The last time we delved into the great mysteries of Rock Band, no other stand-alone accessories had been announced for the game. Now, Harmonix has confirmed that the music game will come in only bundles until 2008, with no individual guitars this year. We'll wait for the implication to sink in. Yep, that means that if you want the full guitar/vocal/drum/bass experience in 2007, you're going to have to buy a Guitar Hero controller. That seems kind of silly to us, but, hey, we're not the one's losing money.
Also, Harmonix says that the game will ship with between 40 and 50 songs. That, however, doesn't include unlockable tracks, so the final song count (like so many things Rock Band) is anybody's guess.
Reader Comments (52)
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:33AM Liquidize said
I hope that Harmonix can meet the demand for individual instruments. Consumers for video games are very short-spanned; once that initial appeal wears away we tend to move onto the next thing. I don't doubt the enjoyment of Rock Band, what I question is Harmonix being able to get enough casual or hardcore gamers to buy the individual instruments OR bundles after the holiday rush.
I think the Wii is an anomaly and most video games and systems cannot have the same kind of long term sustainability in the marketplace. Guitar Hero is a good example of that; Rock the 80's had a significantly less consumer demand then GH2.
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I think the Wii is an anomaly and most video games and systems cannot have the same kind of long term sustainability in the marketplace. Guitar Hero is a good example of that; Rock the 80's had a significantly less consumer demand then GH2.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 12:33PM Shagittarius said
While I would like to believe it was the market responding to a half ass 80s cash in title the success of the Wii says otherwise.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 1:53PM Crono141 said
Just gotta troll, don'tcha.
Difference being: Perceived value of Rock the 80's was far less than its price tag, where as perceived value of Wii is equal to or greater than its price tag.
And will you please shut the hell up with the wii hate already. We all know. Its been written about in myth and legend: You hate Wii. Now shut the hell up.
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Difference being: Perceived value of Rock the 80's was far less than its price tag, where as perceived value of Wii is equal to or greater than its price tag.
And will you please shut the hell up with the wii hate already. We all know. Its been written about in myth and legend: You hate Wii. Now shut the hell up.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:00AM (Unverified) said
No single guitars? That definitely seems like a bad move. The only reason I could thing for this happening is if they're having trouble making enough guitars for just the bundles.
I guess the GH3 makers will be happy about this, at least.
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I guess the GH3 makers will be happy about this, at least.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:01AM (Unverified) said
My only question is will they sell the game by itself?
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:11AM (Unverified) said
They said that they won't be selling the instruments by themselves this year, but nothing about just the game.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:41AM (Unverified) said
From the linked article:
"When Rock Band ships this November it will only be available in one flavor, bundled. Done. Confirmed."
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"When Rock Band ships this November it will only be available in one flavor, bundled. Done. Confirmed."
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:02AM copa said
Harmonix is a software company, and they are no longer partnered with the hardware specialists, Red Octane. So we knew the big challenge for them was going to be designing, producing, and distributing all these instruments.
Thus, there won't be wireless 360 guitars at launch, and you can only buy 3-instrument bundles in a 4-instrument game.
And, oh yeah, baby, there will be shortages.
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Thus, there won't be wireless 360 guitars at launch, and you can only buy 3-instrument bundles in a 4-instrument game.
And, oh yeah, baby, there will be shortages.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:11AM (Unverified) said
"I don’t know if I can say we’re cheaper or more expensive but remember, where as in other games they adjust the tracks for one or two guitars, in Rock Band it’s vocals, drums, guitar and bass on multiple difficulties. One thing we will do is give the gamer options. You can buy an album, or if you only want one or two tracks you can purchase those items separately."
That sounds to me like individual tracks will be more expensive than a third of GHII's 3-song pack. Full albums may be priced like an actual CD or even more expensive because of the added content.
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That sounds to me like individual tracks will be more expensive than a third of GHII's 3-song pack. Full albums may be priced like an actual CD or even more expensive because of the added content.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:44AM (Unverified) said
The unwashed gamer masses are a hard-to-please bunch. If whole albums aren't at most $5 or $6, they will throw a hissy fit, even though the actual CD would probably be at least $12 in a brick-and-mortar store.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:11AM Crono141 said
Even though more work goes into a Rock Band album release than a CD release, the CD release has more value (to me) because I can take it anywhere, and listen to the tunes anywhere. By tying and album to a game, you can no longer even listen to it, but have to play the game to enjoy the content.
