Rock Band Unplugged detailed, priced and dated

by Jem Alexander { Apr 8th 2009 at 7:53AM }

What better way to start the mid-week than with a hefty dose of Rock Band Unplugged info? The game will be available in the US and Europe on June 9, making this the first Rock Band game to be released in both regions during the same six-month period on a Sony system. There's no word on a European price yet, but Americans will need to part with $39.99 in order to grab the game.

A limited edition PSP package will also be released on June 9 and will include Rock Band Unplugged, a download voucher for School of Rock, a 4GB memory stick and a Piano Black PSP for $199.99. Rock Band Unplugged will be the first PSP title to have a "fully-featured in-game store," through which several songs -- listed below -- will be made available exclusively for a limited time before being released across the entire Rock Band platform. And yes, your existing PlayStation Network ID will be supported.

3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"
AFI - "Miss Murder"
Alice in Chains - "Would?"
Audioslave - "Gasoline"
Black Tide - "Show Me the Way"
Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
Freezepop - "Less Talk More Rokk"
Jackson 5 - "ABC"
Tenacious D - "Rock Your Socks"

[Update] Also, check out the new trailer after the break.

Gallery: Rock Band Unplugged

Tags: ea, Harmonix, mtv, music, PSP, rock-band, rock-band-unplugged

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

sambo @ Apr 8th 2009 8:00AM

I still don't understand how you will play this game.

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Apr 8th 2009 8:01AM

You and me both. I know you can switch tracks but are you forced to like in Amplitude? A gameplay video would be nice.

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Apr 8th 2009 8:40AM

THERE'S the video... egads...

This will feel awkward without the electronica behind it. It also looks MUCH easier from Amplitude...

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 8:48AM

There are a few small clips within a big video on the PlayStation.Blog (also, they updated this blog post with it). You play with the left and up D-Pad buttons and the triangle and circle buttons to play. If you've played FreQuency, Amplitude, or Phase, you know the gameplay.

You play a phrase of notes, then it plays for a while. You use L and R to switch between tracks of instruments.

anonymous @ Apr 8th 2009 9:04AM

That's because you never played DJ Max Portable.

Kyle @ Apr 8th 2009 11:04AM

I love Amplitude so I'm sure I'll be getting this. Lord knows I need SOMETHING to justify me not selling my PSP.

Tiptup300 @ Apr 8th 2009 1:41PM

You use

DpadLeft, DpadRight, Triangle, & Circle.

then most likely L/R to switch tracks.

Aguiluz @ Apr 8th 2009 8:38PM

@anonymous

I (heart) DJMAX Portable!

Lars @ Apr 9th 2009 2:02PM

On the vid it showed d-pad & face buttons sometimes... Does that mean there are other input methods? I hope you can at least use the built-in mic or external mic for vocals... otherwise this just seems retarded. Some kind of integration with RB for PS3 would be cool.

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Apr 8th 2009 8:00AM

The music is loud
The night is so young
All over the world
They want to have fun
The music gets louder
Please Don't call the cops
All over the world
They just want to rock...

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 8:13AM

It really upset me that there was no Freezepop on the Rock Band 2 disc and that there's no DLC since "Sprode." My theory has been that Harmonix is mad at them for having a song on Guitar Hero: World Tour, but now that they're on RBU, I guess that's wrong. lol

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Apr 8th 2009 8:26AM

Last time I checked, 2/3s of Freezepop WORKED at Harmonix. Only Lisa was outside of that company.

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 9:00AM

Yeah, I know, but still, they may have decided that whoever licenses tracks should kinda skip over their selection, or maybe the members decided that they wanted to go a Harmonix game without feeling obligated to put songs on it.

Kyle @ Apr 8th 2009 11:03AM

Harmonix seem to respect that most of their employees are musicians (I think I read here somewhere that they give them holiday if their band is on tour) so I'm sure that they'd realise that Freezepop getting their songs on as many different platforms as possible is only in the bands best interests.

Kid Chemical @ Apr 8th 2009 11:10AM

Pretty sure Freezepop announced they weren't going to include any tracks for RB2 or any new DLC till they produced some new material.

Nobody reads the emails from them I suppose.

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 5:19PM

Freezepop sent an email at one point saying they would charge monthly for premium updates for their hardcore fans. While other bands do that for free on Twitter, they want $3/month. My opinion of them declined after that news.

Also, LTMR isn't new. And would have been a welcome addition to RB2...

Glen L. Ivet @ Apr 8th 2009 8:03AM

I wonder if one purchase will get you the PSP and PS3 versions down the road.
That would add value and not screw the dual owning consumer so...probably not.

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 8:12AM

Don't count on it. It uses the Rock Band name and features, but when it comes to gameplay, it's more of a FreQuency/Amplitude style. So it's Rock Band without being Rock Band.

Tarheel @ Apr 8th 2009 8:33AM

Then a PSP track shouldn't cost the same as a PS3 track, but I'm guessing they will.

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 8:11AM

I've been looking for an excuse to upgrade from my first-generation PSP, especially with the whole PSP Plus feature of Retribution. Here's my excuse, finally!

WhiteShield @ Apr 8th 2009 3:49PM

assassin's creed, little big planet, or motor storm weren't enough for you? lol

linebeginstoblur @ Apr 8th 2009 5:10PM

Well, I didn't see those as excuses to buy an entire new PSP. But a game I've really anticipated coming out in a bundle excites me. My PSP-1000's been fine, but I'd like a new one, but I didn't--until now--think it was worth $200. Still might not be, but eh, oh well. lol

Deaddy @ Apr 8th 2009 8:16AM

Cool about the Blink 182 song, I'll get that for PS3. I already have a PSP, but I'm sick of piano black, why do they keep putting it in bundles? I'd buy a different color next time.

