SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A battle of the bands is shaping up in the red-hot genre of musical video games, with a highly anticipated debut title set to take on a hit franchise for the collective rock \'n\' roll soul of gamers.
"Rock Band", which will be published by MTV and distributed by Electronic Arts Inc. (ERTS.O: Quote, Profile, Research), was a star of the video game industry\'s E3 expo this month, wowing crowds by showing how up to four wannabe rockers can sing, strum and drum together.
The game is going up against "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," the latest installment of a series that has boosted the sales and fortunes of publisher Activision Inc. (ATVI.O: Quote, Profile, Research).
Both games are set to be ready for release for the holidays and shaping up as fierce rivals with a shared lineage.
The first two "Guitar Hero" games were created by a pair of developers -- Red Octane, which fashioned the guitar-shaped controllers, and Harmonix, which crafted the games with a humor reminiscent of movies like "Spinal Tap" or "School of Rock".
The games\' success made the development teams targets. Last year Viacom Inc. (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) unit MTV Networks bought Harmonix as Activision snapped up Red Octane and the "Guitar Hero" brand.
"The music-game genre is growing explosively. I think it\'s plenty large to accommodate multiple franchises, more than two, really," said Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos.
The games feature the same basic gameplay: colored dots representing notes cascade down the screen and a player wielding a guitar, for instance, pressing matching colored fret buttons while hitting a strum bar in sync with the dots.
PLAYERS OR PRANKSTERS?
But "Rock Band" will emphasize trying to recreate the chemistry of some of rock\'s most legendary groups, tantalizing gamers with promises of reams of downloadable content including whole albums like The Who\'s "Who\'s Next."
"Guitar Hero III" touts a competitive mode full of devilish tricks such as snapping strings to sabotage opponents with the brand landing exclusive talent such as former Guns \'N\' Roses guitarist Slash, who is a professed fan of the game.
"Guitar Hero" proved music-based games, long regarded by many as little more than ambitious karaoke, can be big bucks.
Activision this month said its quarterly performance will beat expectations partly due to "Guitar Hero II", which was on track to sell 1 million copies in the period -- despite its high price of $90.
"It\'s hard to imagine Activision today without the \'Guitar Hero\' franchise. It was truly a stroke of genius to acquire that property," said Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey.
MTV has not revealed how much "Rock Band" will cost but speculation is rife that the whole package -- game, guitar, drum kit and microphone -- will run at least $200.
The games are shattering assumptions about gamers\' buying habits, proving they don\'t mind paying top dollar for a fun game that can be replayed over and over.
"I\'m not worried about the price point being a huge barrier because the experience is powerful enough," Hickey said of "Rock Band". "It\'s absolutely a beautiful product."
Financial terms between MTV and EA have not been disclosed, but simply distributing the game won\'t be as lucrative to EA as its core publishing business. Still, by attaching its name to one of the hottest new titles, EA gets bragging rights against Activision, its closest U.S. rival.
"What Activision provides now is huge muscle and know-how to take a franchise and extend it to the next level. My expectations are that \'Guitar Hero III\' will remain the leader," said Dusty Welch, Red Octane\'s head of publishing.
While I am freaked out by how much people will practice \'Rock Band\' rather than real instruments, I LOVE the fact that you will be able to jam with people from around the world. That is just so sick. Well, if it were really jamming. You\'re all just playing the prescribed parts at the same time, there\'s no creativity involved whatsoever...for now. That\'s coming in "Rock Band III" and GH6. But the idea of having 3 or 4 people in different corners of the world playing songs together is lovely.
guitar hero is a kool video game as long as you dont over do it. just dont be one of those people who spend hours playin it everyday, cause if you put that time into a real guitar or other instrument, you will be able to ACTUALLY play music, and that is always more rewarding than a video game
meh.
it\'s a moot point. at the end of the day, it\'s just a video game that happens to be \'about\' playing music..
you could make your argument for any video game on earth if you wanted to. if you spent your time playing football outside instead of madden, you could be the next michael vick. if you went outside and built walls all day instead of spending all that time playing tetris, you could have yourself one helluva masonry career. why not go out and steal real cars instead of playing grand theft auto? or save some real princesses instead of wasting your time on super mario brothers...
it\'s a video game - and probably the most fun and addicting video game of at least this decade. take it for what it\'s worth, and play it for hours and hours on end, cause it\'s FUN.
Saw this info. at a store for all you guitar hero enthusiasts!
There\'s a bar in Davis Square in Somerville, MA called Orleans that has a GH tourney every Sunday night. I\'m sure other bars do the same. Forget live bands, DJs, sports on projector screens, pool tables, beer and wine selection, karaoke, or whatever else has brought people to bars for the last 100 years. Now there\'s Guitar Hero night!
