Gears of War is a third-person shooter video game, developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was initially released as an exclusive title for the Xbox 360 in November in North America, Australia, and most of Europe and included a "Limited Collector's Edition" with added content and an art book titled Destroyed Beauty that detailed much of the game's back-story. Despite the initial statements of Xbox 360 exclusivity, a Microsoft Windows version of the game was developed in conjunction with People Can Fly and released a year later, featuring new content including additional campaign levels and a new multiplayer game mode.

The game focuses on the soldiers of Delta Squad as they fight to save the human inhabitants of the fictional planet Sera from a relentless subterranean enemy known as the Locust Horde. The player assumes the role of Marcus Fenix, a former prisoner and war-hardened soldier. The game is based on the use of cover
and strategic fire for the player to advance through the scenarios; a
second player can play cooperatively through the main campaign to
assist. The game also features several online multiplayer game modes
for up to eight players.

Gears of War sold over three million copies in just ten weeks
and was the fastest-selling video game of 2006, and was the second-most
played game over Xbox Live during 2007.
The game has since sold over five million copies by September 2008. The
game was well-received by critics, praising its gameplay and detailed
visuals, and won several "Game of the Year" awards in 2006. The success
of the game has led to the development of the Gears of War franchise, including the 2008 sequel Gears of War 2 and adaptations to books, comics, and a feature film on the way.