Finished preordering it at gamestop last weekend, and I'll also be getting assassins creed revelations when that comes out (November 15). I started paying for it late Febuary, and got to play the beta version which was fun and informative. The Gorgon burst pistol is now a full blown SMG! Now THAT'S something I'll enjoy using with the boomshield, and yes: it's still a single hand weapon so it's a "pistol class" weapon (and still compatible with the boomshield). It's unknown to me if it's only an smg in multi-player or in campaign too, so any intel will be appreciated. The Digger launcher is new altogether. Basically it's a grenade launcher that (guess what) launches grenades underground to the target area or an enemy along that path. Harder to use that you think as the enemy can still see it coming.
Here's the campaign trailer for gears 3. Guess what song they use right and I'll give you a present ;)

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Two things I'm looking forward too: lambent beserker and lambent Leviathan (giant fish). After all: who doesn't like a challenge?