This may be a little late to be posting this, but never the less here is the coverage if the Gears of War 3 Midnight Madness Event at Gamestop where it was sponsored by GamingBolt.com and Calibur 11.  As I am sure most of you know, many Gamestops and other retailers held Tournaments where they were playing Gears of War 3 before the actual midnight release of the game.

Unfortunately, Epic Games had never officially gave the OK to every retailer to be able to open an early copy for a Tournament.  Our local Gamestop happened to be one of them, hence the reason the Tournament is being played on Gears of War 2 with no title updates. Everyone at the event still had a blast whether they were inside playing in the Tournament or waiting outside in the cold as they peered in at the red glow of the Calibur 11 Vault being played on, as Midnight could not come sooner so everyone could rush home with their specific editions of Gears of War 3 to tear open.

We gave little Damien another shot at winning the Tournament as we could not resist, as the 1st prize winner got a copy of Gears of War 3 and an exclusive Berserker Shirt only sold by Calibur 11.  I’m sure you can tell the difference when our professional camera man is working the camera and when I am, as I am not the best at it, especially at the end considering I was pointing at the Calibur 11 logo on the shirt when I mentioned who makes the Vaults… which you obviously can’t see.

Huge thanks to Calibur 11 for letting us hold the giveaway that night as well as Tritton and Epic Games for making our Gears of War Giveaway Month so successful.  Also another big thanks to David Bressman for your help, as the Midnight Madness coverage wouldn’t have been made possible without him.

Read our Gears of War 3 Review and check out our unboxing/feature of the Gears of War Vault here.  You can also read our review of one killer pair of headsets that any Gears of War fan will appreciate, the Tritton Dobly 7.1 Gears of War 3 Headset Review.  Although our contest is over you can still grab the Vault, the Berseker Shirt and more at Calibur11.com.  Also if you entered into the contest without winning anything, you may still have an opportunity as some of the winners have not replied yet, in which case we will randomly choose other entrants.

You can now purchase the Gears of War 3 Vault which if you didn’t get a chance to win here yet, you can purchase it at Calibur11.com or at your local retail stores including Gamestop, Best Buy and more.  Here is a link to our contest page for your chance to win the Vault, last minute entries will be accepted… but you must hurry as we will be ending the Gears of War 3 Contest SOON!  You can check out our video feature of the Vault which is the first ever unboxing video as well as a detailed look at all the features of the Vault in action above.  Anyone who purchases (or wins) a Calibur 11 Gears of War 3 Vault can enter to win a full set of life sized COG armor as well, which include the helmet and just screams bad ass!  Here is a link to some more coverage and info on the Vault as well as another press release.  Latest press release below.

DULUTH, MN, September 20, 2011 –Partnering with Epic Games, one of the premier video game developers in the world, Calibur11 today announced that its exclusive Gears of War Vault is hitting retail now.  Available today right as the Gears of War 3 video game launches, the Gears of War Vault is a custom, interactive case for the Xbox 360 Slim that features a high-definition “Bleed-Out” finish, controller cradle and an LED Crimson Omen that interacts and dynamically changes with the gameplay.

As the Gears of War craze goes global, Calibur11 has launched a truly one-of-a-kind sweepstakes whereby one lucky Gears of War fan can win a life-size replica COG armor suit bearing the Calibur11 logo.

“The response from fans, retailers and the industry for our Gears of War Vault has been nothing short of sensational,” said Coy Christmas, CEO of Calibur11.  “We are pleased to introduce a high-quality product that remains faithful to the Gears of War franchise and enhances a player’s experience, and do so with our COG armor suit giveaway.”

“Gears of War 3” is the spectacular conclusion to one of the most memorable and celebrated sagas in video games.  Developed by Epic Games exclusively for Xbox 360, “Gears of War 3” plunges players into a harrowing tale of hope, survival and brotherhood.

In the game, players fight on as Marcus Fenix, the grizzled war hero and leader of Delta Squad. 18 months after the fall of the last human city in “Gears of War 2,” the war against the Locust rages on, but a new enemy has emerged.  Deep beneath the surface, a fearsome new threat, the Lambent, is infecting the planet from within.  With survivors scattered and civilization in ruins, time is running out for Marcus and his comrades as they take up their Lancers to make one last push that will ultimately decide the fate of humanity.

The “Gears of War” series is one of the most popular franchises in Xbox history, having sold more than 13 million games worldwide, and spawning New York Times best-selling novels, an upcoming film and more.

Calibur11’s Gears of War Vault for Xbox 360 Slim is now available at all Best Buy store locations, as well as all major online retailers for a suggested retail price of $89.99.  Customized nameplates will carry a suggested retail price of $17.99.  Online consumers can purchase their Gears of War Vault here, and find out more information on the sweepstakes here.

About Epic Games

Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its “Unreal” series, including “Unreal Tournament 3” for PC, PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360®.  Epic’s “Gears of War” franchise has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide and won more than 50 Game of the Year awards.  Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 is the five-time winner of and Hall of Fame inductee for Game Developer magazine’s Best Engine Front Line Award.  Unreal Engine 3 has also held the Develop Industry Excellence Award in its category for the past three years.  Additional information about Epic can be obtained at http://www.epicgames.com.

About Calibur11

Formed in 2010, Calibur11 specializes in innovative lifestyle accessories for the video game consumer, with a vision to create high-end products that satisfies the needs of gamers worldwide.  With more than 70 years of combined industry experience, Calibur11 is ideally positioned to deliver cutting-edge solutions that can be tailored to individual preferences.  More information can be found online at www.calibur11.com.

