Harmonix: Blame Activision for PS3 Rock Band guitar issues

by Alexander Sliwinski on Dec 12th 2007 4:50PM

After Harmonix's valid attempt at easing tensions over PS3 guitar compatibility issues for Rock Band, the time for détente between MTV/Harmonix's Rock Band and Activision/Red Octane's Guitar Hero is over. Harmonix has issued a detailed statement saying the company created a patch for Guitar Hero controllers to be compatible with Rock Band on PS3, but that Activision blocked Sony from releasing the patch.

Harmonix reiterates in the statement that it believes in an "open standard philosophy of hardware and game compatibility." The company says that such a policy is in the interest of consumers, game developers and console manufacturers and "will only help to grow the music game genre as well as inspire innovation and creativity." Harmonix says that on Tuesday, December 4 it was ready to release a patch approved by Sony so that Guitar Hero controllers would be compatible with Rock Band, but that Activision objected to the release and now Sony is holding onto the patch due to Activision's "continued objection." The full statement from Harmonix can be found after the break. The ball is now quite publicly in Activision's court.

The full statement to Joystiq:

"As we have said in the past, Harmonix and MTV Games believe in an open standard philosophy of hardware and game compatibility. We think that there should be interoperability between music instrument controllers across all music games. This is clearly in the best interest of consumers, game developers and console manufacturers and will only help to grow the music game genre as well as inspire innovation and creativity.

Two weeks ago, Harmonix created a software patch for the Sony PLAYSTATION 3 version of Rock Band that allowed for guitar compatibility and support for third party peripherals, including enabling use of Activision's Guitar Hero III controller with Rock Band. The compatibility patch was submitted, approved and had been scheduled for release by Sony on Tuesday, December 4. Unfortunately, Activision objected to the release of the compatibility patch. The patch remains with Sony, but we have been told that it will unfortunately not be released due to Activision's continued objection.

As is the case with the Microsoft Xbox360, we believe that Sony PLAYSTATION 3 users should be able to use the peripheral of their choice with Rock Band. We sincerely hope that Activision will reverse its decision and allow release of the compatibility patch and further, that Activision will allow Guitar Hero III to support Rock Band guitar controllers as well. We welcome all third party developers who wish to support our controllers and will provide any required support in order for them to do so.

We believe that when consumers have choice, everyone wins. Harmonix and MTV Games hope that Activision and others in the industry will also adopt this philosophy."

Tags: activision, breakingnews, compatibility, guitar, guitar-hero, guitarhero, harmonix, mtv, PS3, rock-band, rockband

Reader Comments (113)

Wasn't Activision ALSO the company behind the TAC lawsuits, and not Harmonix?

You are mixing up who sued who

from the gamespot article

Last month, Activision and RedOctane, publishers of the popular PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero, filed suit against peripheral manufacturer The Ant Commandos (TAC) over its unlicensed guitar controllers.

Wow, you people really are a bunch of sheep.

First of all, it should be obvious that I wasn't talking about the damn lawsuit. "The lawsuit was Red Octane, not Harmonix!!" Yea, no shit. Now go away.

Harmonix were the developers, therefore I was obviously referring to the code in GH2 and GH80's (Learn to put two and two together, people).

Many of you are making the blind assumption that Red Octane forced Harmonix to block those controllers against their will. First of all, that's pure speculation, based solely on their recent easily feignable innocence act. Secondly, even if they were opposed to the idea, Harmonix still could have basically just told Red Octane "Fuck you". I've seen game publishing contracts, there's nothing in those that would tie a developers hands in that sort of scenario. At least not in any contract that a development company in their right mind would ever agree to. And certainly not one with successful titles under their belt (ie, Karaoke Revolution) like Harmonix.

Additionally, it is a FACT that Harmonix DID outright LIE about the reason the TAC guitars wouldn't work in GH2. I emailed them about it and Harmonix's very own Sean Baptiste had this to say about it:

"the reason why the third party guitars don't work in GHII is because the game can't distinguish between it and a standard PS2 controller."

