MTV and Apple Corps announce Beatles game
by Ross Miller 
{ Oct 30th 2008 at 10:12AM }
Notes from the conference call:
- "This will not be a Rock Band title, this will be a custom title"
- Journey through The Beatles first album through their last -- "samples" from their whole catalog
- "A number of new dimensions" that you haven't seen from Harmonix before
- Just in time for the holidays ... in 2009
- Tracks are based on UK releases -- the idea is to play the songs through The Beatles career (not remixed or remastered tracks, we think)
- Is the imagery tied to the existing art from the songs and albums? The developers aren't prepared to talk about specifics, but "visual imagery" is a big part of the project
- Interoperability is not something that's being talked about yet
- "Very little" can be said about the game itself today. "MTV and Harmonix was clearly the innovator in this category of games" -- Apple Corps was really impressed with Harmonix's creative and musical approach
- "It's not a Rock Band game, it's a Beatles game. They deserve a fully dedicated title. [The game] takes advantage of the Rock Band platform in many ways ... [and it's] going to be compatible with existing Rock Band peripherals" -- we can assume that instruments from other music games (e.g., Guitar Hero) will also be supported
- No hardware platforms announced
- No comment on licensing Beatles tunes for other games -- this is an exclusive arrangement for Beatles music in video games (as for digital distribution of The Beatles catalog on music services (e.g., iTunes): Apple Corps is still working out details; no announcement to make nor date nor anything else!)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
sofun @ Oct 30th 2008 10:16AM
Nice!
JohnMazz @ Oct 30th 2008 10:54AM
Nice!
Tiptup300 @ Oct 30th 2008 12:50PM
Nice!
Dr. Reverend Shmoove, PhD @ Oct 30th 2008 1:23PM
ringo is gonna be pissed
Haggard @ Oct 30th 2008 2:11PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUsBqDfnIzk
NickDynmo @ Oct 30th 2008 10:18AM
It's not a Rock Band branded game :(
Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 30th 2008 10:20AM
Ok, am I missing something?
How is 'Rock Band: The Beatles' not a Rock Band branded game?
JPN @ Oct 30th 2008 10:22AM
Because it's not a Rock Band game?
Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 30th 2008 10:35AM
Ok, just so I don't appear totally foolish, the blog entry did say 'Rock Band: The Beatles', but changed after I made my comment. Therefore, I take back my comment. x\
Bunnyears @ Oct 30th 2008 10:39AM
It's not actually called "Rock Band: The Beatles." It will use RB tech and controllers, but it's not a DLC pack or an expansion disc with RB branding.
NickDynmo @ Oct 30th 2008 10:37AM
:)
John Z @ Oct 30th 2008 10:42AM
I'm kind of glad it's not just "Rock Band: Beatles". Given how well Harmonix worked with just the vague concept of "be a rock star", this just gives me a lot of hope that they'll pull out something truly deserving of both the Beatles catalog and the word "epic".
In one of those completely appropriate coincidences, "All You Need Is Love" came up on shuffle JUST as I started reading this article. I swear I am not making that up.
Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM
koo koo katchoo.
Mr Khan @ Oct 30th 2008 11:27AM
I am the walrus
dark_inchworm @ Oct 30th 2008 11:36AM
No, Dirty is the walrus.
:)
Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 30th 2008 11:38AM
well, I am the eggman.
Tiptup300 @ Oct 30th 2008 12:52PM
Shut the fuck up donnie, VI Lennon, Velon, Illeon, Ollienoff!
Hooray It's Rob! @ Oct 30th 2008 1:21PM
Yikes! Not one name right.
"V.I. Lenin! Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov!"
Are you employed, sir?
Alex @ Oct 30th 2008 9:55PM
It's "Goo Ga Joob". :/
Saria the Cat @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM
Separate disc expansion?!?!?! *girl squeal*
Saria the Cat @ Oct 30th 2008 10:38AM
...Severe let-down?!?!?! *cries inside*
jorojoserojas @ Oct 30th 2008 10:55AM
Don't let me dooooown...
Shagittarius @ Oct 30th 2008 11:13AM
Why don't we do it in the road?
RC @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM
That's pretty big. Never really wanted any of these pretend playing music games. But I might just get Rock Band for this.
dark_inchworm @ Oct 30th 2008 11:44AM
"But I might just get Rock Band for this."
Looks like you'd be buying the wrong product :(
(Still, you should invest in Rock Band. Too much awesome.)
Trippy Haps @ Oct 30th 2008 2:18PM
I must not be aware of them...are there other video games that don't involve 'pretending'?
