Gears of War 3 Beta Early Access Begins April 18

The exact dates for the Gears of War 3 beta have been officially nailed down today. Having a copy of Bulletstorm looks like the best way to get in -- owners will be getting a full week head-start on everyone else.

Those who purchased the Epic Edition of Bulletstorm will be able to start playing on April 18. For that week, Team Deathmatch mode will be available on four of Gears 3's new maps: Thrashball, Checkout, Trenches, and Old Town. On April 25, the full beta will kick into effect for those who get in through other means (including pre-ordering Gears at GameStop).

At some point after that, two more competitive modes, Capture the Leader and King of the Hill, will be added to the lineup of available content. It's also said that beta players will get to experience "special events and playlists" up until the beta concludes on May 15.

Christina Applegate Shana Hiatt Tara Conner Drea de Matteo Trista Rehn