Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[MTV admits higher sales of Beatles: Rock Band were expected in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/mtv-admits-higher-sales-of-beatles-rock-band-were-expected/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/mtv-admits-higher-sales-of-beatles-rock-band-were-expected/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/mtv-admits-higher-sales-of-beatles-rock-band-were-expected/#comments The Beatles: Rock Band may have been a critical success, but it never achieved the levels of commercial success MTV had hoped for in Europe. MTV general manager Scott Guthrie told MCV that a combination of the bad economy and competition contributed to the game's undesirable performance.

"We got caught in a few things that happened last year. It was a tough economy; there was a lot of competitive products out there, and I think Beatles probably had softer sales than it would have if some of those things weren't in play," he said. "Overall we were pleased with the sales. I think that we underestimated the competition and they took mind share away from us." This shouldn't be an issue for MTV's next game, Green Day: Rock Band, the company hopes.

The competition Guthrie talks about is Guitar Hero 5, which did gangbusters in Europe. But while Guitar Hero 5 was busy selfishly generating cash for Activision, The Beatles: Rock Band managed to generate a lot of cash for charity, so that has to help MTV get through those cold nights. Right?

JoystiqMTV admits higher sales of Beatles: Rock Band were expected in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 May 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-ArtsharmonixMicrosoftmtvmtv-gamesNintendorock-bandscott-guthriethe-beatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Fri, 21 May 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Green Day: Rock Band more familiar to 'core audience' than The Beatles, MTV Games says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/green-day-more-familiar-to-core-audience-than-beatles/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/green-day-more-familiar-to-core-audience-than-beatles/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/green-day-more-familiar-to-core-audience-than-beatles/#commentsThe Beatles are a tough act to follow. And so, several weeks from the release of Green Day: Rock Band, publisher MTV Games has some promoting to do. MTV Games GM Scott Gutherie recently explained the reasoning behind picking the younger, less "classic rock"-oriented band for its next single-act music game following The Beatles: Rock Band.

"We were pleased with the performance of Beatles: Rock Band, but we were expecting higher sales," Guthrie said. "Our core audience of 16- to 34-year-old males are much more familiar with Green Day music than The Beatles." Targeting the core gaming audience with a band active during their lifetimes certainly seems like a sensible business move, though it does signal a move away from the kind of market expansion MTV and Harmonix were attempting with Beatles. However, Guthrie's suggestion that "Green Day probably has a much higher awareness than perhaps The Beatles did" seems like a stretch. Everyone knows The Beatles.

The clear market advantage that the Green Day game does have is the benefit of being compatible with Rock Band's existing and ever-growing library, as its tracks are exportable (for a fee) to Xbox 360 and PS3 hard drives and playable in the main iterations of the series. Though Guthrie didn't say as much, it's possible Beatles sales suffered because the game was a standalone project, which didn't mesh well with the Rock Band ethos and its core demographic.

Gallery: Green Day: Rock Band

JoystiqGreen Day: Rock Band more familiar to 'core audience' than The Beatles, MTV Games says originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-Artsgreen-daygreen-day-rock-bandharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesmusicNintendorhythmrock-bandscott-guthrieThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Fri, 14 May 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Beatles: Rock Band value bundle for 360 just $51 on Amazon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-beatles-rock-band-value-bundle-for-360-just-51-on-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-beatles-rock-band-value-bundle-for-360-just-51-on-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/24/the-beatles-rock-band-value-bundle-for-360-just-51-on-amazon/#comments Back when The Beatles: Rock Band's Special Value Bundle was first announced, we had some reservations about how much of a "special value" it really was. However, a recent Amazon discount has made its description irrefutable: For just $51.08 (shipping included), you can grab the 360 version of the bundle, which includes a copy of the game and a set of instruments from the original Rock Band. If you can deal with the calamitous clicking and clacking of the series' original drum kit, that's one heck of a deal.

There's no telling how long this discount will be offered, or how many copies of the bundle are still available, so prospective mop-toppers should act swiftly.

[Via CheapCollegeGamer]

JoystiqThe Beatles: Rock Band value bundle for 360 just $51 on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazondealharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesrhythmrock-bandsalespecial-value-bundlethe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandXbox-360Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Deja Vu: The Beatles: Rock Band only $29 on Amazon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/deja-vu-the-beatles-rock-band-only-29-on-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/deja-vu-the-beatles-rock-band-only-29-on-amazon/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/deja-vu-the-beatles-rock-band-only-29-on-amazon/#comments Whether you're drowning in peripherals or relatively new to the music simulation racket, Amazon's got two options for you to jump into The Beatles: Rock Band. As part of the retailer's Deal of the Day, the -- wait a minute. Have we written this post before? Either they've changed something in the Matrix, or we've totally written this post before. Ah-ha! We knew it -- Amazon is reprising its temporary fire sale on all things Beatles: Rock Band, knocking the price of the core game (on all platforms) down to $28.49.

If you're dying to get your hands on the Premium Bundle's stylish instruments, you can grab the Xbox 360 version for $124.75 or the PS3 version for $134.75. Sorry, Wii owners -- the bundle for your console didn't get encheapened today. We know. Life is super unfair sometimes.

JoystiqDeja Vu: The Beatles: Rock Band only $29 on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazondeal-of-the-daydealsMicrosoftNintendosalethe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Mega64 pokes fun at The Beatles: Rock Band with a little help from a friend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/mega64-pokes-fun-at-the-beatles-rock-band-with-a-little-help-fr/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/mega64-pokes-fun-at-the-beatles-rock-band-with-a-little-help-fr/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/mega64-pokes-fun-at-the-beatles-rock-band-with-a-little-help-fr/#comments Mega64 gets back to its roots in the troupe's latest video, enlisting the aid of John and Jane Q. Public to create another minute and a half of comedy based on The Beatles: Rock Band. You're probably asking yourself how the trio can recreate the full British pop quartet. To answer that, we offer this: through the aid of a surprise guest, of course!

Head past the break to see who. We're pretty sure you'll never guess who it is.