Oh really, Harmonix? If that's the case, then why is it that GH1 could tell them apart just fine, but not GH2? Even better, why is it that even GH2 itself could tell them apart after using the unofficial patch that's been circulating the net? (Don't believe me? Search for the GH2 Brazilian 3rd Party patch, and try it yourself.) The fact is that Harmonix made an outright lie about why the controllers wouldn't work.

We know perfectly well that GH2 deliberately blocked those controllers, and HARMONIX refused to fess up the that fact. That's hardly a group of innocents.

Look for Charles Huang to issue a weasel non-denial statement that tries to change the subject and blame Harmonix for something or other.

It's gotten to the point where that dude lies every time he opens his mouth.

As far as I'm concerned, Activision is getting rid of the best reason to buy GH3 at this point with their nonsense. Rock Band beats GH on all counts at this point, and without a cheap way to buy a second Rock Band guitar, buying GH3 seemed like the best option to get a second controller after news of the patch. But now, you've given what is basically just a good reason to continue supporting Harmonix instead.

In summary: screw you Activision, I'll keep my money until next year when I can use it to buy another guitar for Rock Band.

True, but all Harmonix has to do is sell their guitar separately, but apparently there isnt enough production capacity or something.

Anyway, it does not seem to be a very clever move by Actard

Why do you spell out Rock Band and not Guitar Hero? Wouldn't it be easier if you did RB and GH? Also it's weird how almost everyone thinks they work for the legal department and know what they are talking about. Balls in your mouth people, balls in your mouth.

Because Rock Band deserves to be typed out. Guitar Hero is lucky I don't just call it "that other game".

Wow, this makes no sense! Who at Activision decided it was a good idea? I would have bought their game if the patch had come out. Now I'm just angry at the whole brand!

I don't understand Activision at all. While these are competing products, I would also say they are complementary products (especially when they both only come with one guitar). Most people I know are interested in/have both, so why can't Activision accept that fact that more popularity for either game means more profit for both companies.

Yeah, and then all Sony has to do is get sued. WTF? You expect Sony to knowingly commit a crime?

That's like me telling you to go into that store over there, grab a loaf of bread for me, pay them nothing, and walk out. All you have to do is commit the crime! Even though the true subjects are me and the store, you'd still be commiting the crime.

wrong, Sony wouldn't be commiting any crime, hell, they can't call it a crime, as it was already allowed for the 360...

well, all they can do is just annoy Sony the most they can to not allow it to go through, and well, I really can't even guess the outcome, please the developer or the customers...they need the games, but then again they need the customers...=(

Wouldn't it violate patent law? Presuming they patented it...

Regardless if it's technically a crime or not, it would be unwise for Sony to cross Activision since pretty much all their profit comes from games sold for the system... and Activision is the biggest dog. That's all I'm trying to say.

Yea it would not be a crime to release a patch for your game. The thing is Sony is not get in the middle of a bitch fight between the two biggest publishers companies. And with ActiBlizz being the lead dog, thanks to merger coming up, Sony dare not piss them off and get screwed out of any games. Last I checked Madden 08 was justing hitting 500k in the US while COD4 is at 500k while being out for only 5 weeks.

Numbers cited from VGChartz.com

This is Bull. If Activision refuses to support open hardware support, then I refuse to support Activision. I will promptly write a letter to them expressing my disgust, as I encourage others to do the same.

Stupid broken comment system!

That was in response to Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School)

Yeah, as Noshino said: there's no laws being broken here. Compatibility with a certain PS3 controller is a free option for the platform. Activision are just being douchbags.

wow Activision just created a new reason for people to buy these games on 360 only.

This just in, Activision shows it can be just as douchy as EA. News at 11...

Being a huge fan of harmonix (though I also like Guitar Hero). I'm not buying any more activision products (all games, not just GH. I'll rent instead) until this is fixed. Yeah, that's not a big impact for them, but I'm not going to give a penny to a company that acts like a bunch of scumbags if I can easily avoid it.

Great way to make your customers like you, Activision. Great way to encourage more business!

