Here's a new one. In an effort to drum up financial support for gamer charity Child's Play, Epic Games and Microsoft are giving fans the power to decide something rather unusual: if Clayton Carmine lives or dies in Gears of War 3.
The Carmines are the Gears equivalent of South Park's Kenny--they don't catch many breaks, and end up dying in every game. But if enough people decide to let this third brother, Clayton, live in Gears 3, then he actually will. The catch is that this isn't a funded fan poll or a debatable issue on a message board. Your vote on the matter of Carmine's life and death will be counted by an Avatar t-shirt purchase or an in-person physical purchase at San Diego Comic Con.
Starting July 29, the avatar store on Xbox Live Marketplace will be updated with the two Gears of War 3 shirts pictured above. One says simply, "Carmine Must Die." The other, "Save Carmine." All proceeds accumulated from purchases will go to Child's Play, but whichever one nets the most will decide the fate of the COG. Your vote can be counted early if you'll be in San Diego for Comic Con, as physical versions of this shirt ($20.00) are being sold there.
This is a neat, but kinda macabre idea. Child's Play gives cool tech and toys to some pretty needy or sick kids, so it's a little weird to be purchasing a shirt that says "Carmine Must Die" to support the org, but really, Carmine must die. Dude isn't supposed to get a pass.
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I will note, thought, that he is looking good for a guy that's about to tango with doom.