"Gears of War 2" poised to be top entertainment premiere this holiday season in KSA

A total of 20,000 retail locations in 20 countries, including leading retail outlets across the Middle East, will open their doors to the crowds waiting to get their hands on this must-have entertainment experience. Fans and critics around the world are predicting that "Gears of War 2," available only on Xbox 360, will be the biggest blockbuster of holiday 2008.

"Gears of War 2, builds upon the original title in every way. Globally and even in the KSA, the sequel is said to have surpassed the total pre-sale orders of the original game. Our pre-sale orders started from Gitex shopper and were a massive hit with consumers. Gears of War 2 is poised to become the must-have video game this holiday season and fans can look forward to some deep, immersive storytelling with rich visual effects never experienced in video games before" said, Aman Sangar, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division Middle East.

Under the creative leadership of Cliff Bleszinski, the team at Epic Games Inc. has pushed the franchise into bold new territory, greatly expanding upon the game's themes of hope, survival and loss. Gears of War 2 picks up six months after the events of Gears of War, and thrusts back into a deep and harrowing story of humankind's epic battle for survival against a nightmarish force of underground creatures known as the Locust Horde. Developed by Epic Games exclusively for Xbox 360®, Gears of War achieved major success since its release, having sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The sequel continues the story of Marcus Fenix, a reluctant war hero, as he leads Delta Squad on a series of perilous and adrenaline-pumping missions.

The Limited Edition is packaged in a collectible SteelBook DVD case and includes a 48-page hardbound book titled "Beneath the Surface: An Inside Look at 'Gears of War 2,'" which is filled with character profiles and exclusive concept art. The Limited Edition also includes a bonus DVD containing the making-of documentary and a keepsake photo of Dominic and Maria Santiago.

Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its Unreal series, most recently shipping "Unreal Tournament 3" for PC, PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360. Epic's breakthrough game, "Gears of War," sold five million copies and won over 30 Game of the Year awards. The highly anticipated sequel, "Gears of War 2," releases November 7, 2008. Epic's Unreal Engine 3 is the current holder and three-time consecutive winner of Game Developer magazine's Best Engine Front Line Award.