EA: Still no Rock Band for Wii announcement

by Ross Miller { Jan 3rd 2008 at 3:57PM }

Although an eventual release of Rock Band for the Wii has been teased since as early as April, Electronic Arts told GamePro this week, "We have not announced any plans for a Wii version at this time." Don't read too much into that, however, as all it says is there's been no announcement yet, as if we need to be reminded a press release hasn't been sent out. We doubt it's something we'd overlook, although our spam filters at Joystiq HQ aren't perfect.

What we really want to know is what's taking Harmonix so long to announce a Wii version. A last-gen PlayStation 2 version is already available (although it lacks online and world tour mode) and competitor Activision Blizzard managed to figure out a solution for DLC with Guitar Hero III for Wii. Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos already said back in April that "We will, at some time, bring Rock Band to every [important] platform."

Given the Wii's continued success in hardware sales, it's surprising that EA won't just admit to a Wii version in the works. And if they're really not planning to release a Wii iteration, then we fear the business reps have spent too much time "immersing themselves" in Grateful Dead jam sessions.

Tags: ea, electronic-arts, harmonix, mtv, mtv-games, mtvgames, rock-band, rockband

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Rickey @ Feb 20th 2008 12:35PM

I think this whole thing is stupid why would they bring rock band to the piece a crap of playstation 2 and not to wii and the 360 and ps3 aren't that great of systems either so next time they make a game make it for all the good systems and not to make people wait for like 2 years while people with xbox and playstation already have the sequels

randy @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:44AM

listen guys i know for fact that there will be rockband for wii apirl of 08 but there is a cathc the guitar will be the same as gh3 but the mic will hook up with a wire to the wiimote sam for the drums, if you rember the game pad for wii is the same

n8dawg @ Feb 27th 2008 5:26PM

wow you are all serious nerds to down eachother about what system you have why dont you all get up off your lazy a@#es and go out and play with your kids or enjoy a nice walk or jog no wonder America is FAT

LilCo187 @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:04PM

The Joystiq headline should have read:

EA: "We don't like money."

Even if there wasn't a PS2 version to easily port over, EA is retarded for not getting this into the hands of all those GHIII purchasers which btw is outselling the 360 and PS3 versions.

copa @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:09PM

Yup, this is almost as convincing as "No announced MGS4 for 360."

Rock Band for Wii. CONFIRMED!

License to ill @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:57PM

I hope you mean it outsold 360 for the week because overall its behind the 360 version in sales and way behind ps2 version....

Vol @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:31PM

Well, since the Wii is two GameCubes duct taped together, I doubt it has enough horsepower. Plus, how will you store DLC that the title depends on?

mr nimblewick @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:08PM

"I doubt it has enough horsepower"

You mean it can't handle the RAWK?

Shagittarius @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:28PM

Nintendo tried to kill the metal. It Phailed!

megapenguinx @ Jan 4th 2008 2:04AM

Haha best Tenacious D reference ever

TheGuy @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:05PM

It's probably due to short supply of hardware for the 3 consoles it's already available for, and figuring-out how DLC will be done on the Wii. I predict a spring launch of Rock band for the Wii.

BPM - The 3rd Strike @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:10PM

I've seen Rock Band in stock pretty much everywhere around Phoenix. I dunno, maybe that's just the exception and not the rule. [shrugs]

License to ill @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:01PM

Its not in short supply...

Raikage (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:42PM

I *THINK*

Doh!

Spider Pig, Spider Pig...

Obie @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:08PM

Maybe the packaged hardware might differ with the Wii, with the drum kit being replaced by simply using two Wiimotes. Heck if they make the mic wireless they could go for a completely wireless experience on the Wii.

BPM - The 3rd Strike @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:11PM

I wouldn't be surprised if they reused the same USB mic they used for Boogie.

Obie @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:13PM

Ha! Yes, and it's not like Boogie sold much.

bobartig @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:31PM

the trick is that they have to come up with a new drum controller because they can't make a wired one. They have to do a new guitar controller as well. That's got to ad a lot of r&d time.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:55PM

Why can't they make a wired one? There's 2 USB ports on the back of the Wii.

Or: why can't they just make a drum kit that has a nunchuck plug on it to plug into the wii remote, like the GH3 guitar has?

Raikage (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:39PM

I Rock Band on anything without a hard drive is pointless...

Is that just me?

Obie @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:44PM

Why do you need a HD for Rockband? Isn't it also out for the PS2?

jynxycat @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:55PM

The massive list of DLC.

It is out for PS2, which is also missing that list.

The game is fun, but the sheer amount of songs they been posting is pretty amazing.