I'm a 360 player, happily using my GH2 guitar for co-op on Rock Band. I can't use my Rock Band guitar on GH3--I can only use the GH2 guitar--so co-op is impossible. So Activision, you want me to go buy another guitar for GH3 co-op? Forget it! We'll play Rock Band co-op instead, and when we want new songs, we'll buy Rock Band DLC.

If my Strat worked in GH3, we'd be spending more time playing your game, looking at your ads, buying your DLC, and so on. But by locking out my 2nd guitar, you have reduced the amount of time I will play your game. You have also significantly decreased the chance that I'll buy another GH game in the future. Why should I get a game with no co-op when I can get a game with co-op?

Now as far as PS3 goes...this is just stupid. Sony, what the heck are you doing (besides being dumb)? You're just going to listen to whatever Activision says now? If they say you shouldn't post Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, are you going to bend there, too? What are they going to do, stop giving you GH3 DLC? Oh well, PSN users can (and will) buy Rock Band DLC instead!

If I was at EA and had any sort of power whatsoever, I'd call up whoever at Sony is holding this back, and say "hi. If you don't release the Rock Band patch, we're going to drop PSN support." Now that would light a fire, I think. And if Activision doesn't start listening to their customers, they'll watch Guitar Hero fade away much more quickly than it would have otherwise.

I'm not buying any of this... sure, Activision is being a world-class bunch of jerks, but Harmonix still hasn't explained why this ever required a patch to begin with.

If this had just been a feature of the game from the beginning, this wouldn't have happened (as evidenced by the 360 version). These two companies should have settled all these difference back in the development stage, not post-release to be settled with patches. But they didn't, and now we get a pissing contest.

Harmonix may be the lesser of two evils here, but they aren't innocent.

Harmonix stated it was due to both guitars using proprietary wireless.

Unlike the 360 (which already had a working guitar controller), there was no guitar blueprint for Harmonix to work from. Sure, there's a general guideline for what buttons should do what, but from there it's a crapshoot as to what sort of shenanigans Activision would put into the thing.

I think you're confused.

Really? Can the PS3 get a break. Its getting to a point where i just want someone, anyone to say that something looks/works better on the PS3. This is getting ridiculous.

Blu-ray movies look infinitely better on ps3 than Xbox360 or Wii. :D

Well, the Rock Band guitar controller for the PS3 is wireless, which is nice. =\

Whatever - Harmonix should have seen this coming when they made the idiot decision to only sell the games in Bundles that do not include all 4 instruments. I blame Harmonix not Activision, Harmonix should have been selling a complete product, not an incomplete one.

Harmonix has already stated they will sell standalone peripherals as soon as they have enough supply.

Right now, things are tight, and they don't even have enough peripherals to launch in Canada before Boxing Day.

Activision is the new EA.

Activision is the new EA and the new Eidos in one.

Time to sell GH3, buy a used copy of GH3 for PS2, and only buy used copies of any Activision game. No GH sequels or DLC for me. Also, they'll lose out on the new sale of for the PS3 version I sell. Way to go fuckfaces, you just lost yourselves, at the very least, hundreds of dollars just from me. I hope you slide under a gas truck and taste your own blood.

I will personally boycott all DLC from GH.

I just want the 360 Rock Band guitar to work with GH3 and then I'll be happy...

Screw Activision. MTV Games should drop the price of Rock Band to $99 and make the DLC $0.99. They'll wash Guitar Hero out of the entire market in no time. Activision/Red Octane are so protective of their empire, show them how fragile it is.

I will respond to Red Octane's ass-hattery by buying a 2nd RB guitar as soon as MTV Games/EA can ship it to me. More money in Harmonix/MTV/EAs pocket, none in Activision/Red Octane's.

Who thought, a year ago, they'd be rooting for EA to stand up to a bigger company to stop them from throwing their weight around to hurt consumers?

The times, they are a changin.

But seriously, it's Sony, EA, Harmonix, and MTV Games versus Activision. Somebody, somewhere on the side of this dick-measuring contest that doesn't include Activision, show some balls.

Thanks.