[Thanks, Brock]

Continue reading Mega64 pokes fun at The Beatles: Rock Band with a little help from a friend

JoystiqMega64 pokes fun at The Beatles: Rock Band with a little help from a friend originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>comedyeaElectronic-Artsharmonixmega64Microsoftmtv-gamesmusicNintendorhythmrock-bandthe-beatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC: The UI of The Beatles Rock Band]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/14/gdc-the-ui-of-the-beatles-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/14/gdc-the-ui-of-the-beatles-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/14/gdc-the-ui-of-the-beatles-rock-band/#comments
Most UI panels at the Game Developers' Conference tend to be full of dry technical information, all about how the team developed their own font kerning tool and organized menu elements in a data-driven fashion. The Harmonix UI panel this morning hosted by Senior Artist Kevin McGinnis did have that stuff (McGinnis is a self-diagnosed font geek, and did sound overly excited about formatting bitmaps), but it was also full of art -- beautiful The Beatles: Rock Band inspired art.

McGinnis talked about the different concepts the team had tried -- they first attempted to do a very clean, serene respectful version of the menus, but then decided to go much more colorful. They hired a few artists to build the menus up into actual 3D spaces (after accidentally telling Apple Corps that yes, the menus would all be animated), and McGinnis even showed off the 3D model that the camera zooms around in to guide the player into the game. You can see all of the art in the gallery below, from the various pieces of flair to the menu designs and concept work.

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band Art

JoystiqGDC: The UI of The Beatles Rock Band originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dapple-corpsartartistartistscolorfulconceptsfontsgallerygdcgdc-2010harmonixkevin-mcginnismodelplainrock-bandspacesthe-beatles-rock-bandSun, 14 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon Deal of the Day: Beatles: Rock Band for under $30]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/amazon-deal-of-the-day-beatles-rock-band-for-under-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/amazon-deal-of-the-day-beatles-rock-band-for-under-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/amazon-deal-of-the-day-beatles-rock-band-for-under-30/#comments If you've yet to play one of those rhythm games that exclusively features the work of a single band, but you're dying to temper your expectations for Green Day: Rock Band, you should probably consider picking up the similarly-titled Harmonix opus that focuses on the career of the Beatles. In fact, you should do it right now -- Amazon's offering Beatles: Rock Band for $28.49 on all three major platforms as its Deal of the Day. As an added bonus, the retailer is also selling the Premium Edition bundle, which includes all those sexy instruments, for just $139 (down from MSRP $200).

We recognize that The Beatles are no Green Day, but you should be able to emulate playing the upcoming Billie Jo Armstrong simulator by muting your television while playing Beatles, and just crankin' up the Dookie.

JoystiqAmazon Deal of the Day: Beatles: Rock Band for under $30 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbeatlesdeal-of-the-daydealsMicrosoftNintendosaleThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[BAFTA people's choice GOTY voting now open]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/bafta-peoples-choice-goty-voting-now-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/bafta-peoples-choice-goty-voting-now-open/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/bafta-peoples-choice-goty-voting-now-open/#comments Do you live in the UK and dream every night about the possibility of one day voting on a people's choice game of the year award? Right, us neither, but if you're into that kinda thing, UK retailer GAME is holding the second annual GAME British Academy Video Games Awards at the London Hilton on March 19 and you can vote for the awards show's top "honour." Sure, you can't actually buy tickets and attend or anything crazy like that (the event is live-streamed online, in fairness), but you still have just over a month to put in your vote for one of the 10 games in the running -- games that were chosen from a list comprising "the top selling games of the year sold in GAME stores."

At the very least, voters will automatically be entered into a contest to win a "Sony Home Entertainment Package," so, if nothing else, there's always the possibility of winning a Sony ... something (or somethings). Click through or glance a few inches up for the people's choice award contestant list.

Continue reading BAFTA people's choice GOTY voting now open

JoystiqBAFTA people's choice GOTY voting now open originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-2baftabatman-arkham-asylumchinatown-warsDSgame-awardsgame-british-academy-video-games-awardsMicrosoftmodern-warfare-2Nintendostreet-fighter-ivthe-beatles-rock-bandthe-legend-of-zelda-spirit-tracksuncharted-2Uncharted-2-Among-ThievesWiiwii-sports-resortXbox-360Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Beatles: Rock Band DLC 'All You Need is Love' coming to PS3, Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/the-beatles-rock-band-dlc-all-you-need-is-love-coming-to-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/the-beatles-rock-band-dlc-all-you-need-is-love-coming-to-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/11/the-beatles-rock-band-dlc-all-you-need-is-love-coming-to-ps3/#comments The Beatles: Rock Band single "All You Need is Love" will bounce on trampolines over to Wii and PS3 on February 16 and March 4, respectively. The song was initially released exclusively on Xbox 360, with proceeds from purchases going to Doctors Without Borders. The track raised approximately $218,000 for the international relief agency before the promotion ended on January 31.

All you need to download the track and start singing along is $2, or 200 Wii Points.

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band: Abbey Road DLC

JoystiqThe Beatles: Rock Band DLC 'All You Need is Love' coming to PS3, Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-you-need-is-lovebeatlesdlcharmonixmtv-gamesNintendothe-beatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiThu, 11 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Beatles: Rock Band raises $217,780 for charity (so far)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/the-beatles-rock-band-raises-217-780-for-charity-so-far/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/the-beatles-rock-band-raises-217-780-for-charity-so-far/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/28/the-beatles-rock-band-raises-217-780-for-charity-so-far/#comments When you guys aren't setting franchise records downloading a track for The Beatles: Rock Band, you're helping to save lives .... well, actually, we guess you were kinda doing them both at the same time. My, what wonderful multitaskers you all are!

Microsoft has revealed that the Xbox-exclusive track "All You Need Is Love" managed to procure $217,780 to date for the Doctors Without Borders charity, an international humanitarian outfit that specializes in assisting those in need in impoverished and war-torn countries. That figure comes from both the DLC and the custom Xbox 360 auctioned off for $17,400.

Oh, and if you didn't know all that about the charity stuff and just wanted to download a Beatles song, then there it is: you're making the world a better place, one harmony and hot guitar solo at a time. All proceeds from "All You Need Is Love" will go to Doctors Without Borders up until January 31.

