Gears of War 3 'Season Pass' dated, priced

Like every other "AAA" game this generation, Gears of War 3 will have an extensive post-release DLC schedule. However, in an effort to entice more purchases, Microsoft and Epic Games is taking a page from other games, such as Mortal Kombat and LA Noire, by offering a downloadable content "Season Pass"--which bundles all upcoming DLC at a significant discount.

The Gears of War 3 Season Pass will entitle gamers to receive the first four installments of DLC "over the course of the next year," with the first release planned for November this year. The Season Pass will be available on the day the game releases, September 20th, for 2400 Microsoft Points ($30). According to Microsoft, the Season Pass represents a 33 percent discount on the regular price of the four add-ons. (That means we can expect the regular price to be 3600 Microsoft Points, or $45.)

Gears 3 DLC will encompass both single and multiplayer offerings. As a bonus, all purchasers of the Season Pass will get the "exclusive Liquid Metal Weapon Set" for free. You can see the Lancer in its Terminator 2-inspired glory above.

Microsoft's Season Pass is easily the most pricey one introduced to date. $30 is quite a lot to pay for downloadable content--but the original price of $45 (which nears the full retail price of the game), is an even harder amount to swallow.