How does this help them? They certainly won't sell less because of compatibility. Perhaps they are jealous that RB is a better game? pitiful

i will never buy another guitar hero game

Agreed. It already seemed unlikely since GH3 was pretty crappy, but now it's sealed.

Wow, what a stupid move by Activision.

My plan was always to get GH3 for the insane guitar-centered solo action and Rock Band for the multiplayer orgy of awesomeness, conveniently ending up with 2 guitars in the process, but not anymore...

Let's hope that Harmonix includes GH3 controller support out of the box for the rumored Wii version of Rock Band, so this doesn't happen again.

It was a good idea for Harmonix to make this so public. Quick! Everyone! Mass hate-mail Activision!!

As a PS3 owner who has spent A LOT of money on both GH3 and Rock Band, I would say that this is the final straw. In my opinion, this is ALL on Activision's shoulders. Harmonix has made a patch for their game to support another controller, nothing more. Activision, realizing that the competition would benefit, is obviously pulling their weight with Sony to stop it from happening. They obviously think they can afford the bad press from this, since the PS3 audience is a miniscule compared to Wii, 360, and PS2 combined.

I paid $300 to invest in the future of this genre on the PS3. Based on their most recent actions, I will NOT be spending any additional money on the Guitar Hero franchise, and I obviously have a LOT of expendable income if I'm wasting $300 on toy instruments. If anyone has contact info for Activision so I can voice this to them in person instead of over a video game blog, please let me know.

The problem here is that the competition (Harmonix) doesn't benefit at all. They're doing Activision a favor by releasing this patch, and voluntarily giving them market share in a territory that Harmonix could completely dominate if they wanted to, the way Activision does with GH3.

But instead, Harmonix wanted to do right by the fans and put the patch out there.

There is absolutely no valid strategic reason for Activision to be blocking this patch. It's an amazing display of arrogance and stupidity.

Boycotting Activision is too simple a move. I'm going to take it one step further and boycott Axe deodorant! That'll really put the hurt on their wallets. Let's see 'em bow-chicka-wow-wow out of that shit.

this could go down as "Dick Move Of The Year". this is one of the main reasons (coupled with the lack of money) i havent bought Rock Band yet. i do like the Guitar Hero guitar better than the Rock Band guitar i tried. Activision need to pull their heads out of their asses.

The Rock Band guitar is a lot better. Just give it a little bit of time to grow on you. The ability to slide between frets is wonderful, and the whammy bar feels great too. People are mixed on the flipper. I love it, my friends don't like it as much as the GH3 one. But either way, you can get used to it.

Just give it time to get used to the flipper and to learn to find the frets, which you have to do a little differently since they are flush. But the little fences at the end of the fret area makes it easy to find the frets once you get used to it.

I'm sorry, but I HATE the RockBand guitars... The "flipper" feels like it's about to break and... I just hate it. The plastic ridge at the top of the neck above the normal buttons drives me crazy. And I have a hard time feeling the bumps on the yellow button, unlike the GH2 guitars. So for me, I use the GH2 guitar on RockBand, and I gave up on GH3 long, long ago.

Now I'm off to play some Dreamcast! FTW!

I was trying to decide on which game to get, GH3 or Rock band. I guess Activision made that decision for me.

Thanks Activision!

On the live system you cannot release a patch that breaks another companies software/hardware from work. MS has said all along the consumer will choose. Now since Sony has the patch I don't see why they are holding out. Release it and if they try and sue point over to Xbox 360. If they end up going forward with the lawsuit they are hurting the relationship not only with Sony and MS but with consumers. Then it comes down to the PR guys, do we want to force people to do something or have a shitstorm like what happened over at gamespot.

Activision: You've lost.

Stop being whiny bitches, be thankful that NeverSoft got the game out a good bit before Rock Band and go have a talk with Never(madeagoodpieceof)Soft(ware) about how Guitar Hero 4 will kick Rock Band's ass and try to do it.

In the meantime, try to get everything you can from existing hardware sales.

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Harmonix: Blame Activision for PS3 Rock Band guitar issues

Reader Comments (113)

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