Sure, most of us have been playing it non-stop since the middle of last week, but today is Emergence Day, the day when not only did the Locust rise from their subterranean tunnels to overrun the world of Sera, but also the day that Microsoft has decided to celebrate Gears of War launch by holding numerous Gears related contests and sweepstakes on the Xbox Live service.
There's a lot going on today, including a chance to play with/against Gears' lead designer Cliff "CliffyB" Bleszinski - oh, the magic it would be to curb stomp the man responsible for the madness. Here is today's schedule as per Xbox.com;
"Xbox Live® celebrates Emergence Day with 24 hours of special events beginning at 12:01 A.M. on Sunday, November 12 on Xbox Live. Gold members in North America can join online tournaments, download exclusive videos, win cool prizes, and participate in variety of other activities:
- Leaderboard tournament: The 24-hour leaderboard tournament winner receives a one-of-a-kind Gears of War branded guitar as well as an automatic bye to the finals of a global Gears of War tournament planned for 2007.
- Hourly sweepstakes drawings: Prize giveaways mean you could win one of several Samsung HT-P29 Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound Systems.
- Gamer pic and theme: Score the exclusive free Gears of War gamer pic and theme, only available on Emergence Day.
- Game with Fame: Play with legendary heavy metal band and Gears of War fans Megadeth, the game's lead designer Cliff Bleszinski, and other members of the Epic Games team.
- New videos: Check out the never-before-seen videos including a special Emergence Day transmission from Cliff Bleszinski.
- MTV Special: Watch the MTV "Gears of War: The Road to Launch" sneak preview.
Game with Fame Schedule
On Sunday, November 12, The Gears of War development team and some other surprise celebrities will be taking on the Xbox Live community to celebrate Emergence Day. Here's your chance to see how the game is played by taking on the guys that actually built the game! Stick around, you don't want to miss a chance to test your skills against Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski.Dave Mustaine from Megadeth: Challenge this rock star (and avid gamer) at 3 P.M. Pacific / 6 P.M. Eastern. Look for the gamertag GWFMegadeth.
Epic Games Team: 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. Pacific / 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. Eastern. Be on the lookout for the gamertags below. The team members will be popping into existing games or inviting Xbox Live members into games throughout the evening.
- EpicMarkRein: Mark Rein, Vice President
- EpicRodF: Rod Fergusson, Producer
- EpicLeeP: Lee Perry, Lead Level Design
- EpicRayD: Ray Davis, Lead Programmer·
- EpicJimB: Jim Brown, Multiplayer Level Design
- EpicDevTeam1, EpicDevTeam2, EpicDevTeam3, EpicDevTeam4, EpicDevTeam5, EpicDevTeam6: Various additional team members
Cliff "Cliffy B" Bleszinski: 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. Pacific / 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. Eastern
To try your hand against Design Lead Cliff Bleszinski, be on the lookout for Xbox Live Gamertag EpicCliffyB.
If you get the chance to play the Epic guys, we want to hear all about it! Send us an email at xlmail@microsoft.com and let us know what happened. The subject line should be "GWF Epic." Don't forget to include your gamertag and hometown!
Play & Win All Day
Help defeat the Locusts on November 12 and do your part to save humanity (or destroy it, depending on which side you choose), and you'll also be entered in the "Play and Win" contest, with the chance to win one of eight Samsung Integrated DVD players. Each hour, five winners will also receive 1000 Microsoft Points for use in Xbox Live Marketplace.To enter, just play Gears of War on Xbox Live on Emergence Day. Check back here for the list of winners after the game. If your gamertag is on the list, send a friend request to Xbox Live gamertag GearsPlayWin. Read the official rules.
Warzone Leaderboard Tournament
Win a Gears of War guitar! This customized AX-50 electric guitar from ESP Guitars has a satin silver finish, custom Gears of War graphic, maple neck, powerful ESP LH-100 humbucking pickups, and Tune-O-Matic bridge. At an Estimated Retail Value of $469 with the included case, this menacing guitar is built to rock. The tournament winner will also get an invitation to compete in the finals of the 2007 Gears of War Xbox Live Tournament.To win, just play Gears of War on Xbox Live on November 12, starting at 12:01 A.M., and own the top spot on the Warzone leaderboard at 11:59 P.M.
Check back here to see the top 25 gamertags on the leaderboard. If you're number one, send a friend request to Xbox Live gamertag GearsTourney to claim your prize. Read the official rules." - Xbox.com
Even if you don't plan on playing in any of the matches, be sure to at least download the Emergence Day gamerpics and theme before they're gone. So what are you waiting for? Move it soldier, move it!