Epic, Epic Games, Crimson Omen, Delta Squad, Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, Infected Omen, Marcus Fenix, Unreal, Unreal Engine, UE3, and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The Calibur 11 Gears of War 3 Vault is one hell of a gaming accessory.  It is detailed as a work of art from the art on the packaging on the product inside and out to the actual vault that is so cool looking, you could almost see it as a sculpture… one bad ass sculpture.  On top of the cosmetics of it, the Gears 3 Vault is interactive while you have your choice of six different setting and just ‘off’.  The modes are literally described by Calibur 11 as 1) Center Light, 2) Light Perimeter, 3) Light All, 4)Center Light activated by game’s Death Mode sound, 5) Full Lighting activated by Death Mode sounds, 6)Pulsating Light activated by Death Mode sounds and of course the last being Off once again.  So there are all these multiple modes that can be set to so you can really enhance your gaming experience.  It could not have been more easy to hook up to the Xbox 360 Slim with there being less screws and more snap on features.

Gears of War 3 Vault contents include the Gears of War Body, Gears of War Infected Omen, Headset/Controller Cradle, and the Official Licensed Gears of War lower nameplate.  The Vault features Integrated Game Interaction, Gears of War Omen LED/USB Lighting Effects, Interchangeable Parts, Increased Console Airflow and it helps preserve your Xbox 360 console.  Calibur 11 Vaults including this one are completely customizable where you can purchase parts from their site and put them on or swap them on your vault.  Not to mention that Calibur 11 will surely be releasing new vault pieces to customize your vault with.  The future of the company could go anywhere from here, giving them the ability to make other vaults for other games that may have their own unique art style or integrated game interaction.  So we can look forward to see what exactly Calibur 11 has to offer in the future.  Personally I cannot wait.  The Gears of War 3 Vault will also be available at participating retail stores as well such as Gamestop, etc.

Here is the Official Calibur11.com Site where you can purchase the vault as well as other vaults, vault pieces and apparel.  Purchasing the vault will also give you the chance to win a full life size set of COG armor, with the helmet included.  Get a sneak peek at it right here.

If you don’t know already one lucky person that pre-orders one of the Calibur11.com Gears of War 3 Vaults will get a chance to win a full set of life size Gears of War COG Armor.  We are giving away a Gears 3 vault courtesy of Calibur 11 right here.  View a sneak peak of the vault and the COG armor in the video above, while you can expect a review of the vault right here on GamingBolt very soon.  Check out the full Press Release below.

DULUTH, MN, September 14, 2011 – Ever dreamed what it would be like to walk the earth fully encased in the suit of armor found in the Gears of War 3 video game?  Stop wondering as Calibur11 today announced a massive giveaway as part of the launch of its Gears of War 3 Vault for Xbox 360 Slim whereby one Grand Prize winner will receive a life-sized, one-of-a-kind suit of COG Armor.

Available now for pre-order, every Gears of War 3 Vault box contains a unique secret code that can be entered online at calibur11.com.  The contest goes live on September 20th when both the Gears of War 3 Vault and the Gears of War 3 video game ship.  Check out the exciting Calibur11 video for its Gears of War 3 Vault.

On January 15th, 2012, one grand prize winner will be selected to receive the COG Armor.  100 runner-ups will win a Bleed Out hooded sweater, an exclusive Gears of War inspired design from Calibur11.  No purchase necessary as fans can also find an entry code on the Calibur11 website after September 20.

“Simply put, the COG Armor Suit is a sick prize that we’re proud to offer our community,” said Coy Christmas, CEO of Calibur11.  “This is a unique item that any collector or Gears of War fan would love to own and the only way to have a chance of getting it is to get your code and enter.”

The life sized COG Armor Suit is fully padded with adjustable strapping, includes all armor parts and helmet and is made of an industrial resign composite, with a high end automotive paint finish and poly-carbonate lens.  Join in the discussion on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/calibur11usa.

Calibur11’s Gears of War 3 Vault is a high-end, interactive case for the Xbox 360 Slim that features a high-definition “Bleed-Out” finish, controller cradle and an LED Crimson Omen that glows red every time a player is downed by an opponent.  It will be available at all Best Buy and FRYS store locations, as well as all major online retailers on September 20 for a suggested retail price of $89.99. Everyone who purchases a Vault will receive a free Customized Nameplate.  More information can be found online at www.calibur11.com.

About Calibur11

Formed in 2010, Calibur11 specializes in innovative lifestyle accessories for the video game consumer, with a vision to create high-end products that satisfies the needs of gamers worldwide.  With more than 70 years of combined industry experience, Calibur11 is ideally positioned to deliver cutting-edge solutions that can be tailored to individual preferences.  More information can be found online at www.calibur11.com.

Epic, Epic Games, Crimson Omen, Delta Squad, Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3, Infected Omen, Marcus Fenix, Unreal, Unreal Engine, UE3, and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

UPDATE: Link to Contest.

We will be having tons of Gears of War 3 giveaways this month, from Cole Plushie Avatar Codes, to Rare Shirts, Hoodies and more only at GamingBolt.com.  More details tomorrow on the Contests, but we will be posting Gears of War articles all month long.  The game comes out September 20th.  In the mean time here are some viral GOW Sites:

0719811.com
1019758.com
8873883.com
1559169.com
4308499.com
2111980.com

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