The Gears team has sent me the following details to share with you regarding an upcoming Gears of War: Judgment demo and how you can gain early access.

Pre-order your copy of “Gears of War: Judgment” online or at any GameStop location nationwide to get exclusive three-day early access to the most anticipated blockbuster of this spring beginning March 15; demo available publicly to all Xbox LIVE Gold members on March 19

GameStop, Microsoft and Epic Games are thrilled to announce that “Gears of War” fans across the United States will be able to join the fight against the Locust Horde early through the signature new multiplayer mode in “Gears of War: Judgment,” OverRun. Early access on Xbox LIVE begins March 15 exclusively to GameStop PowerUp Rewards™ members who preorder “Judgment” online or at any GameStop location nationwide, and the demo will be accessible to all Xbox LIVE Gold members worldwide once the game launches on March 19.*

The “early access” experience for PowerUp Rewards members who preorder at GameStop will be available from Friday, March 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT to Monday, March 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT. This offer also applies retroactively to members who have previously preordered the game at GameStop.

As an added bonus, multiplayer experience points (XP) earned will carry over to the final game for players who purchase and play “Judgment” in the first week following its U.S. release, allowing them to get a jump on the competition and begin unlocking special rewards, like new weapon skins, medals and achievements.

OverRun is a thrilling new class-based competitive mode that pits Locust and COG soldiers in a head-to-head battle unlike anything “Gears” fans have experienced yet. An objective-oriented mode that lets five-player teams alternate between playing as Locusts and COG soldiers, OverRun marks the first time that a class-based, competitive multiplayer experience has been introduced in the “Gears of War” series.

Check out a video tutorial of the new mode here:

On top of the “early access” experience, fans who preorder “Judgment” from GameStop will also receive two exclusive pre-order bonuses for use in competitive multiplayer modes:

“Young Marcus” character skin – Decorated war hero Marcus Fenix is the legendary leader of Delta Squad, a small group of COG soldiers responsible for saving mankind from destruction at the hands of Locust and Lambent forces. This exclusive character skin takes Marcus back in time, six weeks after the end of the Pendulum Wars, and during the chaos of Emergence Day – a time before he was hardened by his long imprisonment.

Lambent weapon skin – This exclusive weapon skin lets you show off your grub-slaying exploits and customize select weapons with the emulsion of your fallen Lambent foes.

Additionally, everyone who preorders “Judgment” from any retailer worldwide will receive the Classic Hammerburst, a fearsome and effective weapon that served as the standard-issue assault rifle of the Locust Army.

For more details about OverRun early access and other GameStop-exclusive preorder bonuses, please visit: http://www.gamestop.com/xbox-360/games/gears-of-war-judgment/105966#bonusFeatures

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by Epic Games and People Can Fly, “Gears of War: Judgment” delivers a riveting campaign featuring new characters, weapons and enemies, and new multiplayer experiences. The “Gears of War” series is one of the most popular franchises in Xbox history, having sold more than 19 million games worldwide, and spawning New York Times-bestselling novels, toys, collectibles, graphic novels, and more. To learn more about “Gears of War: Judgment” and the “Gears of War” franchise, please visit: http://gearsofwar.xbox.com “Gears of War: Judgment” will launch worldwide on March 19, 2013.

*Xbox LIVE Gold membership and 2GB of storage space required to participate. Qualifying GameStop PowerUp Rewards members will receive full redemption instructions via e-mail closer to launch.