Martin @ Apr 8th 2009 8:33AM

You could always go for the Lilac Hannah Montana bundle they have slated for release.

Deaddy @ Apr 8th 2009 8:38AM

That didn't look that bad, as long as there isn't any stupid art on it. I would go with silver though, the matte one that wouldn't leave fingerprints. Only got piano black cause I wanted a core system at the time, no bundle.

aristokrat @ Apr 8th 2009 11:13AM

I actually kind of want the lilac one for the irony.

baby sea tuna @ Apr 8th 2009 8:25AM

Yuck. More good songs please. Joke bands and shitty 3rd generation pop-punk is not going to do it for me (though ABC is a nice addition.) Plus, it's going to take a lot for Harmonix to make up for the fact that my RB2 drum set (which is only like 4 months old) had the bass-drum connector crap out the other day. Grrr...

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Apr 8th 2009 8:25AM

from the Video on the PS Blog it appears to be using the Standard PSP controls...

That could be kinda awkward I think but I'm sure it can be done. Dunno if I will be getting it tho. One thing is certain, PSP games this year will be on point

Kenofthedead @ Apr 8th 2009 8:29AM

I enjoyed D-Pad Hero (a NES Demake of Guitar Hero), but only for it's novelty and the fact it's free. Not really sure if I could get behind a full priced game like this. Hands would scream in pure terror after a song or two.

We need more Guitaroo Man instead.

Andrew Yoon @ Apr 8th 2009 9:45AM

More Gitaroo-Man would be awesome.

Kyle @ Apr 8th 2009 11:03AM

Second.

Nicknin10do @ Apr 8th 2009 8:41AM

So theses songs are pretty much guarantee to be DLC for Rock Band?
Cause that's what the last part seems to be saying.
And if it is true, then YES, more tenacious D to sing.

WiNG [XBL&Steam: WiNGSPANTT] from lifeinagame.com @ Apr 8th 2009 8:49AM

I coulda sworn I saw Obama in this video.

Anders @ Apr 11th 2009 4:04PM

seems like a total step back when you consider the fact that you don't hav any sort of instrument. At leaset with guitar hero on ds u got that little add-on thing for use as a fret board

crashcarstar @ Apr 8th 2009 9:12AM

Please let this mean that we will get some Jackson 5 on the regular consoles.

superklye @ Apr 8th 2009 9:27AM

Directly from the article:

several songs -- listed below -- will be made available exclusively for a limited time before being released across the entire Rock Band platform.

crashcarstar @ Apr 8th 2009 12:37PM

I read that, I meant MORE.

SithAboveAll @ Apr 8th 2009 9:18AM

i'll wait and see if a new PSP is announced at E3, if it isnt, then i may finally get this.

NeoK-182 @ Apr 8th 2009 9:49AM

not using instruments seems kinda pointless to me, but the PSP needs something like this so go for it.

loving the song list there. hope it's not too long of a wait for the songs to reach 360/PS3

and the switching tracks is kinda weird. hope thats an option and not forced. really hard to tell in the video.

spottednigel @ Apr 8th 2009 11:03AM

It's forced. You are the entire band in a sense. Go play amplitude to get a feel for it, great game.

Banana Kid @ Apr 8th 2009 10:11AM

GIVE IT UP FOR KG GIVE IT UP FOR ME

KingOfHearts @ Apr 8th 2009 10:20AM

The bundle comes w/ a 4gig memory stick.. Nice Remember when the PSP was bundled w/ the 32meg stick? Lol.Good times. Good times.

Deaddy @ Apr 8th 2009 10:32AM

I like how they mapped half the buttons to the left side, unlike Beats. But I can't picture paying for DLC songs just for the PSP. The gameplay is not deep or immersive, it's not really Rock Band. They should allow you to dowload songs for free that you've purchased on PS3 or 360. Or discount the PSP songs to like 99 cents or something. I like that they're doing something for the PSP though, I support the idea of this game but don't think I could buy it.

Neuromancer @ Apr 8th 2009 11:36AM

Is it just me or does Beats kind of suck? Downloaded it the other day, I feel like even with the songs that come with it, notes really don't correspond to the music at all, let alone when you use your own stuff.

Deaddy @ Apr 8th 2009 12:20PM

Beats does kind of suck, at least it was cheap. I find Phase for iPod does a better job, and although Audiosurf doesn't really seem to directly match up notes to your songs, it feels most like I'm actually riding on my song as I play. You gotta try the Audiosurf demo for PC.

Sly (PSN slycooper_rocker) @ Apr 8th 2009 11:35AM

this game is really making me excited. audioslave, alice in chains, and tenacious d FTW. and the bundle comes with school of rock which is a great movie.

leo @ Apr 8th 2009 11:49AM

Im starting to lean back to the PSP in terms of games.. I am having such trouble choosing between a dsi and a black psp 3000.

halebound00 @ Apr 8th 2009 12:12PM

This is cool and all, but what I would really like to see is a PS3 version of something like "Beats" that would utilize the Rockband instruments so you could play songs that you already own (and would produce notes better than Beats did). We all know that would never happen but a fella can dream.

KeegdnaB @ Apr 8th 2009 12:38PM

I'm really liking this cause it seems like it's less of an attempt at portablizing rock band as it is a spiritual successor to frequency/amplitude with rock band theming which is necessary for circumventing IP restrictions (since sony techincally owns Freq/Amp) as well as useful for marketing it to people who have know idea what the originals are.