Gamers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco will be among the first to play “Gears of War” after special pre-release screenings of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. Fueled by rabid fan interest and anticipation, Microsoft Game Studios today announced that gamers will get their first chance to play “Gears of War” on Wednesday, Oct. 4 after pre-release screenings of New Line Cinema’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning in four major cities, marking the first time in entertainment history that a major motion picture and video game have been previewed together.

The pairing of the new film with the game for this special promotion makes the perfect “Match Made in Hell” that’s sure to delight gamers and horror aficionados alike. Kicking off the first of three “Match Made in Hell” events during the month of October to celebrate the release of the game, fans will be able to register online beginning Friday, Sept. 29 at http://www.texaschainsawmovie.com/gearsofwar/ for a unique chance to attend the joint-preview and play “Gears of War” on the big screen at select AMC theater locations nationwide. Epic Games’ “Gears of War” thrusts gamers into humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. The game blends the best of survival horror titles like Texas Chainsaw Massacre with tactical action gaming using high-definition visuals in cinematic, beautifully rendered interactive environments. “Gears of War” will launch exclusively on Xbox 360 beginning Nov. 7, 2006.

Fans interested in registering for the event should visit http://www.texaschainsawmovie.com/gearsofwar/ for the chance to attend and for information on participating theaters and show times. Additionally, fans should continue to check www.xbox.com/matchmadeinhell for more information on future "Match Made in Hell" events, including details on “Fright Night” and a “Hollywood Cemetery” event planned for late October. A horrifying story, drawn from a series of true events, the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is considered by many to be one of the greatest thrillers of all time and a landmark of terror that has influenced countless films in its wake. Iconic in popular culture, its menacing evil character, “Leatherface,” will forever be one of the most recognizable screen villains. With 2003’s remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, starring Jessica Biel, the filmmakers at Platinum Dunes brought new life and vigor to the horror movie genre, while also honoring its predecessor. Now the company continues on that path with a startling prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, which will release a new wave of horror across theaters nationwide on Oct. 6 detailing the beginnings of the Hewitt clan and expose their psychotic idea of family fun.