What is Alpha? Glad you asked. Alpha is a new playlist incorporated into Gears of War 3 that offers players a familiar, yet different experience from our standard playlists. So let’s get right to it and take a peek at all of the ingredients that make an Alpha cake.

Team Size: 4

Gametypes: Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Execution

Loadout: Lancer/Gnasher

Weapon Pick-ups: Default with the some custom swaps. See below.

Weapon Respawn: Set to “After Pick-up” with quicker respawn times.

We wanted to see how Gears of War 3 would play out if some of the starting weapons were placed on the maps as pick-ups. I’ll lay it all out for you guys so you can set these swaps up and play Private matches with the Alpha settings if you so desire.

• Gorgon -> Hammerburst

• Boltok -> Retro Lancer

• Scorcher -> Sawed-Off

These are playlist swaps and not map specific. So all you need to do is set up these swaps once and then you can play Private matches with the Alpha settings without having to change it up for every map. Nice!

Something to keep in mind here is that this is only the first version of Alpha and the success or failure of this playlist is predicated upon how much you (the community) play and contribute to it. So please provide feedback and let us know what you would like to see happen with Alpha.

I'll be monitoring this thread on a regular basis so please leave your feedback here. You can also reach me on Twitter @quinndelhoyo

See you online.

No word on whether this will be a permanent playlist, but hopefully it is.

Gears 1 mode, huh? Thanks, I'll be sure to stay far, far away

It's amazing. Already the second most populated gametype...

No more boring and easy matches due to the DBS as a starting weapon.

They would add all this cool stuff right when I decide to dive into Uncharted 3. I'm looking forward to trying out this playlist.

You know...at first it pissed me off. I know they won't make the gnasher a pick-up.

However, I now see the silver lining. This will remove all of the Gears vets who only use the Gnasher and Longshot, and leave me room to actually play Gears 3...because that's why I paid $60.

You know...at first it pissed me off. I know they won't make the gnasher a pick-up.

However, I now see the silver lining. This will remove all of the Gears vets who only use the Gnasher and Longshot, and leave me room to actually play Gears 3...because that's why I paid $60.

Very, very well said. I'm so annoyed with people whose rants on Gears 3 just boil down to stating the obvious fact that Gears 3 isn't Gears 2 or Gears 1. I suppose what they really want is Gears 2 or 1 without the bugs, the lag, the shoddy network code and the host advantage. Well, sadly, that aint going to happen. Epic has moved on from those games. This is their current Gears project. So either go back to those old games or get used to the (relatively minor) changes in the threequel.

@davidinwrofy said:

You know...at first it pissed me off. I know they won't make the gnasher a pick-up.

However, I now see the silver lining. This will remove all of the Gears vets who only use the Gnasher and Longshot, and leave me room to actually play Gears 3...because that's why I paid $60.

Very, very well said. I'm so annoyed with people whose rants on Gears 3 just boil down to stating the obvious fact that Gears 3 isn't Gears 2 or Gears 1. I suppose what they really want is Gears 2 or 1 without the bugs, the lag, the shoddy network code and the host advantage. Well, sadly, that aint going to happen. Epic has moved on from those games. This is their current Gears project. So either go back to those old games or get used to the (relatively minor) changes in the threequel.

The new changes ruined the gameplay for many players. That's why Epic made this playlist. So the people who wanted balanced gameplay could have it while the others still have matches that revolve around the Sawed-off. Also, yeah... That's all the fans asked for, Gears of War gameplay that worked and now there's a playlist for that. Everyone got use to the changes in gameplay and got bored and realized how unfair it is. Don't believe me? Thousands of people asked for a playlist similar to this and Epic made it. Now it's the second most played playlist.

And to the other guy, no shit the Gnasher won't be a pick up, it's the reason Gears was so popular online in the first place. Everyone came for the Lancer and stayed for the Gnasher, no Gnasher = Gears of War dies a long time, at least the MP. And I highly doubt any Gears sells well without a fun MP.

