CONTEST BEGINS AT 12:00:00 AM (PT) ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 AND ENDS AT 11:59:59 PM (PT) ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 (THE "PROMOTION PERIOD").

  1. HOW TO ENTER: Membership to www.deviantart.com (the "Contest Site") is required to enter the Contest. Membership to www.deviantart.com is free. If Entrant is already a registered member, Entrant is not automatically entered into the Contest. Entrant must be at least 18 years old as of September 8, 2011 and a legal resident of the United States (including Puerto Rico and U.S. territories, possessions and military installations) to be eligible to enter the Contest. Contest is void elsewhere and where prohibited by law.

    Visual assets, including images from the Gears of War 3 video game (the "Gears of War Materials") will be made available to Entrants at the Contest Site.

    Entrant must follow the instructions on the Contest Site to submit a completed qualifying entry that captures the soul-shattering spirit of Gears of War rendered in the Entrant's own original fan art.

    The completed entry ("Entry"):

    1. may originate in any visual medium;

    2. must feature at least one Gears of War character from the Gears of War Materials;

    3. may not use the name or logo of Gears of War (for purposes of clarification, the "RIFT_OMEN in the asset pack is a graphic element of the game and not a logo for the purposes of this contest);

    4. must be submitted as a JPG or PNG file in landscape format with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and with a minimum pixel size of 2560 x 1440 pixels at 72 dpi;

    5. except for the Gears of War materials, must be the original work of the Entrant without using any third-party stock imagery (licensed stock brushes and textures may be used); and

    6. may use as a basis for the Entry tracings of imagery from the Gears of War Materials.

    Please be aware that the winning Entry may have the Gears of War 3 logo placed in the lower left hand corner or elsewhere and a deviantART watermark on the left hand corner or elsewhere and the winning Entry may also be adapted for use in a Windows Theme Pack distributed on Microsoft.com or elsewhere. Only online entries will be accepted. No hard copies of the entry will be accepted. Do not submit original files.

    GEARS OF WAR CONTENT USAGE RIGHTS: Entrants are granted a limited license to create derivative works of the Gears of War Materials for the sole purpose of creating and submitting an entry for review and assessment in this Contest. Entrant acquires no ownership or other interest in the Gears of War Materials, or any and all trademarks, logos or other intellectual property, including images and characters, included in the Gears of War Materials, or related to or drawn from the Gears of War franchise, nor to any adaptions, transformations or depictions thereof as contained in the Entry. Except as expressly permitted in these Official Rules, Entrant may not use the Gears of War Materials in any manner whatsoever in connection with the Entry or otherwise without the express prior written approval of the appropriate copyright or trademark owner, or both.

    SPECIAL RULES FOR COLLABORATIONS: Entries to this Contest may result from two members of deviantART collaborating on a single joint Entry. The same Entry in such instances must be submitted to the Contest Site separately by both Entrants with each Entrant disclosing in the description the name of the two collaborators on the Entry. No more than two members may collaborate on a single Entry. All of the representations with respect to the Entry apply to both Entrants. Please refer to section 3 of the Official Rules for the Prizing applicable to joint collaborations which become semi-finalists or first, second or third place winners.

    ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59:59 PM (PT) September 28, 2011. No illegible, incomplete, forged or altered Entries will be accepted. Entrants may enter and may collaborate on as many Entries as they like however duplicate entries are not allowed.

    1. Entries will not be returned.

    2. The Entry (i) except with respect to elements from the Gears of Wars, must be the exclusive original work of the Entrant; (ii) must be in keeping with the image of deviantART, Microsoft and the Gears of War franchise; (iii) except for elements from the Gears of War Materials, must not include any content that contains names, trademarks, logos or copyrights owned by others; (iv) may not be inappropriate, offensive, libelous or defamatory, pornographic, sexually explicit, unlawful or plagiarized, as determined by deviantART in its sole discretion; (v) must not be harassing, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, profane, obscene, excessively violent, racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable or offensive in any way, as determined by deviantART in its sole discretion; (vi) may not violate or encourage others to violate any applicable law, statute, ordinance or regulation; (vii) may not defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person's personal or property rights or any other third party rights, or involve physical harm to any person or animal; (viii) except with respect to elements from the Gears of War Materials, may not contain verbal or visual mentions of commercial/corporate advertising, including but not limited to corporate logos, brand names, and slogans; (ix) may not include any viruses, worms, corrupt files, Trojan horses, or other forms of corruptive code or content that may harm or compromise the Contest Site and/or the proper conduct of the Contest; (x) may not use any distinguishing artist marks or watermarks (such as any signature or symbol representing the artist); and (xi) if found to be in violation of these rules will be disqualified and therefore removed from the Contest Site Gallery.

