If you want to play Gears of War 2 before the games official release date, and you happen to be near one of the twenty major college campuses outlined after the jump, then Best Buy and friends have just the thing for you.

Starting next week, the “Game U College Tour” will be making its way around the country giving gamers the chance to go head to head in a Gears of War 2 Wingman Challenge.

The tour is free of charge to the general public, but as I typed up the tour schedule, it became clear that the furthest east this tour will be hitting is Michigan. So if you live any further east than that, you are out of luck. Apparently PSU isn’t a “major college campus”.

Full press release as well as tour information available after the jump.

Play Gears of War 2 and More Next Week at Best Buy Tour

Redmond, WA – September 25. 2008 – Over the next six weeks, the GAME U BEST BUY G3: Games, Gear and Gadgets Tour will hit 20 major colleges and universities across the country. Featuring the latest videogames, game technology and digital music, students will have the rare opportunity to play “Gears of War 2” before its much anticipated November 7th release.

Videogame fans can compete in the “Gears of War 2” Wingman Challenge, sponsored by Xbox 360 and GamePro Magazine. Wingman is one of the many multiplayer modes new to “Gears of War 2,” and involves up to five two-player teams competing in point-based battles. The top players from each college will later compete online for the grand prize: a trip to Epic Games to meet the creators of the “Gears of War” franchise and a Best Buy prize package.

Attendees can also play the latest blockbuster titles on Xbox 360, including “Madden NFL 09™,” “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09,” “NHL 09,” “NCAA Football 09,” “Far Cry 2,” “Saints Row 2,” “Facebreakers,” “Rock Band 2,” and last year’s #1 selling game, “Halo 3.”

The BEST BUY G3 Tour launches on Monday, September 29 and will visit campuses nationwide such as the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, Oklahoma State University, Arizona State, UC Berkeley and more. The event is FREE to the public.

9/29/08 (Mon 10-3pm)
Southern Illinois University
Student Center Ballroom B
Carbondale, IL

10/01/08 (Wed 11-4pm)
University of Michigan
Game Room Student Union
Ann Arbor, MI

10/02/08 (Thu 11-4pm)
Central Michigan University
Finch Field House
Mount Pleasant, MI

10/03/08 (Fri 4-8pm)
University of Wisconsin
Fraternity Row
Madison, WI

10/06/08 (Mon 11-4pm)
University of Arkansas
Arkanas Union Connections Lounge
Fayetteville, AR

10/07/08 (Tue 11-4pm)
Missouri State University
Plaster Student Union West
Springfield, MO

10/09/08 (Thu 10-3pm)
Wichita State University
Rhatigan Student Center
Wichita, KS

10/10/08 (Fri 6-11pm)
Kansas State University
K-STate Student Union
Manhattan, KS

10/13/08 (Mon 11-4pm)
Oklahoma State University
Student Union Atrium 1st floor
Stillwater, OK

10/14/08 (Tue 6-11pm)
University of Oklahoma
Will Rogers Room
Norman, OK

10/15/09 (Wed 4-8pm)
University of Lousiana
Venue TBD
Lafayette, LA

10/17/08 (Fri 10-2pm)
Louisiana State University
Venue TBD
Baton Rouge, LA

10/20/08 (Mon 11-4pm)
University of Texas El Paso
Natural Gas Conference Center
El Paso, TX

10/22/08 (Wed 11-4pm)
University of New Mexico
Sub Atrium
Albuquerque, NM

10/23/08 (Thu 11-4pm)
Arizona State University
Student Rec  Center
Phoenix, TX

10/24/08 (Fri)
University of Arizona
Venue TBD
Tuscon, AZ

10/27/08 (Mon 11-4pm)
CSU Northridge
Venue TBD
Northridge, CA

10/28/08 (Tue 11-4pm)
University of California Berkeley
Venue TBD
Berkely, CA

10/29/08 (Wed 11-4pm)
San Jose State
Loma Prieta Ballroom
San Jose, CA

10/30/08 (Thu 11-4pm)
University of California
Venue TBD
Irvine, CA

11/03/08 (Mon 11-4pm)
University of Southern California
Lyon Center
Los Angeles, CA

Final schedule subject to change due to Routing constraints.

Stay up to date with changes to the schedule by visiting www.gameulive.com.

Tags: Best-Buy, college campus, Colleges, Game U, general public, playable demo

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