I wore out GH 2, had to buy 80\'s and #1 in the same week...those two are weak tho, the hammer ons suck in GH1...and 80\'s was put together in 5 minutes... and ya kartoon... think GH is a good tool for rhythm at least?
this is supposedly the final track list for GHIII:
1.Starting Out Small Slow Ride by Foghat Talk Dirty to Me by Poison Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar Story of my Life by Social Distortion Rock and Roll All Nite by Kiss Sabotage (coop exclusive) by The Beastie Boys
2.Your First Real Gig Mississippi Queen by Mountain Schools Out by Alice Cooper Sunshine of your Love by Cream Barracuda by Heart Tom Morello Boss Battle (Original Song) Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine Reptilia (coop exclusive) by The Strokes
3.Making the Video When You Were Young by The Killers Miss Murder By AFI The Seeker by The Who Lay Down by Priestess Paint it Black by Rolling Stones Suck My Kiss (coop exclusive) by Red Hot Chili Peppers
4.European Invasion Paranoid by Black Sabbath Anarchy in the U.K. by The Sex Pistols Kool Thing by Sonic Youth My Name is Jonas by Weezer Evenflow by Pearl Jam Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll (coop exclusive) by Blue Oyster Cult
5.Bighouse Blues Holiday in Cambodia by The Dead Kennedys Rock you like a Hurricane by Scorpions Same Old Song and Dance by Aerosmith La Grange by ZZ Top Slash Boss Battle (Original Song) Welcome to the Jungle by Guns n Roses Helicopter (coop exclusive) by Bloc Party
6.The Hottest Band on Earth Black Magic Woman by Santana Cherub Rock by Smashing Pumpkins Black Sunshine by White Zombie The Metal by Tenacious D Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan Monsters (coop exclusive) by Matchbook Romance
7.Live In Japan Before I Forget by Slipknot Stricken by Disturbed 3\'s and 7\'s by Queens of the Stone Age Knights of Cydonia by Muse Cult of Personality by Living Colour
8.Battle For Your Soul Raining Blood by Slayer Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden One by Metallica Lou (Devil) Boss Battle – The Devil Went Down to Georgia (Metal Version)
Bonus: Avalancha by Héroes del Silencio In the Belly of a Shark by Gallows Cant Be Saved by Senses Fail Closer by Lacuna Coil Don’t Hold Back by The Sleeping Down \'N Dirty by LA Slum Lords FCP Remix by Fall of Troy Generation Rock by Revolverheld Go That Far by Bret Michaels Band Hier Kommt Alex by Die Toten Hosen I’m in the Band by The Hellacopters Impulse by An Endless Sporadic In Love by Scouts of St Sebastion Mauvis Garcon by NAAST Metal Heavy Lady by Lions Minus Celsius by Backyard Babies My Curse by Killswitch Engage Prayer of the Refugee by Rise Against Radio song by Superbus Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs She Bangs the Drums by The Stone Roses Take This Life by In Flames The Way it Ends by Prototype Through the Fire and Flames by Dragonforce
Sneak peek at Through Fire and Flames by Dragonforce in GH3.
:wah:
Ok just revently got into the whole Guitar Hero thing, it is def addictive. Especially when I see videos like this and others on the web, it makes me me silly seeing poeple OWN **** on expert like that. I suck in comparison.
But was just wondering what the deal is with makeing other songs, have seen a bunch of vidoes online for songs that certainly on the game. Is this just for the 360? (I\'ve got the PS2) or an online thing? Just curious.
but GHIII looks awesome!, the actual main gameplay seems to have more levels and more songs, and some great songs too.
Sneak peek at Through Fire and Flames by Dragonforce in GH3.
:wah:
Ok just revently got into the whole Guitar Hero thing, it is def addictive. Especially when I see videos like this and others on the web, it makes me me silly seeing poeple OWN **** on expert like that. I suck in comparison.
But was just wondering what the deal is with makeing other songs, have seen a bunch of vidoes online for songs that certainly on the game. Is this just for the 360? (I\'ve got the PS2) or an online thing? Just curious.
the custom songs are for modded PS2s. you basically rip the original Guitar Hero II game to your hard drive, replace the music with different songs, along with the charts for those songs made my other people, and re-burn your custom game.
check out the FAQs on http://www.scorehero.com in the Custom Songs forum (you have to sign up there first - free of course). i\'m mkdevo over there if you want to compare scores. i\'m still working on hard, but have recently started playing on expert in Guitar Hero II.
having been playing Guitar Hero (the first one) and god damn Hard on the first is sooo much easier than hard on II.
i agree with you there (i\'ve 5*\'d almost all the main GHI songs on hard), but expert is a completely different story, mainly due to the fact that the HOPO\'s BLOW in GHI.
GH3 is incredible. i\'m stuck at 40/42 songs on hard, as i CAN\'T beat Slayer\'s "Raining Blood". going back and working on 5*-ing everything before it, and working on it in between. it\'s an incredibly hard song though.
here\'s a little youtube action of some recent performances by a few .info alumni... Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Aruny & Pitchie:
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