people $50.

Are you perfectly entitled to do it? Yes.

Does it make you any less of a douchebag? NO.
- http://twitter.com/EpicBugz Angel Gomez
  
  WHAT ADVANTAGE? It’s freaking Player VS AI…Do trolls think?
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_V4IXAZAEIPNZBWS3RPSCA53EL4 I_tickle_fat_kids
  
  Youre an idiot… They never charged people to join [Horde] games in progress on Gears 2… That was done with a free patch..
Anonymous

i was going to buy the season pass but im not now i dont think this is worth it.
Anonymous

i was going to buy the season pass but im not now i dont think this is worth it.
- http://twitter.com/EpicBugz Angel Gomez
  
  Because 4 packs of DLC are not worth 2400MP? LOL. It all adds up to 4200 points. It way worth it.
  - Anonymous
    
    No, because they are already all on the game disc everyone bought last month. Cheers.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Phillip-Peterson/1409015868 Phillip Peterson

Team Plasma =3
http://twitter.com/SchnellRitter SchnellRitter

Way better then any Call Of Duty p.o.s.
- Anonymous
  
  Because it makes less money?
Eleo

Gears 2 had 10 maps on disc and 5 free downloadable ones at launch. Gears 3 has
13 maps on disc, with only 10 of them playable, and 3 of them being sold
to you for $10. Character skins are on the disc as well. Anyone who thinks that’s a deal is a sucker. Pass.
- Anonymous
  
  Since when is what a company or franchise does a reason for selling what is already on the disc for a game that was delayed because MS knew it was it’s only Fall first party title anyone cares about? That is like saying the guy who broke into my apartment only stole a smaller TV than last time. Cheers.
http://twitter.com/GreenMistt Miller

lololol – Microsoft: Ranked #1 Cheapskate in the world.

DLC the game – coming soon, pre-order now and get a 1/4 of a game on a disc!
Is the M$ HQ by any chance based on a dairy farm?
Anonymous

Epic was hibernating for six months with their game done and forgot to put this on the game disc?
Anonymous

We get 4 of these updates?! Season Pass is looking pretty good.
http://www.facebook.com/lassiterxavier Xavier Lassiter

quick question if i don’t have the season pass and i just pay the 800 MSP will i still get everything that was talked about in this post.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_V4IXAZAEIPNZBWS3RPSCA53EL4 I_tickle_fat_kids
  
  Yes, you will get everything in the FIRST download content release… The other future releases will cost 800ms points. The season pass is just getting ALL the future content releases together in a bundle for a cheaper overall price.. Buying them all separately costs more
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Shaw/620909567 Mike Shaw

Sweet I was wondering how we have to get Bernie Mataki. Thanks!!
Anonymous

If it’s private matches only, I’m not interested. You all better check up on this…I’ve read the new maps are ONLY available for private matches…something to do with the dedicated servers. Deal-breaker for me.
- http://profiles.google.com/thief000 J.A.J.G. Thiéfaine
  
  IF these items are already on the disc as everyone is claiming, (I don’t know if it’s true or not but there is evidence to support it) then it will be for all gametypes as everyone has this content available for streaming from the disc. You just won’t be able to use them personally without the unlock key. IF it is not on the disc, maybe they will release a free version so everyone can see the content in multiplayer games, just not use it (like they did with other games in the past).
Steven Hyde

Couple of things that GearsViking has clarified in Q&A sessions:
- people who don’t own the DLC can play on the new maps in games hosted by people with the DLC. However, only people who have paid for the DLC will be able to build the new fortifications and earn the new achievements
- the maps will be available in public games, across all modes, eventually. The timelines are yet to be decided

Finally: in order to play against people who are using the new characters, or on the new maps as mentioned above, you need to have a copy of the content somewhere so that your console can render the models properly. What difference does it make whether it’s on the disc or downloaded to your HD via a mandatory update? Surely having it on disc is better for those with small hard drives?
Anonymous

Anything else on the disc MS wants us to pay for for their ONE first party game this Holiday?
Anonymous

It’s been verified. Have you been an MS fanboy of all things correctly?
Anonymous

Is MS and Epic going to make this free all things considered? Waiting for Major’s response on his own blog.
Anonymous

That is awesome that MS revealed it was on the disc, and it is FREE. Cheers. Wait, Steve Jobs died? MS is plowing on? Cheers.
https://twitter.com/#!/BeeDizz BeeDizz

15-17 years ago I was paying $199-$399 for a console and $50 a game on average. For the most part prices haven’t changed much for consumers. All this whining and crying is ridiculous.

