Gears of War 3 has been floating around a release date of "Fall 2011" since its seemingly pointless delay, but thankfully Epic Games and Microsoft have finally revealed which day this Fall they were referring to. Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to mark this day on your calendar and go into work to book this day off in advance, because Gears of War 3 will finally be hitting retailers on September 20, 2011.

On top of the release date, descriptions of some of the new and improved weapons in Gears 3 have been delivered. These implements of destruction are sure to bring blood drenched smiles to the faces of those who use them.

Epic also released details on some of the new multiplayer maps that will come with the retail version of the game, and a list of all the other features that people have to look forward to once they fire up the game for the first time.

Here's a list of everything fans will be loving in Gears 3, straight from the official press release:

• An enthralling cinematic story that captivates players in an intimately intense action game
• Five-on-five multiplayer experience as well as four player campaign co-op experience
• New multiplayer game modes including ‘Beast Mode’ — offering a new twist to the game where you take on the role of the locust horde and their assorted variations!
• New maps including: Trenches which features an impressive sand storm that reduces your visibility, as well as Overpass, Mercy, Checkout, and Thrashball.
• New weapons including: The Bayonet Charge, The Retro Lancer, The Sawed-off Shotgun, The OneShot — a heavy sniper rifle that shoots through shields or cover for a surprise one shot kill, The Incendiary Grenade, The Digger Launcher and a few subtle tweaks to old favorites Hammerburst and The Classic Lancer. And don’t forget that each weapon now has its own execution move!

The new weapons are certainly a point of interest, and a sniper rifle that can shoot through anything certainly isn't a bad thing. Four-player co-op was previously announced, and that's a much needed addition to the series. There will also surely be more multiplayer maps than the ones mentioned above, so don't start whining quite yet. Beast Mode was a blast when Game Rant got our hands on it at Comic-Con, and obviously that's one of the most anticipated modes in the entire game.

It's easy to see why Microsoft and Epic Games decided on a September release date for their shiny new title. There is a massive onslaught of Triple-A games set to hit this November (i.e. Mass Effect 3, Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, and of course the new Call of Duty), so getting the game out sooner rather than later makes a lot of sense.

Those wondering about the Gears of War 3 beta that comes packaged with the Bulletstorm Epic Edition should relax, because the press release also confirmed that news will be "coming soon."

Gears of War 3 will be launching nearly everywhere September 20, 2011, exclusively for the Xbox 360. Japan gets the game two days later, on September 22, 2011.