JoystiqThe Beatles: Rock Band raises $217,780 for charity (so far) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charitydoctors-without-borderseaElectronic-ArtsharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesrock-bandthe-beatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-Bandthe-beatles-rock-band-dlcXbox-360xbox-liveThu, 28 Jan 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Beatles: Rock Band does 1.7M as music games continue slide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/beatles-rock-band-does-1-7m-as-music-games-continue-slide/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/beatles-rock-band-does-1-7m-as-music-games-continue-slide/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/beatles-rock-band-does-1-7m-as-music-games-continue-slide/#comments Sales of the latest Rock Band game seem to be fueled less by Beatlemania and more by Beatlemildinterest. According to the L.A. Times, the NPD estimates that The Beatles: Rock Band moved 357,000 units in December, for a total of 1.18 million in the U.S. Worldwide, the game has sold 1.7 million, the same amount Rock Band 2 sold in the U.S. alone during its first four months. A spokesperson for MTV Games said the company was pleased with the holiday sales, though "some European markets performed below the company's expectations."

It's not terribly encouraging, but perhaps EA should be happy the news isn't worse: According to the NPD, the music genre is down 46% year-over-year to $1.06 billion. Though rock may be its stock-in-trade, it seems like music games spent most of 2009 singing the blues.

[Via VG247]

JoystiqThe Beatles: Rock Band does 1.7M as music games continue slide originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-ArtsharmonixMicrosoftmusicNintendonpdthe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The Beatles: Rock Band limited edition for Xbox just $200 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/the-beatles-rock-band-limited-edition-for-xbox-just-160/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/the-beatles-rock-band-limited-edition-for-xbox-just-160/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/the-beatles-rock-band-limited-edition-for-xbox-just-160/#commentsIf you've got to get the Beatles: Rock Band limited edition into your life, but don't have $250 around to pay for it, you'll be happy with what Amazon has done. In fact, since what Amazon has done is "knock $90 off the price of the Xbox 360 version," it would be hard to imagine anyone being unhappy with it who doesn't work for EA or Amazon. Right now, you can get the Xbox 360 version of The Beatles: Rock Band, with the Beatles replica instruments, for $159.99. The PS3 version is not as dramatically discounted, but is still better than MSRP at $199.99.

If you want wireless instruments and the game, but don't care about the Beatles-esque look of the guitar and drums, you can get the Special Value Edition for $139.99 on either Xbox or PS3 -- or, for wireless drums, a copy of the Rock Band 2 special edition bundled with a copy of Beatles from EA's Rock Band Deals Online for $149.

In conclusion, don't ever pay $250 for Rock Band.

Update: Price has risen to $200 for the Xbox version -- the pitfall of reporting on markdowns. Also, fixed reference to wireless instruments in the Special Value Edition.

[Via Cheap College Gamers]

JoystiqThe Beatles: Rock Band limited edition for Xbox just $200 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazondealseaElectronic-ArtsharmonixMicrosoftthe-beatles-rock-bandXbox-360Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/best-of-the-rest-chris-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/best-of-the-rest-chris-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/best-of-the-rest-chris-picks-of-2009/#comments Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
A high-definition update - with high-quality voice work to boot! - of the adventure gaming classic, Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition represents a sea change in how LucasArts treats its adventure gaming roots. Instead of squirelling them away in a vault while development continues on Star Wars title after Star Wars title, LucasArts is putting them up on Steam, and remastering them for a whole new audience, with the first Monkey Island adventure leading the charge.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>50-Cent-Blood-on-the-Sandbest-of-the-rest-2009Microsoftnew-super-mario-bros-wiiNintendopenny-arcade-adventures-3penny-arcade-adventures-episode-3Red-Faction-Guerrillaresident-evil-5Secret-of-Monkey-Island-Special-EditionThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWetWiiXbox-360Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/best-of-the-rest-justins-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/best-of-the-rest-justins-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/best-of-the-rest-justins-picks-of-2009/#comments
Time Gentlemen, Please
This was hands-down the funniest game released in 2009, and 2009 was a year in which we got a new Tim Schafer game and the return of the Monkey Island series, so that's saying something. If you missed out, please go buy it, it's cheap as can be and a true delight.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2009

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>50-cent-blood-on-the-sandbest-of-the-rest-2009bionic-commandobrutal-legendcall-of-juarez-bound-in-blooddrop-7house-of-the-dead-overkillkillzone-2Microsoftqwoprock-bandscribblenautsthe-beatles-rock-bandtime-gentlemen-pleasewetXbox-360Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[European PSN releases for December 17]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/european-psn-releases-for-december-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/european-psn-releases-for-december-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/european-psn-releases-for-december-17/#comments It's a holiday miracle! Though there are a few intriguing items in this week's PSN update (such as the long overdue release of Braid, a demo for Army of Two: The 40th Day and Beatles: Rock Band's "Rubber Soul" DLC), the highlight of this latest update is the delectable set of discounts. Some games have had their prices temporarily reduced, such as Battlefield 1943 and Burnout Paradise. Others, such as Puzzle Quest and The Cube, have been permanently encheapened. Click past the jump to see the full list of additions and discounts!

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continue reading European PSN releases for December 17

JoystiqEuropean PSN releases for December 17 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AKI-CorporationArmy-of-Two-The-40th-DaybraidDef-JamDef-Jam-Fight-for-NYDef-Jam-Fight-for-NY-The-TakeoverElectronic-ArtsFightingpsn-thursdaypuzzle-questThe-Beatles-Rock-Bandthe-cubeThu, 17 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rock Band Weekly: Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, All-American Rejects, Beatles: Rubber Soul album]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/rock-band-weekly-green-day-30-seconds-to-mars-all-american-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/rock-band-weekly-green-day-30-seconds-to-mars-all-american-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/rock-band-weekly-green-day-30-seconds-to-mars-all-american-re/#comments For the sake of clarity and brevity in this week's Rock Band Weekly, let's split this info up:
  • The Beatles: Rock Band will have the album Rubber Soul available next week. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road were previously released on November 17 and October 20, respectively.
  • The standard Rock Band music store receives new tracks from All-American Rejects, 30 Seconds to Mars and even more Green Day.
As a reminder, Rock Band Unplugged DLC is going on holiday for an unspecified amount of time. Check out pricing and track details after the break.

Update: MTV Games/Harmonix has corrected the pricing for Rubber Soul.

Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, All-American Rejects, Beatles: Rubber Soul album

JoystiqRock Band Weekly: Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, All-American Rejects, Beatles: Rubber Soul album originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>30-seconds-to-marsall-american-rejectsDLC-HD10Vgreen-dayharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesNintendorock-bandrock-band-2rock-band-dlcrock-band-weeklyThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Walmart offering $50 gift card with Wii purchase next week, cheaper games now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/walmart-offering-50-gift-card-with-wii-purchase-next-week-chea/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/walmart-offering-50-gift-card-with-wii-purchase-next-week-chea/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/walmart-offering-50-gift-card-with-wii-purchase-next-week-chea/#commentsSad that you missed all the Black Friday sales? Walmart wants to take advantage of that feeling of being left out, with a series of December sales and price drops. The most exciting offer: for one week (from December 5 -12), every Wii will come with a $50 gift card, effectively dropping the price to a ridiculous $150.

Walmart's price drops on games are less dramatic, failing to reach the depths of, say, Amazon's Black Friday weekend drops, but the list provided (after the break) does include a lot of hot games for less than MSRP -- like The Beatles: Rock Band on Wii for $40 and Batman, Dragon Age, Left 4 Dead 2, and a lot more for $50 each. Walmart promises more price drops on its website and in stores. How can it afford to do this stuff?

Oh, right, by dominating the entire retail industry.

Continue reading Walmart offering $50 gift card with Wii purchase next week, cheaper games now

JoystiqWalmart offering $50 gift card with Wii purchase next week, cheaper games now originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-age-originsleft-4-dead-2MicrosoftNintendosalethe-beatles-rock-bandwalmartWiiXbox-360Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Toys R Us announces pre-Black Friday game deals]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/18/toys-r-us-announces-pre-black-friday-game-deals/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/18/toys-r-us-announces-pre-black-friday-game-deals/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/18/toys-r-us-announces-pre-black-friday-game-deals/#commentsIn a refreshing move, Toys R Us revealed some November video game deals for Sunday, November 22 through Thursday, November 26, available both in-store and online. Therefore, they won't require you to stand outside in the middle of the night or battle other deal-seekers for possession of a "doorbuster" (which Toys R Us is also reportedly doing). Even better, Toys R Us is the only retailer we know of handing out Cold Stone gift cards with purchases.

Starting on Sunday:
  • all DS and PSP games will be buy one, get one half off.
  • Wii and Xbox 360 Arcade hardware purchases will be bundled with (seriously) a $15 gift card for Wendy's, Subway, or Cold Stone Creamery -- deal available in-store only
  • "Select video games" will be bundled with a $25 iTunes gift card -- deal available in-store only
  • The Beatles: Rock Band standalone software will be $49.99.
  • The Beatles: Rock Band "Special Value Edition" will be $134.99.
  • "Select video game storage units" will be $34.99.
From Friday, November 20 through Sunday, November 22, both TRU stores and Toysrus.com will offer a "Ready to Play DS Lite Pack" for $157.95, containing a DS Lite, a case, various accessories, and two DS games from an "edited assortment." TRU says that, when purchased as part of this set, the DS comes out to $64.99.

Check out Joystiq's Black Friday Game Deals Hub or jump to a retailer guide below:


For more Black Friday coverage, check out Black Friday Deals, Cyber Monday Sales,
And other Black Friday 2009 stories today from Walletpop.com

JoystiqToys R Us announces pre-Black Friday game deals originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSholidazeholidaze-2009MicrosoftNintendosalesthe-beatles-rock-bandtoys-r-usWiiXbox-360Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Beatles: Rock Band's 'Sgt. Pepper's' DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/video-beatles-rock-bands-sgt-peppers-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/video-beatles-rock-bands-sgt-peppers-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/video-beatles-rock-bands-sgt-peppers-dlc/#commentsThe Beatles: Rock Band will get a hot DLC injection tomorrow when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band releases as downloadable content. In preparation for the arrival of these new tracks, MTV has passed along the above trailer which offers a brief sample of new tracks in the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club album mixed together with some found on the disc. In the end, the video saves us all precious time we would've had to use sampling tracks on YouTube and, inevitably, watching Pomplamoose videos.

JoystiqVideo: Beatles: Rock Band's 'Sgt. Pepper's' DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-ArtsharmonixMicrosoftmusicNintendorhythmsgt-peppers-lonely-hearts-club-bandthe-beatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-Bandthe-beatles-rock-band-dlcWiiXbox-360Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Beatles: Rock Band 'Sgt. Pepper's' DLC debuts Nov. 17]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/13/the-beatles-rock-band-sgt-peppers-dlc-debuts-nov-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/13/the-beatles-rock-band-sgt-peppers-dlc-debuts-nov-17/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/13/the-beatles-rock-band-sgt-peppers-dlc-debuts-nov-17/#comments
In a move no doubt inspired by the Movember Movement, Harmonix and MTV Games have revealed that the second DLC album for The Beatles: Rock Band, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, will release the week of November 17. Tracks from the British sensation's eighth studio album, as featured in the DLC release, include:
  • "Fixing A Hole"
  • "She's Leaving Home"
  • "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
  • "Within You Without You"
  • "When I'm Sixty-Four"
  • "Lovely Rita"
  • "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
  • "A Day In The Life."
Xbox 360 and Wii owners can purchase the DLC on Tuesday, November 17. The tracks will be available as a complete Track Pack for 1080 ($13.50) or 160 ($2.00) individually on Xbox 360; and 200 Wii Points ($2.00) per track on Wii. PlayStation 3 players get a few extra days to grow out their glorious mustaches when the pack lands on PSN on Thursday, November 19 for $13.49 (or $1.99 per track).

As previously revealed, Beatles fans can look forward to next month when 1965's Rubber Soul will become available as the game's third full-album DLC.

JoystiqBeatles: Rock Band 'Sgt. Pepper's' DLC debuts Nov. 17 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlceaElectronic-Artsfull-albumsharmonixMicrosoftmoustachemovembermtv-gamesNintendorelease-daterock-bandsgt-peppers-lonely-hearts-club-bandthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 Beatles: Rock Band DLC crashing game's servers overseas [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/10/ps3-beatles-rock-band-dlc-crashing-games-servers-overseas/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/10/ps3-beatles-rock-band-dlc-crashing-games-servers-overseas/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/10/ps3-beatles-rock-band-dlc-crashing-games-servers-overseas/#comments European owners of the PS3 version of The Beatles: Rock Band who decided to purchase the "Abbey Road" DLC are having an awfully difficult time coming together. A lengthy forum thread on the Rock Band message board tells of the woes of a number of overseas faux-rockers who, after downloading the content on their PS3, have lost the ability to access any of the game's online modes.

