PC Gears of War golden

Having sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and being the recipient of numerous awards, including GameSpot's 2006 Game of the Year, Epic Games' Gears of War isn't a game that needs much of an introduction. Suffice it to say, Microsoft announced today that the PC version, announced during this year's E3 Media and Business Summit, has gone gold and will be churning the retail cogs on November 6.

As with its Xbox 360 counterpart, Gears of War on the PC features Marcus Fenix and his merry band of thick-necked brutes saving the planet, one eviscerated Locust at a time. The PC version adds five new levels to the original game's campaign, as well as three exclusive multiplayer maps and a game editor for creating user-generated levels.

The PC version also includes the seven multiplayer maps and annex game mode released as downloadable content over Xbox Live. As a Games for Windows - Live title, it will also feature achievement points and online matchmaking for Gold subscribers. Unlike other Windows - Live games, it will be able to run on both the Windows XP and Vista operating systems.

Gears of War for the PC is rated M for Mature and will retail for $49.99. For more on the new additions to Epic Games' shooter, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.