'Gears of War' breaks out for Xbox
In what is expected to be another record-breaking year for the more than $10-billion-a-year video game industry, the breakout hit is a science-fiction action game called Gears of War.The game didn't sneak up on anyone - developer Epic Games and Microsoft hyped it for nearly a year and a half leading up to its release Nov. 12 - but the futuristic sci-fi combat game has overcome an industry hurdle in establishing a new intellectual property as a hit.
It's not easy to compete in the marketplace with Mario, Madden and other established franchises.
Gears of War has sold more than 1 million copies in the USA and an estimated 2 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling game for Microsoft's year-old
Xbox 360 video game system.
Well reviewed by critics, the game is reaping year-end awards. GameSpot named Gears of War the game of the year, along with best shooter game, best multiplayer game and best graphics (technical).
Last month, it lost game of the year to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion at the Spike TV Game Awards but won studio of the year (for Epic Games), best graphics, best shooter and best multiplayer game.
"Gears of War is certainly one of the best games of the year," says Geoff Keighley, video game journalist and host of Spike TV's Game Head. "It's beautiful, engrossing and features very polished gameplay. It's the kind of game you want to show off to the friends. I dare say it's one of the first true next-generation games on the market."
More important, Gears of War (Microsoft, $60 and $70 for a collector's edition with an art book and DVD) provided a boost for Microsoft's game system at a time when much of the industry attention was focused on the launch of the competing Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii systems.
"It's no doubt sold a lot of Xbox 360s and has made existing 360 owners feel very good about their investment," says John Davison, editorial director of Ziff Davis Media's game group, including Electronic Gaming Monthly.
"It came at exactly the right time and has proved to be a great counter to the launch of the PS3."
At Newsweek, general editor for technology N'Gai Croal is withholding his verdict on whether Gears of War can be a "system seller" that significantly increases the base of Xbox 360 owners, which rose about 511,000 in November to 3.4 million.
But he will say, "Microsoft can hold up Gears of War and say, 'Sony says their machine is more powerful than ours, yet we have this game that looks better (than any PS3 games).' "
Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Gears of War has sold more than 1 million copies in the USA and an estimated 2 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling game for Microsoft's year-old
Xbox 360 video game system.
Well reviewed by critics, the game is reaping year-end awards. GameSpot named Gears of War the game of the year, along with best shooter game, best multiplayer game and best graphics (technical).
Last month, it lost game of the year to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion at the Spike TV Game Awards but won studio of the year (for Epic Games), best graphics, best shooter and best multiplayer game.
"Gears of War is certainly one of the best games of the year," says Geoff Keighley, video game journalist and host of Spike TV's Game Head. "It's beautiful, engrossing and features very polished gameplay. It's the kind of game you want to show off to the friends. I dare say it's one of the first true next-generation games on the market."
More important, Gears of War (Microsoft, $60 and $70 for a collector's edition with an art book and DVD) provided a boost for Microsoft's game system at a time when much of the industry attention was focused on the launch of the competing Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii systems.
"It's no doubt sold a lot of Xbox 360s and has made existing 360 owners feel very good about their investment," says John Davison, editorial director of Ziff Davis Media's game group, including Electronic Gaming Monthly.
"It came at exactly the right time and has proved to be a great counter to the launch of the PS3."
At Newsweek, general editor for technology N'Gai Croal is withholding his verdict on whether Gears of War can be a "system seller" that significantly increases the base of Xbox 360 owners, which rose about 511,000 in November to 3.4 million.
But he will say, "Microsoft can hold up Gears of War and say, 'Sony says their machine is more powerful than ours, yet we have this game that looks better (than any PS3 games).' "
Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Labels: xbox 360
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