LOS ANGELES--Microsoft today announced that Law & Order star and famed hip-hop artist Ice-T is joining the voice cast of Gears of War 3. In Gears of War 3, Ice-T will play a character named Griffin, a leader of a group of human survivors known as the Stranded. This "rag-tag" group will meet up with Marcus Fenix (John Dimaggio), and the rest of Delta Squad sometime during the game's narrative.

　　Ice-T, wielding a lancer. Also on board is Grammy Award-nominated rapper Drake, who will voice Jace Stratton in the game. Stratton appeared briefly in Gears of War 2, and in that game, he was voiced by prolific video game voice actor Nolan North.

　　Cliff Bleszinski, creative director at Gears of War development house Epic Games, broke the news last night at a Microsoft event, where Ice-T was seen proclaiming his role in the game. A tweet from Bleszinski last night read "The hotness. Ice won't stop telling everyone about his role as Griffin in Gears 3."

　　Ice-T, born Tracy Marrow, is no stranger to video game voice work. His distinctive baritone has appeared in a handful of games, including Scarface: The World is Yours, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Sanity: Aiken's Artifact, and Def Jam Fight for New York, where he played himself.

　　Gears of War 3 is the final chapter in the current trilogy and arrives in April 2011 exclusively on the Xbox 360.