Things have schedules. The game has X amount of content that ships on X date. There is X amount of DLC that needs to be worked on. All which costs money not budgeted towards original development. If they finish the DLC early and stick it on the disk for OUR convenience, everyone thinks it should be free?

I’m almost ashamed to call myself a gamer anymore. It used to label you a ‘nerd’. Now it labels you a whining, foulmouthed, racist, homophobic, know-it-all, crybaby.
- Anonymous
  
  The stuff for what they are charging for is already on the disc. It was done before the games were pressed. What was your essay’s thesis?
  - https://twitter.com/#!/BeeDizz BeeDizz
    
    Thats about the response I expected. Just because it was finished before the game launched doesn’t mean it should be given away for free. When the game is finished, the developers work on other projects. Some might start work on other games. Some start work on DLC.
    
    Just because the DLC gets finished before the game is pressed doesn’t mean it should be given away. Would it be ok if the DLC was done and they held it back and just released it as a download? Would it be ok if they didn’t even start work on the DLC until a month after the game launched? What would satisfy all these privileged gamers that think everything should be given away for free?
    
    Because the DLC was done before the game launched and was added to the disk before press, doesn’t change the fact that the DLC project was budgeted and scheduled as DLC from the very beginning.
    
    This wouldn’t even be an issue if Epic and Microsoft waited for a month, then released it as a download only. Even if it was done before the game was launched. Just because it was done, and put on the disk, everyone thinks it should be free. That just sounds ridiculous to me.
    
    Granted I think the nickel and diming of gamers has reached a fever pitch in the gaming world recently. But I don’t think that a completely separate project like DLC should be given away just because it was finished early.
    - http://twitter.com/Useless0ne Daniel Brett Larsen
      
      If I don’t own all the content on the disc, why would I want to pay in full up front? That’s like buying a burger and having to buy fries to get the entire meat patty.
      - https://twitter.com/#!/BeeDizz BeeDizz
        
        Horrible analogy. So as long as that content was left OFF the disk you wouldn’t have a problem paying for it? That content was scheduled for DLC from the very start. And even if it was finished before the game was done, as long as it was left off the disk then nobody would be complaining because it’s not on the disk right? That makes no sense to me.
        
        Everyone is complaining because EXTRA CONTENT that you were going to pay extra for no matter where or when it came out, was put on the disk because it was finished before the game went to press rather than held back and released on the Marketplace as DLC?
        
        The problem i have with all the crying, is that people don’t seem to realize that the content was, and is, ADDED content not part of the original game. It seems ridiculous to me that people expect it for free JUST because it was added to the disk before release.
      - Eleo
        
        Let’s say, hypothetically, that Gears 3 weren’t limited by DVD capacity and had, like, 20 additional maps on the disc, but they were locked out and released in small chunks over the course of many months for 800MSP each. Would you object to something like that, or would your feeling still be that it’s OK because the content had been “budgeted as DLC” and was “extra content”? At what point should the gamer be annoyed? You have to draw the line somewhere. Tell me what is reasonable.
      - http://twitter.com/Useless0ne Daniel Brett Larsen
        
        But it IS part of the original game. Hell, two of the characters unlocked in the DLC already show up in the campaign (and even Beast in the Onyx Guards’ case). Added content is fine when it’s ADDING something to the game that was never there, otherwise, I’m paying for something I already own when I made the initial purchase.
        
        My analogy is spot on; I paid for a good, and only get partial use of that good unless I pay MORE on top of that. That’s just wrong. If I own a game, I should have access to all the features that game has at purchase. You are being an apologist for something that is wrong and and insult to responsible consumers who understand value. This is borderline extortion.
http://www.facebook.com/jameseddiebleasdale James Eddie Bleasdale

that was the developer copy of the game not the retail version
- Eleo
  
  Wrong. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Come November 1st, it’ll be fairly obvious, when the download size for the map pack is only a few megabytes in size.
http://www.facebook.com/Tigerflyboy78 Keith Redding

when are we going to see the cloud for the xbox 360 that we heard about at CES?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EFA5C22WOTA6T2SK25FECIH5GM jyothish

i was new to xbox..
After seeing this video in a blog, i was highly excited and at last brought an Xbox.
http://technologyinmyveins.blogspot.com/2011/09/watch-this-superb-video-xbox-360-kinect.html
Kinect rocks…
Im playing gears of war in it!

October 4th 2011 6:00 am PT

Gears of War 3 Horde Command Pack Available Nov. 1

search

Latest Podcast

Show 476

Twitter Feed

Blog Archive

RSS Feeds

Helpful Links

Ads