A Harmonix developer responded to the complaints, asking for the specific circumstances of these server crashes and promising that the Beatles team is "investigating this issue to try to find out what's going on." That is to say, the Beatles: Rock Band development team -- not the Beatles themselves. We imagine they're a little too busy for this kind of thing.

Update: A Harmonix representative just emailed us the news that this bug has been squashed. European PS3-owning DLC-purchasing Beatles: Rock Band players, you may now return to your regularly scheduled rocking.

JoystiqPS3 Beatles: Rock Band DLC crashing game's servers overseas [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abbey-roaddlceuropeharmonixrock-bandthe-beatles-rock-bandTue, 10 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Harmonix employees harmonize during a cappella Paramore song performance]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/harmonix-employees-harmonize-during-a-capella-paramore-song-perf/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/harmonix-employees-harmonize-during-a-capella-paramore-song-perf/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/harmonix-employees-harmonize-during-a-capella-paramore-song-perf/#comments Since only a fraction of Joystiq is headquartered out of Boston, MA we unfortunately aren't eligible to be honored with "Top Places to Work" awards like Beatles: Rock Band developers Harmonix, nonetheless host a company-wide singing contest. If we could though, we'd like to think our singing chops would at least match the five gentlemen (four from audio and one engineer) found singing Paramore's "That's What You Get" after the break.

Winning first "among mid-size companies" and third overall in The Boston Globe's "Top Places to Work" survey, the 320 employee-strong music/rhythm-game studio was praised for its studio-wide a cappella singing competition. "I would do a lot to stay here," says senior writer Helen McWilliams. "It's really hard to imagine going from this company to any other company." That whole "making successful games" thing probably doesn't hurt either.

(Thanks, DarkArchon)

Continue reading Harmonix employees harmonize during a cappella Paramore song performance

JoystiqHarmonix employees harmonize during a cappella Paramore song performance originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-capellaacapellaboston-globeharmonixharmonix-music-systemshelen-mcwilliamsmtv-gamesparamorerock-bandthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandtop-places-to-workMon, 09 Nov 2009 19:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Dhani Harrison: Rock Band 3 will make you better at actual rocking]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/dhani-harrison-rock-band-3-will-make-you-better-at-actual-rocki/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/dhani-harrison-rock-band-3-will-make-you-better-at-actual-rocki/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/dhani-harrison-rock-band-3-will-make-you-better-at-actual-rocki/#comments In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, Dhani Harrison, The Beatles: Rock Band contributor (and son of the late, great George Harrison), spoke about his involvement in future iterations of the popular rhythm franchise. "I'm working on Rock Band 3 and making the controllers more real so people can actually learn how to play music while playing the game," Harrison explained toward the end of the interview. "Give me a couple years, it's going to happen."

We wish Harrison and the entire Harmonix crew the best of luck in this endeavor, if only so they can finally stymie the infinitely deplorable "why don't you learn how to play a real instrument" contingency. Man, we hate those guys.

JoystiqDhani Harrison: Rock Band 3 will make you better at actual rocking originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dhani-harrisonharmonixrhythmrock-bandrock-band-2rock-band-3the-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandthenewno2Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Viacom: The Beatles: Rock Band sales strong, overall RB growth slow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/viacom-the-beatles-rock-band-sales-strong-overall-rb-growth-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/viacom-the-beatles-rock-band-sales-strong-overall-rb-growth-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/viacom-the-beatles-rock-band-sales-strong-overall-rb-growth-s/#comments
Even though John, Paul, George and Ringo have been rocking the disc tray of your favorite console with The Beatles: Rock Band, its expectation-exceeding sales haven't helped boost overall Rock Band sales. Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman told USA Today the "economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving, though not as quickly as we'd like." There's still hope that Rock Band could at least break even or show a small profit, though Viacom CFO Tom Dooley said that will depend entirely on the franchise's performance this holiday season.

Despite tanking sales, the music genre still remains one of the best in the industry and The Beatles: Rock Band shows us that the right approach could still determine financial success in the space. Its September debut was very fortuitous and it even managed to best Guitar Hero 5 in the US -- which not only came with a free game, but is also one of the most recognizable brands to the mainstream.

Source - USA Today
Source - Viacom earnings report

JoystiqViacom: The Beatles: Rock Band sales strong, overall RB growth slow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-ArtsMicrosoftmtvmtv-gamesmusicNintendorhythmrock-bandthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandviacomWiiXbox-360Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Here comes the trailer for Abbey Road from The Beatles: Rock Band (do do do)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/here-comes-the-trailer-for-abbey-road-from-the-beatles-rock-ban/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/here-comes-the-trailer-for-abbey-road-from-the-beatles-rock-ban/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/here-comes-the-trailer-for-abbey-road-from-the-beatles-rock-ban/#commentsFor those of you ready to Carry That Weight and swing Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Harmonix and MTV Games released the full "Abbey Road" album download today for The Beatles: Rock Band. Rather than simply release the songs, the DLC comes with new animations for the four British gents and, in some cases, new "dreamscapes" (the pseudo-psychedelic animations tripping our your friends while you play songs).

The trailer above offers a medley sampling of the whole album, should you not be acquainted with it. But then, we must ask, what planet are you from where "Abbey Road" is an unfamiliar album?

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band: Abbey Road DLC

JoystiqHere comes the trailer for Abbey Road from The Beatles: Rock Band (do do do) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abbey-roaddlceaea-partnerselectronic-artsharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesNintendorock-bandscreenshotsthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandtrailerWiiXbox-360Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Beatles: Rock Band bests Guitar Hero 5 in U.S. Sept. sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/beatles-rock-band-bests-guitar-hero-5-in-u-s-sept-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/beatles-rock-band-bests-guitar-hero-5-in-u-s-sept-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/beatles-rock-band-bests-guitar-hero-5-in-u-s-sept-sales/#comments
The Beatles: Rock Band's initial U.S. tour at retail has proven boast-worthy for its promoters. Following two promising platform appearances in NPD's top 10 software sales chart for September, MTV Games and Harmonix have declared B:RB "the top selling music video game in the U.S. for September." The Beatles-only game (released September 9) outsold Guitar Hero 5 (released September 1) with 595,000 units to 499,000 units in total U.S. sales for the month, according to a statement released by the NPD*. Additionally, charity-driven purchases of the "All You Need Is Love" DLC track exceeded 100,000 downloads on Xbox 360 in September.

