Rock Band saves marriage

by Scott Jon Siegel { May 27th 2008 at 11:00PM }

Call us sappy saps, but we can't get enough of video game success stories -- failing relationships resurrected through the power of gaming. Okay, so it doesn't really happen that often, but when it does it melts our cold, robotic blogging hearts.

Over at Salon, Rachel Shukert explains how Harmonix's Rock Band allowed her to relate to her husband's video game obsession, rekindle her lost desire for rock stardom, and quite literally save their marriage. It's a short story about the best kind of escapism -- the kind you share with someone else -- and it doesn't hurt that it's about one of our own favorite obsessions. We wonder what else Rock Band can save.

[Thanks, Justin M.]

Tags: harmonix, love, marriage, rock-band, salon

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

magikarp @ May 27th 2008 11:17PM

"We wonder what else Rock Band can save."

Not my money (MS points)!

MarkHawk @ May 27th 2008 11:22PM

true...Im about minute 60,000 points and money for drum pads and such. It's all worth it most fo the time though.

BananaBoat @ May 28th 2008 12:52AM

"I'm killing Nazi's here, I'm saving our people!" sounds like either the paraphrasing that only a woman could do (not to be chauvinistic at all, it's true that women excel at it) or complete BS to make a point, lol.

Sounds alot like most people I guess. Instead of talking, she started googling. The poor guy is sitting there playing games, oblivious to the fact that she is getting close to divorcing him, and she's getting advice from people saying she needs to slut it up (why can't ALL women get this advice?) instead of...you know...planning a picnic, or a trip to the zoo, or...something.

After Rock Band mania wears off, I think these people need to pop out a kid, before she goes insane on him.

(Yes, I know, he's probably way more responsible for this than she is. I know I'm a typical man (lol, man, my avatar is a mudkip and I'm only a good year and a half into college. I feel good that I got over video game addiction before I entered highschool. Thank you early MMORPG's for making me addicted, so I could get better and not turn into this guy =P)

Anyone else hoping for a "Love me as I am" sort of girl? I used to hope for that, but after reading things like this, I'm just hoping for a wife that doesn't throw away my Voltron boxed sets and my Playstation 4 (that I will assuredly have in the future)

This just might be my longest winded comment ever.

MarkHawk @ May 27th 2008 11:20PM

My relationship wasn't in need of saving, but my girlfriend and I never played video games together. When we did it was more frustrating then fun and she always did it to please me. I loved that she tried but it's the equivalent of me sewing with her and pretending to like it.

Rock Band came out though and she got it as a surprise gift for me. Needless to say we play it every Monday night before new DLC comes out. The surprising part was I now have Rock Band Thursday. Friends I considered to be acquainted with at most, have now turned into great friends. Just this weekend they threw me a surprise party and gave me a Destroyer foot pedal for Rock Band for my birthday. I wasn't expecting it at all. They all chipped in to get it for me. Needless to say they are awesome...

Rock Band is a good way to get people together. I haven't had this much fun with a LAN party based game since Halo 1. But now it's not as much as a sausage fest as well...

michael @ May 27th 2008 11:32PM

your so full of crap i can smell it from here, while your great at making up fake stories and all, it just makes you pitiful that you have to

DangerMouse @ May 27th 2008 11:45PM

I though that was leading up to one of those Fresh Prince of Bel-Air posts.

MarkHawk @ May 28th 2008 12:13AM

I smell jealousy... You can come over and play if your in the Phoenix area on Thursdays if you want. You'll have to but the pizza though.

I'd post photos someone took but they are from myspace. So I'll skip on that.

jake18oly @ May 28th 2008 12:21AM

I am in the Phoenix area and my wife and I love to play Rock with our friends! We have had more people over than we have had in a long time thanks to Rock Band. It truly is an awesome multiplayer game.

MarkHawk @ May 28th 2008 2:35AM

I use to ask myself "What the hell can I do in Phoenix?" Thank god for HMX!

Mullinsmcd @ May 28th 2008 9:32AM

I have the same experience of Rock Band-ing with my wife as well. Rock Band has turned into the most awesome "gateway" video game. She used to like games to the extent of diner dash and hearts, but now she is not only the best Rock Band drummer I have ever played with,(plays 3/4s of the whole set list on Expert/95% or better) she enjoys other games with me like Mario Kart Wii and Dynasty Warriors. It has become a great way for us to connect to each other. When we have kids it will definitely provide a connection to them that will go beyond age and "uncoolness" of parents.

Joystick Hero @ May 27th 2008 11:21PM

Activate overdrive to double your points, make the crowd go wild, and save marriages.

anonymous @ May 27th 2008 11:26PM

I've never bothered playing with Crossover in the past, but how does it compare to VMWare Fusion? I believe Fusion is about to support Direct X 9 any day now as well.

Tonbo @ May 27th 2008 11:33PM

My wife nearly killed me when I brought home a ps3 (I told her I was getting a fancy DVD player since she's a hardcore anti-gamer.) Now her and her friends are banging on the drums all weekend long almost every week (I'm lucky if I can get two sets in.) Ah well, I guess I'm still alive at least.

gamerprophet @ May 27th 2008 11:34PM

Women eho don't play video games suck :(

gamerprophet @ May 27th 2008 11:34PM

who != eho

Jhongerkong @ May 27th 2008 11:37PM

The closest thing to a marriage that I had was the Warioware minigame where you put the ring on a finger.

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ May 27th 2008 11:41PM

Sadly my 360 just ruined Rock Band:( There are circular scratches all around it and now it won't read it. I called Microsoft and they are sending out the coffin in the next couple of days. They won't replace Rock Band, I have to pay $20 to EA to get it fixed. I really don't understand why the 360 is such a piece of shit sometimes, this will be my 4th one!