Switch Lights

The lights are on

What's Happening

Gears of War 3's Fenix Rising Map Pack Coming

Microsoft and Epic Games have announced the Fenix Rising DLC Map Pack for release in the new year.

The Pack comes out on January 17 for 800 Microsoft Points (or free if you've already bought the game's Season Pass), and it offers five new multiplayer maps, four new character skins, and a new "Re-Up" level system that lets you continue on past level 100 for a custom weapon skin and new rank icon color.

The Maps (all descriptions straight from Epic)

  • Academy (shown) –The lineage of the Fenix family can be traced back along a distinguished line of military officers. Officer training at the Oracle Academy was simply the expected path for Marcus, and he had visited the grounds many times in expectation that he would walk the same path as his ancestors. But it was not to be, and Marcus broke with tradition to be with his best friends Dom and Carlos. Like any number of fine Seran traditions, the Academy is now lost to the invasion of the Locust Horde.
  • Anvil – The fortress of Anvegad was called Anvil Gate because its impenetrable walls were forged in the fires of war. Huge cannons sat atop battlements that guarded sprawling walls running the line of the UIR borders. Marcus went there to find Hoffman, and they both thought that Anvil Gate would offer protection from the incoming forces of Locust and Lambent. They were wrong, and little remains other than the ruined shell of a once mighty fortress.
  • Depths – The excessive opulence of Azura defied all normal reasoning. But Adam Fenix could see the cracks in the veneer of splendor from the moment he arrived at this underwater processing center. And all that beauty mattered not at all once he was held captive by the Locust. Out of options, he had to find a way to contact Marcus, and finally reveal the truths he’d been keeping to himself for all these many years.
  • Escalation – Haldane Hall has been the home of the Fenix family for countless generations. But the only history that matters to Marcus’s are his memories of warm summer evenings spent with his mother, Elain, relaxing in the estate’s gardens. Sadly, all the estate’s history and beauty was lost when the Locust destroyed it in an attempt to kidnap his father.
  • The Slab – Convicted for insubordination and treason, Marcus was incarcerated in Jacinto Maximum Security Prison. Known as “The Slab,” this prison is not a correctional facility – it’s a place where Sera’s worst offenders are locked up and forgotten. The inmates are brutal, parole is not an option, and the average life expectancy is about two years. But that was before the Locust showed up, and what couldn’t get worse, suddenly did. Now your life expectancy there is around two minutes.

Player Skins (for Versus multiplayer and Horde Mode (if COG)

  • COG
    • Recruit Clayton – Clayton was born a Gear, grew up a Gear, and on the very day he became eligible, he signed himself up to become the capable, confident, and devoted Gear he’d always known he could be.
    • Thrashball Cole (Limited Edition) – The Cole Train prefers to take the most direct path to the Locust Horde in any situation. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up in raw energy.
  • Locust
    • Savage Marauder – Locust Marauders were the first to form any sort of organization outside of the Hollow – if their brutal infighting and bloodthirsty raiding parties could truly be called organized.
    • Savage Kantus (Limited Edition) (shown) – The Savage Kantus were profoundly impacted by the loss of the Hollow. They have reverted to a primal, shamanistic state, and their battle cries have taken a dark, melancholy turn.  Few sounds are as terrifying to human ears.

New Ranking System

  • After you reach level 100 you can "Re-Up" for another tour of duty in which your experience and rank will be reset, but other things like your TrueSkill rating will remain intact. You can Re-Up three times, and each time you do so you'll earn a new rank icon color (Bronze, Red, Green, and Gold). Each time you Re-Up after Bronze you'll get an exclusive weapon skin.
    • Re-Up Plasma – Animated flowing plasma in gold
    • Re-Up Omen – Shiny, red Omen
    • Re-Up Electric – Animated, golden electric shocks

Email the author , or follow on , and .

Comments
  • ***. I already sold this game...
  • So soon after RAAM's Shadow? Thank you Epic.

  • Loving the multiplayer, so I can actually see myself 'Re-up'ing (?) many times. Can't wait to get these maps
  • i used to play gears 3 online. then battlefield 3 came out...
  • Sweet, this is groovy news Epic is a class act, kicking killer content again and again. I am getting bored with COD, is anybody eles out feeling the same? I have fell in love with GOW MP again, this map pack should just add to the love.
  • I love you Epic

  • I seriously need to get back into playing me some more Gears. Such a great game IMO.
  • i need to buy that pass

  • GOW3 is the funnest shooter this fall hands down...
  • I play BF3 and GOW3 equally. I was looking forward to not caring about ranks once i unlock everything. Now i got to prestige in gears?
  • Well, this is definitely interesting.

  • I doubt I'll ever reach rank 100 (though I am halfway there...just got to 50 yesterday) so the new "re-up" system probably won't matter much to me. The new maps and characters however look pretty cool.
  • I'm a little disappointed that they are adding the COD prestige concept to Gears. Other then that, this sounds pretty good. The season pass was the way to go, for sure.
  • Better hurry up and finish the game,nice to see more DLC for GOW.

  • I hope the re up doesnt include more achievements.
  • Wait I pre-ordered through Amazon and I already got the savage kantus so does that mean I get screwed out of owning this character over my friends because they also will be getting it?
  • I still gotta download Raams shadow. But with my crappy internet connection it just takes too long and it doesn't let me background download it
  • Why are they bringing back Escalation ? That map was awful, it was so unbalanced.

  • i loved escalation, but they need to bring back canals and fuel depot again...
  • Escalation! Yesh ...

1 2 Next