The makers of B:RB have also rubbed in a few seemingly noteworthy facts; namely, (1) U.S. purchases of GH5 in September were eligible for a free mail-away copy of Guitar Hero: Van Halen, and (2) GH5 is available on one additional platform, PS2. Of course, Van Halen isn't exactly the American equivalent of The Beatles, and the PS2 is no longer the dominant platform to stage one's acts upon. Still, despite the staggering odds stacked against its success, B:RB managed to capture the mindshare of U.S. gamers. (And we all know that Americans like to speak their minds with their monies.)

The sales de-feat must feel good for MTV Games and Harmonix -- what with B:RB being burned in the sales competition with GH5 by the kingdom that birthed the band (see: Chart-Track UK September sales rankings posted after the break). What was it? Right: Guitar Hero 5 supposedly outsold The Beatles: Rock Band "2-to-1 in the UK."

So, score a victory for B:RB in the battle of the bands fought in U.S. retail last month. But let's not forget there's a bigger, "World War of Rock" being waged, as well. And our wallets are the oft-unreported collateral damage.

Continue reading Beatles: Rock Band bests Guitar Hero 5 in U.S. Sept. sales

JoystiqBeatles: Rock Band bests Guitar Hero 5 in U.S. Sept. sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionall-you-need-is-lovebattle-of-the-bandschart-trackdenmarkeaElectronic-Artsguitar-heroguitar-hero-5harmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesneversoftNintendonpdrock-bandsalesseptember-2009the-beatles-rock-bandukWiiXbox-360Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[September NPD: Obviously Destined to Sell Tons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/september-npd-obviously-destined-to-sell-tons/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/september-npd-obviously-destined-to-sell-tons/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/september-npd-obviously-destined-to-sell-tons/#commentsThe new, lighter (in both price and weight!) PS3 continues to enjoy renewed sales in its second month beating out every console except for the invincible DS -- and the PS3 got pretty close to that impossible victory. The PS3's sales more than doubled in the last month! In fact, just about everything enjoyed a boost in September, with all the home consoles benefiting from recent price drops, and the PSP launching new hardware (NPD's September sales period ran through October 3). The only "loser" is the DS, which fell in total sales, but still managed to sell more than anything else.

In software (see the chart after the break), unsurprisingly strong debuts took place for both games with Halo on the box and games with Mario on the box. In fact, strong is a bit of an understatement for ODST's 1.52 million units sold. It's not quite 3.3 million units, but for a presumably lower-cost spinoff using an existing engine, it'll do.

In a weird bit of cross-platform fickleness, The Beatles: Rock Band debuted in the top 10 for Xbox and Wii, but not PS3 -- while Batman: Arkham Asylum's PS3 version made a second appearance in the top 10 to the exclusion of the Xbox.

-DS: 524K29K (-5%)
-PS3: 492K282K (+134%)
-Wii: 463K186K (+67%)
-360: 353K138K (+64%)
-PSP: 190K50K (+36%)
-PS2: 146K40K (+38%)

Check out the software sales chart after the break.

Continue reading September NPD: Obviously Destined to Sell Tons

JoystiqSeptember NPD: Obviously Destined to Sell Tons originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-asylumDShalo-3-odstMicrosoftNintendonpdnpd-monthlythe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:10:00 EST<![CDATA[The Beatles: Rock Band 'Abbey Road' album DLC detailed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-beatles-rock-band-abbey-road-album-dlc-details/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-beatles-rock-band-abbey-road-album-dlc-details/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-beatles-rock-band-abbey-road-album-dlc-details/#comments The Beatles: Rock Band will have the entire Abbey Road album available for download this Tuesday on Xbox 360 and Wii, followed by PS3 on Thursday. The full album won't be lonely for long, as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band will arrive in November, with Rubber Soul walking onto the scene in December.

The full Abbey Road DLC setlist and pricing details can be found after the break.

Continue reading The Beatles: Rock Band 'Abbey Road' album DLC detailed

JoystiqThe Beatles: Rock Band 'Abbey Road' album DLC detailed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abbey-roadharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesNintendorock-bandthe-beatlesThe-Beatles-Rock-BandWiiXbox-360Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Harmonix taking 'wait and see' approach with The Beatles DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/harmonix-taking-wait-and-see-approach-with-the-beatles-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/harmonix-taking-wait-and-see-approach-with-the-beatles-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/harmonix-taking-wait-and-see-approach-with-the-beatles-dlc/#comments You're undoubtedly familiar with our Rock Band Weekly feature. Harmonix has been able to produce weekly DLC for the Rock Band franchise across nearly every platform it graces, so it came as a surprise when we discovered the studio's hesitant attitude towards The Beatles. While three albums are already in the works as DLC, Harmonix representative John Drake told The BBPS that future releases are entirely dependent on sales of the initial batch of DLC. His explanation? "It costs thousands of dollars" to produce the DLC.

"It's not like Rock Band where we wait for the masters to come in and just author them ... its like, send people to Abbey Road, use the original tape, separate them out," Drake detailed. In addition to the audio work that must be done, Harmonix has also promised to include original dreamscapes for future downloadable content as well.

It seems likely Harmonix will find the sales necessary to produce more DLC, considering the retail success of the game so far. "If they sell well, we'll have a lot more content," Drake promises.

JoystiqHarmonix taking 'wait and see' approach with The Beatles DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcharmonixjohn-drakeMicrosoftNintendothe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:41:00 EST<![CDATA[EEDAR: Game sales slowdown turned around in September]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/eedar-game-sales-slowdown-turned-around-in-september/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/eedar-game-sales-slowdown-turned-around-in-september/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/eedar-game-sales-slowdown-turned-around-in-september/#comments
2009 hasn't been the best year for the games industry. Month after month, we hear reports of reduced sales figures, company closures, and layoffs. Things may be turning around, though, as EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich believes software sales during September 2009 have actually gone up from 2008, the first time in seven months thanks to strong sales of Halo 3: ODST, Wii Sports Resort, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, Madden NFL 10 and Batman: Arkham Asylum. All in all, software sales should come in at $715 million, a 16% increase over last year.