    3. By submitting the Entry, Entrant represents that (i) (s)he has the unrestricted right to submit the Entry; (ii) all persons whose name or likeness appears in the Entry have unconditionally consented in writing to their appearance in the Entry and unconditionally granted Entrant in writing the right to submit the Entry subject to these Official Rules, a copy of which consent and grant will be furnished to the Sponsor upon request; (iii) the Entry does not infringe upon any third party's proprietary or other rights; and (iv) except with respect to elements from the Gears of War Materials, does not contain materials made or generated by third parties including licensed stock images. Entrant may use licensed brushes and textures in the Work.

    4. Entrant grants to Microsoft and deviantART and each of their designees the following rights:

      1. during the Promotion Period, and for a period of one year thereafter, permission to post his/her Entries submitted to the Contest at the Contest Site or otherwise display such Entries in selections made by Microsoft and/or deviantART, and in any form and media on or off the deviantART site, but only in connection with promotion of the Contest and/or with reference to the Contest;

      2. Microsoft, and/or deviantART may (but will not be obligated to) display, sell or otherwise use the first, second and third place prize winning Entries in any form and media in connection with the promotion of their respective businesses;

      3. Entrant acknowledges that if Entrant is selected as the first prize winning Entry, the Entry may be adapted by Microsoft and/or deviantART for use in a Windows Theme Pack to be distributed through Microsoft.com or elsewhere. By entering the Entry in the Contest, Entrant consents to any necessary adaptation of the first prize winning Entry for those purposes and agrees that Microsoft and deviantART's rights to use the first prize winning Work will be perpetual. Further, Entrant acknowledges and agrees that as a condition of being confirmed as the first prize winning Entry, Entrant must execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release in which Entrant agrees to transfer to Microsoft and its designees any and all of the Entrant's rights in the Entry throughout the world and irrevocably, including without limitation all copyrights and all moral rights in the Entry, necessary for Microsoft make use of the winning Entry in any manner and form it desires;

      4. Microsoft and/or deviantART may otherwise use the first, second and third place prize winning Entries in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as the relevant Entrant may approve in writing (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned); and

      5. Entrant may not authorize or permit any Entry to be used to promote any product or service of any person or company at any time and may use and display the work only as so-called "Fan Art" on deviantART and/or in a personal portfolio and may not reproduce, distribute or license the Entry for sale or for any other commercial purpose.

  1. SELECTION OF WINNERS: Potential winners will be selected on or about October 4, 2011, from all eligible and qualified entries. One hundred (100) semi-finalists will be selected by full-time deviantART Staff on the basis of Visual Impact and Clarity; Success in Communicating the Subject Matter of the Challenge; Ability to be Adapted for use as a Wallpaper; and Technical Skill. The semi-finalists will be posted in advance of final judging. Only one entry per entrant may be chosen as a semi-finalist Entry. From the semi-finalists, the final three (3) winners will be selected by a member(s) of Epic Game's creative team. The judges' decisions are final on all matters relating to the Contest. In the event of a tie in any portion of the judging process, the judges themselves will resolve the tie to the appropriate number of semi-finalists or ranked winners as applicable. Judging of the winners will be based on Visual Impact and Clarity; Success in Communicating the Subject Matter of the Challenge; Ability to be Adapted for use as a Wallpaper; and Technical Skill in whatever degree the judges believe to be appropriate in reaching a decision.

  2. PRIZES: There will be one (1) 1st Place Prize Package, one (1) 2nd Place Prize Package, one (1) 3rd Place Prize Package awarded, and ninety-seven (97) Semi-Finalists Packages consisting of the following:

    1st Place Prize Package: The winner will receive: $10,000 USD; an Xbox 360 Gears of War 3 Limited Edition Console Bundle; 8,000 deviantART Points; a dA PRO Digital Artist's Backpack; a deviantWEAR T-Shirt of the Winner's Choice (based on availability); and a one year Premium Membership to deviantART (Total Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of 1st Place Prize: $10,838.90 USD); and an opportunity to have his/her winning Entry adapted for use as a Wallpaper with an appropriate credit to be given to the artist(s) if the first prize winning work is distributed.

    2nd Place Prize Package: $1,000 USD; a Gears of War 3 game; an Xbox 360 4GB Console; 5,000 deviantART Points; a dA PRO Digital Artist's Backpack; a deviantWEAR T-Shirt of the Winner's Choice (based on availability); and a 6-month Premium Membership to deviantART (ARV of 2nd Place Prize Package: $1,448.35 USD).

