Here's Your New Gears Of War 2 Map Pack (And Experience System!)

Epic Games have announced two big changes on the way for Gears of War 2. One is a title update aimed at addressing complaints users have had about experience.The other? Four new multiplayer maps.

The title update - due on March 24 - is geared at making player's progression up the ranks more transparent. The contentious, confusing "TrueSkill" system will remain in place, though its scoring formula will be kept "under the hood". For more visible feedback, "players will earn experience points for scoring in public matches". The more points in a public multiplayer match you score, the more experience points you accrue (with a total of 250 on offer as part of the update), the higher up the food chain you move.

A week later - on March 31 - the "Snowblind" map pack will be released. It will include four maps, three of them (Grindyard, Under Hill and, Courtyard) new, one of them (Fuel Depot) a remake of an original Gears 1 level. You can see a couple of pics of Grindyard here, along with a score sheet showing off the new experience system.

The update will of course be free. The map pack? No word on price yet, but 800 MS Points sounds like a good bet.