The music genre may be slowing down, but Divnich notes that "both Guitar Hero 5 and The Beatles: Rock Band have performed at levels ahead of retail expectations," with sales predicted at 800k and 1 million units respectively. The same analyst at EEDAR previously predicted that Guitar Hero 5 would outsell The Beatles 2:1. With NPD sales results dropping next week, we'll soon see how accurate Divnich's latest analysis is.

JoystiqEEDAR: Game sales slowdown turned around in September originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystbatman-arkham-asylumeedarguitar-hero-5halo-3-odstjesse-divnichmadden-10music-gamespredictionssalesthe-beatles-rock-bandwii-sports-resortFri, 09 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision: Guitar Hero beat Beatles because it's 'fun as hell']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/activision-guitar-hero-beat-beatles-because-its-fun-as-hell/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/activision-guitar-hero-beat-beatles-because-its-fun-as-hell/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/activision-guitar-hero-beat-beatles-because-its-fun-as-hell/#comments We were just as perplexed as anyone when Guitar Hero 5 trounced The Beatles: Rock Band in the UK -- where we hear the Fab Four is fairly popular still. Thankfully, Activision's Guitar Hero business CEO, Rock 'n' Roll Dan Rosensweig, is there to explain it all. "The number one thing about Guitar Hero is that it's fun as hell -- it's focused on the guitar, and the variety and value proposition -- and the reviews are spectacular. So I guess we're the only ones not surprised."

Rosensweig went on to tell GamesIndustry.biz that "internally we always talked about the Fab Five - Guitar Hero 5 - was going to beat the Fab Four." So, we've also discovered Activision's real secret weapon that keeps it ahead of the competition: Hilarious wordplay.

JoystiqActivision: Guitar Hero beat Beatles because it's 'fun as hell' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionDan-RosensweigeaElectronic-Artsguitar-heroguitar-hero-5MicrosoftNintendorock-bandthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[U2: We, too, want to be in our own music game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/u2-we-too-want-to-be-in-our-own-music-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/u2-we-too-want-to-be-in-our-own-music-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/u2-we-too-want-to-be-in-our-own-music-game/#commentsLast year, U2 was apparently all set to add their virtual likenesses to Rock Band in some way, but the band decided against it. However, now that The Beatles have done it and people are playing their game on the morning talk shows, everything has changed.

"We definitely would like to be in there, but we felt some of the compromises weren't what we wanted," Adam Clayton told USA Today. "That could change. I love the idea that that's where people are getting music, and we'd love to be in that world."

Evidently the representation of the band was the issue the first time. "What The Beatles have done, where the animation is much more representative of them, is what we're interested in, rather than the one-size-fits-all animation. We didn't want to be caricatured." Fans looking forward to singing "Lemon" in an unlockable Mr. MacPhisto costume should be glad it's The Beatles: Rock Band the group saw, and not Guitar Hero 5.

[Via Kotaku]
[Image credit]

JoystiqU2: We, too, want to be in our own music game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>harmonixmtvmusicrock-bandthe-beatles-rock-bandu2Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:08:00 EST<![CDATA[EA confirms The Beatles: Rock Band SingStar mic pack for UK, other territories]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/ea-confirms-the-beatles-rock-band-singstar-mic-pack-for-uk-oth/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/ea-confirms-the-beatles-rock-band-singstar-mic-pack-for-uk-oth/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/22/ea-confirms-the-beatles-rock-band-singstar-mic-pack-for-uk-oth/#comments
The Beatles: Rock Band SingStar bundle has arrived at UK retailers for £49.99 ($81.87). Only after being half-announced by MTV Games, showing up on an Australian retailer website, and then vaguely detailed in a press release from today, are we able to bring you this news. Is it coming to other territories? That's a good question!

We asked EA, who gave us a laundry list of launch dates for various European and African countries (listed after the break). Unfortunately, we were told that the exclusion of North America from the list means that the publisher currently has no intention of bringing the microphone bundle Stateside. Sorry, aspiring North American crooners!

Continue reading EA confirms The Beatles: Rock Band SingStar mic pack for UK, other territories

JoystiqEA confirms The Beatles: Rock Band SingStar mic pack for UK, other territories originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bundleseaea-partnersElectronic-Artsharmonixmtv-gamesretailrock-bandsing-starthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandthe-beatles-rock-band-sing-starukTue, 22 Sep 2009 17:59:00 EST<![CDATA['All You Need is Love' becomes fastest-selling Rock Band song]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/all-you-need-is-love-becomes-fastest-selling-rock-band-song/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/all-you-need-is-love-becomes-fastest-selling-rock-band-song/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/18/all-you-need-is-love-becomes-fastest-selling-rock-band-song/#comments
Microsoft has announced that "All You Need is Love," the first downloadable song for The Beatles: Rock Band, became the fastest-selling tune in the franchise's history within the first two days of availability. We'd like to believe that the Xbox-exclusive track was entirely propelled by the spirit of philanthropy, with proceeds from sales ("tens of thousands of dollars," Microsoft says) benefiting Doctors Without Borders, but its success probably comes from the fact that it's "All You Need is Love." By The Beatles.

A limited edition Beatles-themed Xbox 360, bearing artwork from the game's introduction video, was also sold by Microsoft during an online charity auction. After ten days, the system took off for $17,300.

If you've yet to expand the legendary band's in-game lineup or hope to gain entry in the on-going Beatles sweepstakes, keep in mind that revenue from "All You Need is Love" is still going to charity. All you need is 160.

Joystiq'All You Need is Love' becomes fastest-selling Rock Band song originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-you-need-is-loveauctiondlcMicrosoftthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandthe-beatles-rock-band-dlcXbox-360Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Australian retailer reveals 'SingStar' mic bundle for The Beatles: Rock Band]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/australian-retailer-reveals-singstar-mic-bundle-for-the-beatle/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/australian-retailer-reveals-singstar-mic-bundle-for-the-beatle/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/17/australian-retailer-reveals-singstar-mic-bundle-for-the-beatle/#commentsFirst, we heard that The Beatles: Rock Band would be released as a SingStar PS3 game with all the non-singing gameplay removed. Then Harmonix told Joystiq that it was just a potential microphone bundle for Rock Band, marketed at the SingStar-loving PAL audience.