Gavin @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:11PM

The Wii version will be your typical PS2 shovelware port.

Suckers...

Obie @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:15PM

Probably, but it would still sell more than Jezus beer.

loof @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:12PM

I would have bought the Wii version in an instant. Instead I bought the 360 version and a 360.

Judd @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:16PM

No, because if they were immersing themselves in Grateful Dead songs they would have released the 18 songs they promised four months ago!

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/05/rock-band-gets-18-grateful-dead-tracks-through-dlc/

COME ON ALREADY!

kiwi @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:02PM

That's what I'm waiting for, too!

::hopes for Terrapin Station::

deaftly @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:19PM

Why a gamer would only have a Wii boggles my mind

Obie @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:25PM

Wii60 FTW!

Mr Khan @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:36PM

Technically not only a Wii, Wii & DS, but i haven't been lacking in software since the Wii came out, between the two of 'em

LilCo187 @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:49PM

"Why a gamer would only have a Wii boggles my mind"

Because we have social lives and significant others. Oh, and we DON'T have an allowance from mom and are usually consisting of the 21 and up crowd if the "Wii Owner surveys" are to be believed.

deaftly @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:00PM

oh really? Im 27, have a good job, a great gf, and a great place and somehow i own a ps3, 360, wii, ds and psp. Sorry to make your head explode.

Cesaria @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:06PM

That may be the dumbest comment I've ever read. I only have a Wii, and I play it almost daily. I think people tend to forget that the Virtual Console is updated every monday with brand new content to keep you busy between the AAA titles.

Jhongerkong @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:59PM

"Why a gamer would only have a Wii boggles my mind"

Smash Bros. Brawl

'nuff said.

mr nimblewick @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:10PM

Trust me, deaftly, your GF resents how much time you spend playing video games, whether she admits it or not.

deaftly @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:10PM

nimblewick you said it man, the ds tends to keep her quiet though

drsashamd @ Jan 3rd 2008 10:22PM

Sorry deaftly, like some have said, some people can not afford to own multiple systems. I'm 22 and in medical school, meaning I'm in debt due to all my loans. I have very little spending money to waste on an xbox360 or a ps3, and even less time to play them all. Don't get me wrong, if I was able to buy an xbox360 I would, but it would just be stupid of me to at this time.

Some people may just not be as fortunate as you to be able to own all three systems. Just because someone has only a Wii (or only an Xbox or PS3) does not make them any less of a gamer, or more importantly, a person.

Hafk @ Jan 4th 2008 5:38AM

I could easily get the PS2 version of Rock Band, but honestly, after Guitar Hero 3 on the Wii, Online play is VERY important, and DLC is just icing on the cake.

Avarice @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:27PM

Give them time, they're still converting all the songs to mono.

Donald @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:36PM

This isn't an Actizard product, for all the crap EA gets they do know how to output stereo sound.

rokerovakero @ Feb 16th 2008 4:59AM

lol... very funny Avarice, very funny... but they did have that other game in mono...

Mr Khan @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:39PM

They wouldn't have to make a Wireless drum set, though, Wii has got more controller port options than the other guys, considering 4 GC ports, 2 USB, and the BlueTooth capability

You could also have a halfway approach with DLC, the songs themselves could be loaded temporarily right from the internet into RAM (much like the quests on PSO GC) for a single playthrough

GRANTED @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:40PM

wii can't rock those kind of graphics

Cesaria @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:12PM

Because graphics matter in a rhythm game. I know I look at the characters and highly detailed environments instead of the note chart rapidly scrolling towards me.

Lijik @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:00PM

Even more so in Rock Band. The note HUD took up so much of the screen its more of a chore to look at anything else.

jynxycat @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:57PM

I'd rather my notes on the screen look smooth opposed to sharp jaggy razor blades.

Tiptup300 @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:16PM

The wii could certainly handle the graphics, not so much the resolution... Its all pixely with all the instruments on my xbox 360 on my 27" non-hd tv. Imagine on the wii, *cringes*

RoboChamp @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:44PM

This is what I don't like about the Wii. It gets second-hand products all around from third parties. Guitar Hero shipped with mono only, a few of the highest profile games are nearly ports (Zelda, Paper Mario) or ARE ports from last gen, (Bully, Okami, RE4). And the popular franchises that DO appear are poor spin-offs from the source franchise (Soul Caliber, Umbrella Chronicles). I still really want a Wii, but it's purely for the Nintendo first party titles for Wii and Gamecube (Sunshine, Galaxy, Brawl, Double Dash, Metroid). It's unfortunate that beyond Z&W and No More Heroes, there isn't anything new being offered by third parties..