Many games with multiplayer suffer from matchmaking issues for a while after release. Aliens vs. Predator is one of those games, but one should not let that deter them from playing games like this, when you manage to get into a game AvP can be really fun online, plus it has a solid unranked match system which many rank-whores seem to forget about. For anyone that is not bothered by slightly annoying matchmaking, SEGA have announced that a map pack will be hitting live next Thursday for 540 Microsoft Points (£4.60/€6.30)

The “Swarm Map Pack” will include two new multiplayer maps, Docks and Machine, heres a little description from SEGA:

• Docks: The caustic alkali waters of BG-386 put an end to Weyland-Yutani’s planned shipping activities. But this dockyard soon became an historic battleground.
• Machine: As well as processing exotic ores, the BG-386 Refinery provided electrical power to the colonists at Freya’s Prospect. The lights may still be on, but nobody’s home. Yet.

For the more traditional Alien fan looking for that “OHMYGOD! SO MANY ALIENS! HELPHELPHELP! THEY’RE EVERY WHERE!!!” experience, also included in the pack will be two new Survivor maps:

• Outpost: The site of the original Weyland-Yutani colony on BG-386 was abandoned, and soon reclaimed by the planet’s voracious jungle plant life. It is now the perfect hunting ground for all manner of wildlife.
• Hive: Deep in the heart of the Freya’s Prospect Refinery lays the Xenomorph Hive. Beware all who enter here.

Of course if you splashed out a little bit extra and purchased the special edition of the game (which came in a rather nice steelbook with a Xenomorph and Predator getting a side of the case each) you would already have these maps, but it would seem not many people did as you are rarely put into special map at the moment. This should all change by next week.

Looks like Thursday 18th March will be a good day to get hunting again, be it with your gun, highly advanced tech or your bare claws and tail.

Got your 540 gamerpoints ready?