Xbox Gaming in South Africa

With the Gears of War 3 public multiplayer beta officially kicking off today for Bulletstorm owners, we've decided to put together a handy guide for all things Gears 3 beta, from the basic questions of how to get into the beta, and when you can join in, to what maps and unlocks will be available, solutions to common problems, and more. Check it out...

How do I get into the multiplayer beta?

The Gears 3 multiplayer beta is exclusively open to:

• Bulletstorm Epic Edition owners (1 week early access)
• Users who pre-order any version of Gears 3 from participating retailers

Note: Bulletstorm owners will need to keep their Bulletstorm disc for the duration of the beta to access it. So don't go selling it just yet!

Which retailers are participating in the pre-order promotion in South Africa?

• BT Games
• Kalahari
• DionWired (first 50 pre-orders only)
• Take2

For other countries, click here.

When does the beta start?

• Bulletstorm Epic Edition Owners - 18 April. 9AM EST / 4PM GMT 2+
• Pre-order codes - 25 April. 9AM EST / 4PM GMT 2+

When does the beta finish?

The multiplayer beta finishes on 25 May for all participating users.

How do I download the beta?

• Bulletstorm Epic Edition Owners - Start up Bulletstorm and click on the "Gears of War 3 MP Beta" option in the main menu.
• Pre-orders codes - Redeem your code over Xbox LIVE (https://live.xbox.com/RedeemToken).

The download will be an initial 90MB, and then a 520MB update, and it's suggested that you need at least 2GB of space on your Xbox 360. You'll also need an Xbox LIVE Gold membership.

What game modes will be available?

• Team Deathmatch
• Capture the Leader (to be unlocked "later in the Beta period")
• King of the Hill (to be unlocked "later in the Beta period")

What maps will be available?

There will be four maps available during the beta period:

Checkout

Checkout's combat takes place in the rotting husk of an abandoned superstore. The shop owners tried to move all their inventory with a closeout sale in the weeks leading up to the HOD evacuations, but ultimately they just had to walk away and leave everything to time and history.

The intense close-quarters combat of the store aisles makes every decision important. Weapon selection is key, cover is essential to survival, and every move you make has an impact. When facing your enemy, remember what the sign says: "Everything must go."

Old Town

Some remote areas of Sera managed to stave off the impact of Emergence for quite some time. Island towns like this one were able to sustain themselves with small farms and a steady supply of needed goods from the ocean. But all good things must come to an end, and eventually they could hide no more.

This is an excellent map for team-based play, with multiple areas that are well suited to both attack and defense scenarios. A well executed plan will often reap great rewards, and an enemy caught unaware can be flushed into a trap like a chicken free of its coop.

Thrashball

This stadium was once home to a different sort of national hero, one who fought for honor and glory, instead of scrambling for survival. The invigorating roar of the crowd has been replaced by the melancholy moaning of wind in the empty stadium seats.

Stadium matches are no longer restricted to the playing field, and the team that controls the concession stands earns a great advantage. The scoreboard still keeps track of every point earned, but its frayed support cables also make it a precarious trap for anyone foolish enough to run underneath it.

Trenches

The Locust have begun to carve mines and tunnels into the rocks of the Seran Deadlands, eking out any existence that resembles the underground passages of the Hollow they once called home. But this harsh environment is as relentless and unforgiving as any enemy they’ve ever had to face.

The Locust Trenches are small and tight, with clean lines of sight across virtually the entire battlefield. The central hill leads to a fortified bunker with a strategically important vantage point. Once taken, it is rarely surrendered, unless opposing forces can manage to sneak up under the cover of a passing sandstorm that leaves everyone blind for a short while.

What new and returning weapons are there?

• Double Barrel Sawed-off Shotgun
• One Shot
• Incendiary Grenade
• Digger Launcher
• Lancer Assault Rifle
• Retro Lancer
• Hammerburst Assault Rifle
• Gnasher Shotgun
• Boltok Pistol
• Gorgon Pistol

Are there any exclusive beta unlocks?

Of course!

• Flaming Hammerburst - Complete one match by Sunday, April 24 to permanently unlock.
• Flaming Lancer - Complete one match during the week of April 25 to permanently unlock.
• Flaming Sawed-Off Shotgun - Complete one match during the week of May 2 to permanently unlock.
• Flaming Gnasher Shotgun - Complete one match during the week of May 9 to permanently unlock.
• Beta Tester Medal -- Wear it proudly, Gear - Complete one match in the Beta to permanently unlock.
• Thrashball Cole -- Unlock Thrashball Cole to play as Augustus Cole as he was before Emergence Day -- a legendary Thrashball athlete known for his ferocious, flamboyant style.
  • Complete 50 matches in any game type to unlock for the Beta period.
  • To permanently unlock, complete 10 matches as Thrashball Cole during the Beta period.
• Gold-Plated Retro Lancer -- Before the chainsaw bayonet was deployed at the beginning of the Locust-Human War, the original Lancer assault rifle had a large fixed blade.
  • Complete 90 matches in any game type to unlock for the Beta period.
  • To permanently unlock, score 100 kills with the Gold-Plated Retro Lancer during the Beta period.

Other Frequently Asked Questions...

Does Beta XP carry over to the full version of Gears of War 3?

Beta XP does not carry over but the Beta medal and title, as well as Flaming weapons, Thrashball Cole, and the Gold-Plated Retro lancer do carry over if you unlock them during the Beta period.

Will the Gears of War 3 Beta support split screen play?

The Beta will not support split screen, but the final Gears of War 3 game releasing September 20th, 2011 will support two player horizontal split screen.

What characters will I be able to play as during the Gears of War 3 Beta?

The following character models will be playable:

• COG
  • Marcus
  • Dom
  • Anya
  • Cole
  • Baird
  • Thrashball Cole (see "beta exclusive unlocks" above)
  • Prescott (Capture the Leader Only)
• Locust
  • Standard Drone
  • Savage Grenadier
  • Flame Grenadier
  • Kantus
  • Savage Theron
  • Myrrah (Capture the Leader Only)

I have two Gamertags set up on the same console. Will I be able to play the Gears of War 3 Beta using both Gamertags with one code or will I need a code for each Gamertag?

Only one Beta code is needed for multiple Gamertags on a console. Once the Beta has been downloaded, any Gamertag that has access to the harddrive will be able to play.

I'm getting "The code cannot be redeemed because the offer is not available in your region, or the offer has expired." when trying to redeem my pre-order code. How do I fix it?

The reason you're getting this error is because of one of the following:

• Your Gamertag's region doesn't match the code's region. For example, you have a South African pre-order code, and you're trying to redeem it on a UK account.
• Your IP address' geographical location doesn't match your Gamertag's region. For example, you have a UK or US account and you're in South Africa.

This problem normally arises due to the last requirement. Your best solution is creating a Gamertag in your local region - say, for example, South Africa if you live in South Africa - and redeeming the code on that Gamertag. Once the beta is downloaded, then you can use it on your original Gamertag - remember, the beta is available to ALL Gamertag's on a Xbox 360, it just needs to be downloaded with a Gamertag that passes the above requirements.

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That's the end of our guide. If you have any further questions, ask them in the comments, and we'll be sure to try and help.

See you in Gears 3!