It's still Gears 3. LOL at the only Gnasher comment, because stats show in Ranked matches the Lancer gets the majority of kills. I wish you'd guys would be happy for Epic doing stuff for the community (catering to everyone) rather complaining and throwing out false info.

@Intro: I'm all for them doing things for the community, I just don't like how this divides the players. At first people complained Gears was only about the shotguns. You could argue it wasn't THAT bad because plenty of vets could run circles around the SOS with the gnasher. Now you have a choice: Play TDM and have it be all about the SOS, or play Alpha and have it be all about the gnasher.

I think their weekend playlists are cool, despite the fact I don't play most of of them for more than a match. Call me crazy for wanting to use more than 2 weapons.

I'm not happy with Epic's capitulation. HOWEVER, I do think some of Alpha's changes are really cool. I like weapons being pick-ups and spawning after pick-up rather than after use. That's great; makes it feel more like an old-school shooter. I just which you didn't spawn with the only two weapons you need.

It's not all about the Gnasher when the Lancer is getting the majority of kills.

If you people still can't kill people that are using the Gnasher with the Lancer then they're just bad.

i played last night. loved it. then i switched to normal team deathmatch. everyone running around with the sawed off. but they mostly seem bad at the game. i was going 20-3 regularly since all the vets were in the alpha mode now. hahahahahaa

by the way, having the retro and the sawed off pick up weapons is amazing. once i get that retro and start owning people it really shows how OP it is. same with the sawed off. Try using it when everyone else has the gnasher and youll see how much of a power weapon it really is.

@tunaburn said:

i played last night. loved it. then i switched to normal team deathmatch. everyone running around with the sawed off. but they mostly seem bad at the game. i was going 20-3 regularly since all the vets were in the alpha mode now. hahahahahaa

by the way, having the retro and the sawed off pick up weapons is amazing. once i get that retro and start owning people it really shows how OP it is. same with the sawed off. Try using it when everyone else has the gnasher and youll see how much of a power weapon it really is.

Yeah, I picked up the Retro last night to protect a friend using the one shot and was like, "Wow this really feels like a pick up/power weapon." I took the Sawed-off on Trenches and this one guy hit me with the Gnasher, doing full damage and I walked up a tad bit further shot without having to aim a bit killing him, before he even had time to get his second shot off.

I'd also like to say to other guy, matches revolve around the Sawed-off when you got 3+ people in a match using it. That doesn't mean they're getting kills left and right with the thing, but the matches start to slow down when there's experienced players wallbouncing around with it. I know what you guys are saying though.

@Intro: GOD having everything be a pick up is AMAZING. DAMN LANCER AND GNASHER BEING SO GOOD.

I don't think it's necessarily the mode's fault. I think it's mainly the vets seeing this as their chances to play some good ol' wallbouncing online. Hopefully Epic will make other modes with normal pick-ups.

They won't...

Before this playlist came out, the UI could hold 2 more spots. The Alpha playlist is using one and the other is for events. And the reason why I feel the Sawed-off and Retro are good pick up weapons is because they're so easy to use and powerful. The Lancer and Gnasher takes more aiming.

@Intro said:

It's amazing. Already the second most populated gametype...

No more boring and easy matches due to the DBS as a starting weapon.

You spelled "Gnasher" wrong, or maybe you were going for "Lancer melee"...

Great playlist. I only wish Team Deathmatch wasn't included and rounds-to-win in Execution was 5 instead of 4.

@sofacitysweetheart said:

@Intro said:

It's amazing. Already the second most populated gametype...

No more boring and easy matches due to the DBS as a starting weapon.

You spelled "Gnasher" wrong, or maybe you were going for "Lancer melee"...

Lol, the Gnasher makes the game boring? Then why is this playlist in the top 3 most played? Why did so many people love Gears 1? Why is it the gun with the most kills in every Gears game overall.

