July 21, 2010 by Paul Curtin
Minor spoilers for anyone who hasn’t yet played the first two Gears of War games, but if you see a character with the last name “Carmine” in one of CliffyB’s games, that character is most likely going to die.
First, there was Anthony Carmine in Gears of War who joined Marcus’ squad, only to be shot in the head by a Locust sniper after leaving cover. Then there was Benjamin Carmine in Gears 2, who also tagged along in Marcus’ squad and was killed by parasites after running ahead by himself.
It seems like the lovable and clumsy Carmine brothers just can’t catch a break in the Gears of War story and are destined to fail. That is until now, with Epic Games and Microsoft allowing fans of the series to determine the fate of Clayton Carmine in Gears of War 3.
The fate of Carmine lies in your hands! For the first time in franchise history, Epic Games and Microsoft are giving fans the chance to decide the fate of a character in Gears of War 3. By purchasing avatar gear on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, fans and gaming communities around the globe will decide the destiny of the newest Carmine brother set to appear in Gears of War 3, with all the proceeds going to the Child’s Play Charity.
The Xbox community will choose whether Carmine lives or dies by purchasing special Gears of War 3 avatar gear on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Starting July 29, two new avatar t-shirts will be available on the Avatar Marketplace on Xbox LIVE—one shirt reads “Save Carmine,” and the other reads “Carmine Must Die.” By purchasing the “Save Carmine” shirt, you’re casting your vote to let Carmine live in Gears of War 3. Conversely, purchasing the “Carmine Must Die” shirt means you want to see Clayton follow the fate of his brothers.
Fans attending Comic-Con International in San Diego this week will also be able to cast their votes early by purchasing real-life limited edition “Save Carmine” or “Carmine Must Die” t-shirts at the NECA booth (#3145) for $20.00.
Personally, I’ve always loved the Carmines. Yeah, they’re stupid, and their carelessness and excitement to fight usually results in their untimely death, but they add a certain level of charm to the game. I also like the fact that both Benjamin and Anthony wore Sub-Zero style helmets (although it didn’t help Anthony) and didn’t fit the hulked up mold of other main characters in Gears.
Seems like they’re going a new direction with the latest Carmine brother, Clayton, who looks like he’s been hitting the gym and is even bigger and badder than Marcus himself. I’m not sure if I’m going to purchase a shirt for my avatar on Xbox Live, but I’d like to Clayton live, save Marcus towards the end of the game, and bring glory to the Carmine family name.