VanillaMummy @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM
RIP Guitar Hero franchise
ExMcCloud @ Oct 30th 2008 10:21AM
Does getting defeated by the developers who CREATED your game in the first place constitute as IRONY?
VanillaMummy @ Oct 30th 2008 10:22AM
More like poetic justice ....
andyg8180 @ Oct 30th 2008 10:59AM
That was stupid... Do you say Goodbye Halo Franchise because Call of Duty comes out??
dark_inchworm @ Oct 30th 2008 11:40AM
Yes, VanillaMummy was being COMPLETELY SERIOUS. Can't you see that Activision will give and cease developing Guitar Hero titles forever?
WE NEVER JOKE HERE.
Zoot Suit Jedi @ Oct 30th 2008 12:15PM
@Andyg8180
Yes. Yes, I did.
Lone Starr @ Oct 30th 2008 4:46PM
And Andy misses the point completely...
Sinister Rouge @ Nov 1st 2008 6:24AM
Don't forget ExMcCloud, who needs to have a long hard look at "irony" in the dictionary. It's not ironic, just... unfortunate.
Jason Chapa @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM
Now I can 'Come Together' 'With a Little Help From My Friends' and form 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.'
dark_inchworm @ Oct 30th 2008 11:45AM
WTF wrong post.
friggin' fraggin' blah
ExMcCloud @ Oct 30th 2008 10:19AM
Woot!!! Now get some Michael Jackson on there and I'm super HAPPY! (Also Prince, and Lenny Kravitz)
dark_inchworm @ Oct 30th 2008 11:47AM
Harmonix disavows rendering children or symbols as artist names.
ExMcCloud @ Oct 30th 2008 4:36PM
Seriously everybody hates Prince yo dude can play his ass off....And so can Lenny Kravitz...U guys are nutz...lmao
Stiletto @ Oct 30th 2008 10:20AM
My sources say it is not an expansion disc, but a new game! Stupid Harmonix. I thought RB was supposed to be a platform, not a new game every few months like Guitar Hero garbage.
Bakkster @ Oct 30th 2008 10:43AM
I don't think that the Beatles have usable masters for a Rock Band. They recorded straight to 4-track almost their entire career, meaning the instruments aren't separated. This is needed to make a quality Rock Band track, hence why they are making a new, not-Rock Band, game.
T @ Oct 30th 2008 10:37AM
Rock Band is a platform.
But this ISN'T A ROCK BAND GAME!
Stiletto @ Oct 30th 2008 11:03AM
Yeah, its not a Rock Band game but is exactly the same with Beatles songs and graphics. That sounds like a new game to me.
tooPrime @ Oct 30th 2008 10:20AM
Is it really a Rock Band expansion? I read otherwise elsewhere...
tooPrime @ Oct 30th 2008 10:54AM
I also want to throw out there, the world is full of hypocrites, I mean honestly. As someone who reads way too many comments in these retarded music game stories, it's really amazing. For example:
"Jimi Hendrix GH Exclusive"
Comments: Exclusives are terrible for the industry! Boo corporate overlords!
"Anything about GH:Aerosmith"
Comments: Single band games are an awful idea, DLC all the way!
"Exclusive Single Band Beatles Game"
Comments: Awesome I love exclusive single band games if they're the band I like and by the company I like!!!
I'm just saying, it's cool to like the Beatles and what not, but many of you have denounced such ventures in the past.
SKI @ Oct 30th 2008 11:17AM
GH:Areosmith & GH:Metallica = Activision is milking the franchise, lets kill them all!!
RB: AC/DC Track Pack & this Beatles project = Harmonix loves us, lets kill all GH players!!
VaultICEE @ Oct 30th 2008 7:37PM
Honestly, that's what I'm seeing here too.
I'm excited for The Beatles' sake, but I hope we aren't getting excited over another GH: Aerosmith or GH: Metallica type of thing.
But I'm remaining optimistic that there's something special about this game. Hopefully.
Scott Brooks @ Oct 30th 2008 10:20AM
7:18 -- Q&A starts. First question -- it's not a "Rock Band" branded title, says Rigopulos. Will be released holiday of next year.
Wha??
JJ Rooster @ Oct 30th 2008 10:21AM
Regardless of your personal like of the Beatles, this is a HUGE score for Rock Band. The biggest band in the world ever signs with you? The PR ripple effect is enough to warrant the cash they spent.
koehler83 @ Oct 30th 2008 10:23AM
I will take this opportunity to say that the Beatles suck.