Remember, the main gun Epic took shit for was the Sawed-off. The gun that can kill 3 people running out of spawn without aiming, in one shot is the Sawed-off. The gun Cliff said would cause controversy was the Sawed-off.

You don't advance on a team using the Sawed-off and Retro, because if they're even somewhat skilled you'll lose every time. If you can't stop someone chainsawing then you're awful at the game, simple as that.

You're also in the minority if you think the Gnasher isn't fun, considering 81% of players spawn with it.

@Intro said:

@sofacitysweetheart said:

@Intro said:

It's amazing. Already the second most populated gametype...

No more boring and easy matches due to the DBS as a starting weapon.

You spelled "Gnasher" wrong, or maybe you were going for "Lancer melee"...

Lol, the Gnasher makes the game boring? Then why is this playlist in the top 3 most played? Why did so many people love Gears 1? Why is it the gun with the most kills in every Gears game overall.

Remember, the main gun Epic took shit for was the Sawed-off. The gun that can kill 3 people running out of spawn without aiming, in one shot is the Sawed-off. The gun Cliff said would cause controversy was the Sawed-off.

You don't advance on a team using the Sawed-off and Retro, because if they're even somewhat skilled you'll lose every time. If you can't stop someone chainsawing then you're awful at the game, simple as that.

You're also in the minority if you think the Gnasher isn't fun, considering 81% of players spawn with it.

It's fun? I figured it had more to do with habit due to being the easiest way to play the previous games. Run up to dude, press right trigger, no need to even aim. It's an option of play, but not THE way to play, which is how you're making it sound.

But whatever. I don't worry about those people anymore in Gears 3 nearly as much now that I have the option to use a Retro lancer. That's the whole reason changes were made from the original game, because the developers realised how annoying and easy it was for someone to run in and press right trigger. Gnasher whores are generally the least skilled and cheapest of players, Hearing them get sanctimonious that people have been given a variety of options to counter their play, and to spice up the matches, makes my brain hurt.

Trying to stir up controversy over the DBS and praise the Gnasher couldn't be any more stupid or hypocritical. It's not an art form, or some pure sport like you're making it out to be, it's just habit. I recommend getting over it. If anything, the Alpha playlist was made to shut you guys up :)

@sofacitysweetheart said:

@Intro said:

@sofacitysweetheart said:

@Intro said:

It's amazing. Already the second most populated gametype...

No more boring and easy matches due to the DBS as a starting weapon.

You spelled "Gnasher" wrong, or maybe you were going for "Lancer melee"...

Lol, the Gnasher makes the game boring? Then why is this playlist in the top 3 most played? Why did so many people love Gears 1? Why is it the gun with the most kills in every Gears game overall.

Remember, the main gun Epic took shit for was the Sawed-off. The gun that can kill 3 people running out of spawn without aiming, in one shot is the Sawed-off. The gun Cliff said would cause controversy was the Sawed-off.

You don't advance on a team using the Sawed-off and Retro, because if they're even somewhat skilled you'll lose every time. If you can't stop someone chainsawing then you're awful at the game, simple as that.

You're also in the minority if you think the Gnasher isn't fun, considering 81% of players spawn with it.

the developers realised how annoying and easy it was for someone to run in and press right trigger

And now there's the Sawed-off, which does what exactly? You're contradicting yourself. And actually, the Gnasher has a spread that doesn't take up the whole screen, so you can miss when you run up to people. And you can wallbounce to dodge shots. With the DBS, people can wallbounce all they want, because the DBS spread takes up from wall to wall. It also goes from the ground to above the characters heads. So I look up in the air without the person on my screen and still kill them.

I don't really play the game anymore since it's not really Gears. You down people as fast in Gears now as what you can kill with some weapons in BF3, it's just a joke. I use nothing but the DBS and Retro when I don't play Alpha just to make people mad. Plus I go 20+ kills and 5- deaths in TDM with too.