    3rd Place Prize Package: $750 USD; a Gears of War 3 game; an Xbox 360 4GB Console; 3,000 deviantART Points; a dA PRO Digital Artist's Backpack; a deviantWEAR T-Shirt of the Winner's Choice (based on availability); and a 3-month Premium Membership to deviantART (ARV of 3rd Place Prize Package: $1,165.40 USD).

    Semi-Finalists Package: Ninety-seven (97) semi-finalists will receive $200 USD; a copy of Gears of War 3, and a 1-month Premium Membership to deviantART. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Winners do not receive this package. (ARV of each Semi-Finalists Prize Package $262.95 USD).

    Special Note on Collaborations: In the event a prize winning Entry results from a qualifying collaboration of two members working together, each collaborator will receive the applicable prize package except that any cash prize or deviantART Points will be divided equally between the two collaborators.

    Total ARV of all prizes assuming no collaborations: $38,958.78 USD. Total ARV will be higher if one or more collaborations are prize-winners. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received and nature of Entry. All prizes will be awarded (assuming sufficient number of entries). Sponsor reserves right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value if any prize is unavailable for any reason. No other substitution or transfer of prizes permitted. Sponsor responsible only for prize delivery; not responsible for prize utility, quality or otherwise. Taxes and fees, if any, are the sole responsibility of prize winners. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated or damaged prizes.

  3. ELIGIBILITY: Contest open to deviantART members who are who are at least eighteen (18) years old as of September 8, 2011 and who are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia except employees and volunteers (and their immediate families and members of the same household) of Microsoft, Epic, Inc. and/or deviantART, their affiliates, agents, judges and advertising and promotion agencies. There is no charge for deviantART membership.

  4. VERIFICATION OF WINNERS AND DELIVERY OF PRIZES: Potential first, second and third prize winners will, and other potential winners may be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability release and, where permitted, a publicity release. Prize may be forfeited if affidavit or releases are not returned within 14 days after mailing to potential winner or if prize notification letter or prize is returned as undeliverable. First, second and third place winners agree to Microsoft's and deviantART's use of his/her name, address, likeness, and/or prize information and Entry for promotional or other purposes as contemplated herein in any medium without additional compensation to the extent permitted by law.

  5. GENERAL: This Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law and is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. This Contest will be governed by the internal laws of the State of California, USA. Any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with this Contest must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction within the State of California. Microsoft and/or deviantART and judges are not responsible for late, lost, stolen, damaged, garbled, incomplete, misaddressed, postage due, incorrect or misdirected entries, mail or communications, for errors, omissions, interruptions, deletions, defects, or delays in operations or transmission of information, in each case whether arising by way of technical or other failures or malfunctions of computer hardware, software, communications devices, or transmission lines or data corruption, theft, destruction, unauthorized access to or alteration of entry materials, loss or otherwise. Microsoft and/or deviantART and judges are not responsible for electronic communications, which are undeliverable as a result of any form of active or passive filtering of any kind, or insufficient space in entrant's e-mail account to receive e-mail messages. Microsoft and/or deviantART disclaim any liability for damage to any computer system resulting from participation in, or accessing, posting, uploading or downloading information in connection with, this Contest, and reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to modify, cancel, terminate or suspend this Contest should any virus, bug, technical failures, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond Microsoft and/or deviantART's reasonable control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Contest. In the event of any such cancellation, termination or suspension, a notice will be posted on the Contest Site and the winners will be selected from among all eligible entries received prior to such time. DeviantART reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any Entrant from this Contest or any other promotion conducted now or in the future by deviantART or any of its affiliates if the Entrant's fraud or misconduct adversely affects the integrity of the Contest. By participating in this Contest, each Entrant accepts the conditions stated in these Official Rules, agrees to be bound by the decisions of the judges and warrants that s/he is eligible to participate in this Contest. By accepting a prize, winner agrees to release Microsoft and/or deviantART, its and their directors, employees, officers, and agents, including without limitation, their advertising and promotion agencies, from any and all liability, loss or damages arising from or in connection with the awarding, receipt, and/or use or misuse of the prize or participation in any prize-related activities.

  6. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

  7. WINNERS LIST: To obtain winner's list, go to www.deviantart.com. Winners list will be available after selection and verification of winners.

  8. SPONSOR: deviantART, Inc., 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #788, Hollywood, CA 90028

  9. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CONTEST? Go to www.deviantart.com.

© deviantART, Inc. 2011

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©2011 Microsoft. ©2011 Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Epic, Epic Games, the Epic Games logo, Gears of War, Gears of War 3, Marcus Fenix and the Crimson Omen logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Microsoft, the Microsoft Studios logo, Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.