Thats why I think it should cost less. It has less value as music when tied to the game.
That said, I don't think 10 dollars is too much for a full album, but if you get much more than that, then it becomes a deal breaker.
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Thats why I think it should cost less. It has less value as music when tied to the game.
That said, I don't think 10 dollars is too much for a full album, but if you get much more than that, then it becomes a deal breaker.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 12:35PM Shagittarius said
Theres no way an entire album for Rock band is going to cost less than 24.99.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 12:38PM Shagittarius said
I don't expect full albums to be any cheaper than 24.95.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:17AM (Unverified) said
pretty dumb
also "one's" shouldn't have the apostraphe
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also "one's" shouldn't have the apostraphe
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:19AM (Unverified) said
not really a big deal.. you could hardly find a stand alone x-plorer controller around here for months after GH2 was released. It's no big deal, most people who are going to go balls out and get a full set like that would already have a gh2 guitar to use anyway.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:27AM MisterSmith said
I was planning on buying the bundle anyway, so this doesn't bother me.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:44AM (Unverified) said
I found it stand alone on bestbuy online for the people who already have two XBOX 360 guitars. I'll probably wait to buy the drums next year and just buy the game in Nov.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8368036&type=product&id=1177718175971
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http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8368036&type=product&id=1177718175971
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:49AM (Unverified) said
They don't even list the bundles on the site. This is more than likely a forecast. Best Buy assumed that the game would show up as a standalone title and set up a pre-order page. There is no full bundle page because they haven't updated the site with new pricing info. Watch this particular page disappear and be replaced by a bundle pre-order page.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:52AM (Unverified) said
Just checked Amazon, they have the full bundle and just the game for release in November. The individual instruments, like stated in this article are listed for 2008.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:02AM (Unverified) said
Yeah, because Amazon has NEVER had to change their product listings before to reflect delays....
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:43AM Quastor said
This really is a non-issue.
First, the majority of people who are going to be picking this up on the day its released (and it will sell out, have no doubt about that) are 360 owners who already own GH2. So they've already got the Xplorer and don't need an extra guitar anyway.
Also, via the transitive property, it's been determined at least on the 360 that GH3 and RB guitars are compatible (Xplorer works in GH2, Xplorer works in RB, Xplorer works in GH3, Les Paul works in GH3, Les Paul works in GH2, therefore Les Paul works in RB). If the majority of people are going to end up owning both games anyway, why limit the number of full bundles you have out in the market to cater to that small segment who somehow won't have a second guitar?
And if you own a PS3, well, you're used to suffering already, so this shouldn't sting too much.
Finally, remember: A mini-fridge is more important than a bassist.
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First, the majority of people who are going to be picking this up on the day its released (and it will sell out, have no doubt about that) are 360 owners who already own GH2. So they've already got the Xplorer and don't need an extra guitar anyway.
Also, via the transitive property, it's been determined at least on the 360 that GH3 and RB guitars are compatible (Xplorer works in GH2, Xplorer works in RB, Xplorer works in GH3, Les Paul works in GH3, Les Paul works in GH2, therefore Les Paul works in RB). If the majority of people are going to end up owning both games anyway, why limit the number of full bundles you have out in the market to cater to that small segment who somehow won't have a second guitar?
And if you own a PS3, well, you're used to suffering already, so this shouldn't sting too much.
Finally, remember: A mini-fridge is more important than a bassist.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 10:49AM Burritoclock said
This sucks, but it is only a very small tiny monority that does not already own another guitar, or know someone who does. I already have a few for II and will be picking up GHIII at the end of the month anyway.
The absolute crap part is I was going to buy another drum set for the head to head :(
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The absolute crap part is I was going to buy another drum set for the head to head :(
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:00AM (Unverified) said
well you can wait til next year, to see if it's any good anyway :)
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 4:19PM ThornedVenom said
I don't have a guitar. Why? Because I could have been one of those people who could have tried this type of game for the first time, thus expanding their audience.
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:16AM (Unverified) said
so all of you people that are getting the game don't know ANYONE else that is also getting it, or already has GH2? then who do you have coming over to fill in those other 3 spots?
