Rock Band 2 rocking on 360 in Sept. - PS3, PS2, Wii 'later in the year'

I'm in the exact same boat as you. At this point, the edge goes to GH4.

So, tell me again, where at Activision do you work?

Well then, if I were you, I'd sure as hell hope that the DLC on GH:WT will work in GH:WT2.

GH3 DLC is going to work with GH:WT, so I don't see why it wouldn't work with GH:WT II.

...too many acronyms. lol.

How are you able to compare the two. Wait until they reveal the changes and upgrades before shouting out.

PLUS, RB2 will have over 300 songs already available for DLC before the game releases to GH:WT having 0

It's all about the music and RB will have much more of it.

Let's see how the new version of the Rock Band drums look before we decide whose got the better hardware.

More to the point, Harmonix's position has always been to support compatibility with all instruments. Even if you like Red Octane's drums better, you'll likely be able to use them with Rock Band 2.

When Rock Band 2 launches, you'll have an existing catalog of hundreds of songs to round out your disc content. With GH:WT, you'll get... whatever's on the disc.

I'm very surprised that anyone would find GH:WT the more exciting option, but I have to admit that the Guitar Hero brand (that Harmonix created) is very powerful.

"GH3 DLC is going to work with GH:WT"

Nope.

How are you able to compare the two. Wait until they reveal the changes and upgrades before shouting out.

PLUS, RB2 will have over 300 songs already available for DLC before the game releases to GH:WT having 0

It's all about the music and RB will have much more of it.

I wish EA and Harmonix wouldn't look at Rock Band as a typical game that necessitates a sequel but rather a client released on multiple platforms for accessing their library of downloadable songs. Update the client if there are features you would like to add, no need to release a completely new game.

Wouldn't it be great if one of these music games eventually had a library that could rival itunes? I know it's just a pipe dream.

Hard to really say for sure at this point about the 'instruments' since Harmonix has yet to show the RB2 gear.

I'd be SHOCKED if RB2 didn't match or exceed the offerings on drums/guitar that GH:WT has. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they added a 1 octave keyboard, that would rule.

@felixlighter

"Update the client if there are features you would like to add, no need to release a completely new game."

What if they wanted to do several GB worth of updates? Would you rather download and keep all that info on your HDD, or would you rather have it stored on a disc?

"I'd be SHOCKED if RB2 didn't match or exceed the offerings on drums/guitar that GH:WT has."

The guitar showed on IGN, marked as the new RB guitar, looks the same to me. Prettier, but looks functionally identical.

@Boffo the Sock
Personally, I would rather store the songs on my hard drive, unless Rock Band 2 will allow me to play the games that were included on the first Rock Band disc along with all the songs I downloaded. I just want to have access to my entire library of Rock Band songs without swapping discs.

I do understand where your coming from though. I personally have an Elite and hard drive space isn't an issue for me but I know it would be a serious problem for those with the smaller drive.

@Brian

Actually technically you can make your own tracks on guitar hero world tour. So in reality gh wt is not zero it is infinite.

Yeah, absolutely- especially for use Wii owners where Harmonix screwed the pooched. We see who is really innovating and who really cares about Wii owners, and its not Harmonix.

"I'd be SHOCKED if RB2 didn't match or exceed the offerings on drums/guitar that GH:WT has. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they added a 1 octave keyboard, that would rule."

Expect the drums to be exactly like what they are now, only better. Better rebound, better noise reduction, and more importantly, better quality.

Though I expect we'll hear about deals with peripheral makers (madcatzj, etc) to fully support the game with a variety of 3rd party, "rock band approved" controllers. So if someone wants to get the game, but would prefer to buy other controllers, they can.

I prefer the layout of the RB drums over what I've seen from GHWT. I don't care for dedicated cymbals because then that's all they can ever be.

oh and a keyboard, no way.

""GH3 DLC is going to work with GH:WT"

"Nope."

Yep.
http://www.aeropause.com/2008/06/guitar-hero-world-tour-supports-ghiii-dlc/

I wouldn't say GH:WT drums "take it to the next level." I mean yeah, they've got one more drum and the cymbals are slightly raised, but they've got flaws too. The kick pedal is going to be a major PITA for GH:WT.

And anyways, both sets still fail due to lack of second foot pedal for Hi-Hat or Double-Bass.

You're reaching, samfish. You're linking to a site that is cribbing off of an unsourced Kotaku source.

IGN has an on-the-record interview, and they were told that GH3 DLC will not work with World Tour. Sorry.

It's not ALL about the music people, it's also about the gameplay, and if GHWT can make that better, then great! Stop being Rock Band loyalists

Of course GH:WT has the edge, have we even heard any details about RB2 other than DLC and new guitar? Seriously, at least wait until we get game play footage.

