Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta date narrowed

By Mike Jackson for computerandvideogames.com

Microsoft has just confirmed that the multiplayer beta for Gears of War 3 is planned to go live in "mid-April".

That comes via its February Games Showcase event currently underway in San Francisco. It's not an exact date but it at least narrows things down to within a couple of weeks.

Five new screenshots of the beta have also just been released, which you can see here.

The multiplayer beta - which was showcased at the CVG-attended event last night - is set to include three maps, with the third being chosen by the good old general public.

The two arenas definitely slotted in for the tryout are Checkout and Thrashball, which you can read all about in our hands-on Gears of War 3 beta preview.