I fail to see how this is a real problem. everyone hates bass. :)
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I fail to see how this is a real problem. everyone hates bass. :)
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:20AM (Unverified) said
i like bass when it's a primus or rush song :)
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 12:02PM Burritoclock said
My friends that are looking forward to this and will be enjoying it with me either can't afford it or won't spend the $180 on it. I am in the position where I can so I don't mind, and as ridiculous as my spending on entertainment is even I probably can't convince myself to spend another $180 just for a second drum set... (Well I probably would if not for the insane releases all coming out over the next three months...) I do however want the wireless so I was going to have to wait for that anyway.
My house is usually the hub where my friends get to live out their bachelor, debt free, dreams, heh.
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My house is usually the hub where my friends get to live out their bachelor, debt free, dreams, heh.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:17AM (Unverified) said
This article is talking about peripheral bundles. Almost every mainstream site has it sold both ways.
http://www.amazon.com/MTV-Games-Rock-Band/dp/B000TT2D0M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/104-2167746-5847146?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1192461002&sr=8-4
http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=200307
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2841320
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http://www.amazon.com/MTV-Games-Rock-Band/dp/B000TT2D0M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/104-2167746-5847146?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1192461002&sr=8-4
http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=200307
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2841320
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:30AM (Unverified) said
For me, this is a major bummer. The only thing in Rock Band I care about is the Drum set. You could say I considered the game to be Drum Hero... but now I have to wait until next year to avoid buying controllers I don't want?
Surely I will be able to buy the game and drums 'al a carte' directly from the manufacturer's website. If they simply can't make enough, that's one thing. If they're making a play for money they didn't earn, that's another.
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Surely I will be able to buy the game and drums 'al a carte' directly from the manufacturer's website. If they simply can't make enough, that's one thing. If they're making a play for money they didn't earn, that's another.
Posted: Oct 27th 2007 7:13AM (Unverified) said
Hi!
I saw you only wanted the drums. How about I buy the guitar from you. Cause I only want the guitar.
Will you buy for ps3 or 360?
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I saw you only wanted the drums. How about I buy the guitar from you. Cause I only want the guitar.
Will you buy for ps3 or 360?
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 11:32AM (Unverified) said
So, does this settle it people? Guitar Hero III will be the rhythm game champ this year in terms of unit sales?
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Posted: Oct 15th 2007 12:09PM wirikidor said
"... you're going to have to buy a Guitar Hero controller. That seems kind of silly to us, but, hey, we're not the one's losing money."
Wouldn't the vast majority of people buying this game already have one (or 2 in my case) Guitar Hero guitars? By the time this comes out I'll have 3 with the new one in GHIII. Mmmmmmm wireless bass guitar.
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Wouldn't the vast majority of people buying this game already have one (or 2 in my case) Guitar Hero guitars? By the time this comes out I'll have 3 with the new one in GHIII. Mmmmmmm wireless bass guitar.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 1:04PM whymog said
Well, on the bright side they just announced "Flirting with Disaster" by Molly Hatchet. Harmonix has a great habit of picking songs most people haven't ever heard and having them be awesome.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/827/827329p1.html
Note: The Ignorant Sluts are still some of the worst Rock Band players I have ever seen. Their singer is appalling.
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http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/827/827329p1.html
Note: The Ignorant Sluts are still some of the worst Rock Band players I have ever seen. Their singer is appalling.
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 4:15PM (Unverified) said
Well in the UK we are still waiting for individual x-plorer guitars and the only way still to buy GH2 for 360 is in a bundle. No stand alone guitar and no game on its own. And that didn't hurt having the bundle sell out everywhere for months. Luckily this time GH3 wil be available as a game only as well as the bundle.
Though I'm gonna have to import rock band from the US as we don't even have a confirmed release date yet. Sometime next year last I checked. That's gonna be one expensive shipping charge! Welcome to gaming in the UK
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Though I'm gonna have to import rock band from the US as we don't even have a confirmed release date yet. Sometime next year last I checked. That's gonna be one expensive shipping charge! Welcome to gaming in the UK
Posted: Oct 15th 2007 4:36PM (Unverified) said
Bundle only? Lame. I just want the new songs to play on my old GH controller. I couldn't care less about the drums or microphone. Lead guitar is still the star of the show.
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