"You're reaching, samfish. You're linking to a site that is cribbing off of an unsourced Kotaku source."

Agreed.

Also, even IF the GH3 songs are compatible with GH:WT, they will almost assuredly be guitar/bass tracks only, since Activision/Neversoft would have to patch or maybe even remake that DLC to add the drum and vox sections - something that I very much doubt they will do.

They added a cymbal, moved the cymbals to appropriate positions...check the pics on Joystiq, they showed the new guitar and drums for GH:WT.

Oh yeah i saw those they look awesome, but i was talkin about rockband 2 drumsets they haven't showed them yet. sorry for the misunderstanding lol .. but depending on how the rb2 drum set looks is going to factor into which one im getting, and i like how frequent rockband comes out with content, gh is slow..

What do you mean? Of course we can only base our opinions off the data we have. Besides, the GH4 drums are obviously a more natural evolution (ie: the next level), what remains to be seen is if Rock Band will attempt to outdo even those.

I hope they don't change them too much, I invested in RB back in January and I would hope that all of my instruments will continue to be compatible! Bring on RB2!!!

What kind of crap is this exactly? New DLC will still be compatible with RB. From what I gather, they are not discontinuing support in any way. If you do not want the new features and songs on the disc, then there is no need for you to purchase RB2. You could just stick with RB and keep downloading new songs. I don't understand your complaint.

Then you'll enjoy this.

It's not Harmonix's fault that the Wii has no storage. You knew what you were getting into when you bought a system with 512 MB of storage, you geek and/or otaku.

aristokrat-

Actually it has nothing to do with no storage. The SD slot can support up to 2GB, and Harmonix could have easily wrote support for an external USB HD. In either case, it doesn't seem to be affecting Activision, as they will support DLC. So its completely Harmonix's fault for gimping the Wii version.

Really, aristokrat, really?

You really want to go there? GH:WT is claiming DC, most likely with SD support. Why couldn't Harmonix do it? Why couldn't Harmonix add online play when GH3 did it? I'm sorry, but that's unacceptable.

Go take your snobbish attitude somewhere else (unless the comment was a joke, in which case I really suck at picking up sarcasm).

Maybe the reason behind the delay is that after GH:WT's anouncement they realized they had more work to do?

Anyway, Rock Band 2 better comes with some very cool features if they want Wii owners to wait those extra months for them.

Even beyond the no DLC thing, the features cut from the Wii/PS2 version were unacceptable, considering that the systems use the same kind of disc that 360 does

It was laziness on their part. Harmonix's overall void of effort (considering they didn't even make those versions anyway), is what has many Wii fans at least, clamoring for GH:WT, and rightfully so

I was hoping the "geek and/or otaku" part would be a tip-off, but alas. As I own a Wii, I too knew what I was getting into with no storage. I just don't expect all the same features from a Wii game as I do from an Xbox game. I blame Nintendo for selling at profit when they could've spent a little more on a hard drive or slightly HD-capable graphics (720p at least, as the similarly specced Xbox1 could do). At profit now means there production costs are going to be like $10 by the end of the Wii's life, so they'd better reinvest a crap ton of that money to make their next console capable of more than just waggle (or maybe make a decent internet service).

I think Nintendo Europe's marketing director really showed us behind the curtain with his "inadvertent" comment, that Nintendo has realized they don't need to sell to the "hardcore" gamer, and will make tons of money anyway. I realize the SD card is there, but I'm sure there must be some interesting DRM issues involved to make DLC storage on it work (maybe even to the point of having to be online to "authorize" the tracks). I could see the Wii version of GH:WT having to stream the tracks that you've purchased so as to stop piracy (especially considering the Wii is one of the most heavily pirated consoles around).

Also, Harmonix said they had to specifically work with Sony and Microsoft to get their environments to support backward compatibility on DLC.

I'm guessing that Microsoft was able to get a faster turnaround on the software support for this, and Harmonix was unwilling to launch on other platforms without backward compatibility.

Probably an exclusivity deal, EA/Harmonix always jump for those and MS doles out bribes like candy at Halloween.

As long as I can use the same Rock Band instruments then I'm alright with it. Well, I might be pursuaded to buy new ones if they're far better than the old ones, and backwards compatible.

Do you think you are above employment at Activision?

Maybe... ;)

Is the bottom of that rock nice? I ask since you seem to love being under there for long periods of time.

Where have you been, they announced RB1 DLC and instruments would work in RB2.

Well seeing as that news was announced today I believe I don't think you can fault people for not knowing right away...