If you have $150 lying around, like Gears of War and want Marcus Fenix glaring at you from your desktop, then you may just be in luck.
Gears of War 3 is Epic Games’ grand finale to the saga of angry-scowling-beefneck-space-marine Marcus Fenix, and the North Carolina-based studio wants to send the COGs out with a bang. And to do that, it will be releasing not one but two collectors’ editions of the game – as is customary these days.
Epic revealed the Limited and Epic Editions of Gears 3 on its community site, and fans of the series should find the package attractive. The Limited Edition, which will run you $80, contains some nice Gears-centric goodies that focus on Marcus’ father Adam:
*An Octus Award Box and Octus Service Medal – Replicas of the honors bestowed on Adam Fenix, Marcus’s father, for his work on the Hammer of Dawn.
*Exclusive Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character – Each Octus Service Medal replica is engraved with a unique Xbox LIVE code that is the only way to unlock Adam Fenix in multiplayer.
*A fabric COG Flag – Proud colors that once flew above the House of Sovereigns.
*The personal effects of Adam Fenix, including his “Last Will and Testament,” the initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos.
I’m just waiting for some gamer to get this, and use the included schematics to build themselves a working Hammer of Dawn. Orbital death machines for all!
The real deal, though, is the aptly-named “Epic Edition,” which will set gamers back a whopping $150. The Epic Edition includes everything in the Limited Edition, plus some new treats:
*A Limited Edition Marcus Fenix Statue – Designed by Epic Games Art Director Chris Perna and expertly crafted by the artisans at Triforce, this fine PVC statue collectible makes the ultimate living room centerpiece for any true Gears fan.
*The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell – Through unprecedented access to the Epic Games team, acclaimed author Tom Bissell (Extra Lives) gives readers an incisive behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated sagas in video game history with 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept artwork and more.
*Infected Omen Weapon Pack – Custom multiplayer skins for the game’s five starting weapons; Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and Gnasher Shotgun.
I’m sure some people care about the weapon skins, and the design/art book sounds like something that’s above and beyond the normal “art book” for most games, but it’s the statue that’s the real kicker here. You can see it in the video above and to the right, and it looks damn good.
Really, given that most statues of this (apparent) quality will run you more than a hundred bucks anywhere, you don’t need to think of it as paying more for a collector’s edition of a game. Rather, think of it as buying a nifty statue and getting a AAA-class shooter thrown in, free!
(Epic Games – thanks, DBlackny!)