The real bundle, as revealed by Australian retailer JB Hi-Fi, is somewhere in between, though the corrected Harmonix story was way more accurate. It's a regular copy of The Beatles: Rock Band and two SingStar mics, in a big SingStar package. JB Hi-Fi states that it will be out September 24 for $99 AUD ($86.61 US), and we have yet to see it pop up on any other retailer sites, so we don't know if it's PALexclusive or Australia exclusive, or where it'll be out. We'll check with Sony.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqAustralian retailer reveals 'SingStar' mic bundle for The Beatles: Rock Band originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiabundlejb-hi-fisingstarsingstar-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandThu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Beatles: Rock Band sales exceeding expectations, Viacom says]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/beatles-rock-band-sales-exceeding-expectations-viacom-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/beatles-rock-band-sales-exceeding-expectations-viacom-says/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/beatles-rock-band-sales-exceeding-expectations-viacom-says/#comments When Viacom's CEO, Philippe Dauman, says that The Beatles: Rock Band sales have "exceeded internal expectations," we have to imagine that he doesn't have his top expectations men on the job. If we had been asked for our expectations of a game featuring the most popular band of all time, we would have simply pointed toward www.mythirdyacht.com and been on our way.

What's actually a surprise from an IndustryGamers report on the matter is that even in our crummy economy, it's the $250 version of the game -- bundled with all the instruments -- that's performing so well that Dauman says he expects a sellout by November.

JoystiqBeatles: Rock Band sales exceeding expectations, Viacom says originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaElectronic-ArtsharmonixMicrosoftNintendorock-bandsalesthe-beatles-rock-bandviacomWiiXbox-360Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nick Mason: We'd consider Pink Floyd Rock Band or Guitar Hero]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/nick-mason-wed-consider-pink-floyd-rock-band-or-guitar-hero/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/nick-mason-wed-consider-pink-floyd-rock-band-or-guitar-hero/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/nick-mason-wed-consider-pink-floyd-rock-band-or-guitar-hero/#comments
Despite how some musicians feel about music 'n' rhythm games, Pink Floyd drummer (and part-time T-Zero agent) Nick Mason isn't entirely ruling it out for his band. With The Beatles: Rock Band having just released, the BBC asked him if we could be seeing a Pink Floyd Rock Band or Guitar Hero game, to which he replied, "I think we'd consider it."

While he isn't a big supporter of the genre (he thinks it deters kids from learning real instruments, just like other celebs do), he did add, "Everyone's looking at new ways of selling the music because the business of selling records has almost disappeared." Especially those vinyl ones, which (gasp!) weren't even interactive.

JoystiqNick Mason: We'd consider Pink Floyd Rock Band or Guitar Hero originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioneaelectronic-artsguitar-heroharmonixMicrosoftmtv-gamesmusicNintendopink-floydrhythmrock-bandthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandWiiXbox-360Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero 5 goes straight to the top of the UK charts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/guitar-hero-5-goes-straight-to-the-top-of-the-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/guitar-hero-5-goes-straight-to-the-top-of-the-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/guitar-hero-5-goes-straight-to-the-top-of-the-uk-charts/#comments Guitar Hero 5, which is like the tenth (give or take a couple) installment in the series, has resonated with UK consumers and hit a high note atop the Chart Track all-formats chart. The Dark Knight of Arkham Asylum -- who was perched above the charts for two weeks -- slipped off the top to the number three spot, with Colin McRae: Dirt 2 taking the silver.

The Beatles: Rock Band premiered at the number four spot, which some are sure to find disappointing. Both Guitar Hero and Rock Band have previously debuted at the fourth and sixth spot, respectively, with previous iterations. Music games may be on a sales decline, but they apparently still know how to make an entrance.

Source -- Guitar Hero 5 hits the right notes (Chart Track)
Source -- All formats chart (Chart Track)

Gallery: Guitar Hero 5

JoystiqGuitar Hero 5 goes straight to the top of the UK charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbatman-arkham-asylumchart-trackcodemastersdirt-2eaeidosElectronic-Artsguitar-heroguitar-hero-5harmonixMicrosoftneversoftNintendorock-bandrocksteadythe-beatles-rock-banduk-chartsWiiXbox-360Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Music game sales down 46%, still third best-selling genre]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/music-game-sales-down-46-still-third-best-selling-genre/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/music-game-sales-down-46-still-third-best-selling-genre/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/music-game-sales-down-46-still-third-best-selling-genre/#comments According to NPD, and as reported by Edge Online, the music game genre has taken quite a tumble in 2009. Thus far, year-to-date sales have declined by a whopping 46%. And yet, despite the sales slump, the music genre remains the third best-selling genre overall. The discrepancy, according to NPD's Anita Frazier, is the result of lower prices on music titles. Thus, individual unit sales remain high even though overall sales (i.e. money earned) are down.

Of course, it's worth noting that -- apart from Guitar Hero: Metallica and Smash Hits -- the first half of 2009 was somewhat devoid of major music genre releases. With both Guitar Hero 5 and The Beatles: Rock Band both just released, the music genre is likely due for a significant boost. Still, it's hard to imagine sales climbing as high as they once were. With so many homes filled with plastic instruments as it is, we're sure it's getting harder to sell those full band kits -- and their higher prices.

Then again, we're sure everyone still has room for a turntable.



JoystiqMusic game sales down 46%, still third best-selling genre originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessguitar-heroguitar-hero-5npdrock-bandthe-beatles-rock-bandSat, 12 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rock Band Stage Kit compatibility not being patched into The Beatles: Rock Band]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/rock-band-stage-kit-compatibility-not-being-patched-into-the-bea/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/rock-band-stage-kit-compatibility-not-being-patched-into-the-bea/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/rock-band-stage-kit-compatibility-not-being-patched-into-the-bea/#comments
Owners of the Rock Band Stage Kit must accept that the device will not be compatible with The Beatles: Rock Band. Harmonix has confirmed to Joystiq that there are "no plans to patch it for The Beatles: Rock Band." As to whether the device will be compatible with future editions of Rock Band, a company rep stated, "We haven't announced any future titles at this time."

There's been some back and forth on the Rock Band forums about whether the smoke machine and disco ball-ish device -- originally $100 (but cheaper now) -- would be patched into The Beatles game. We hope this settles it -- not that you have a choice, apparently.

[Thanks, Jeremy F]

JoystiqRock Band Stage Kit compatibility not being patched into The Beatles: Rock Band originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>harmonixmtv-gamesrock-bandrock-band-stage-kitthe-beatlesthe-beatles-rock-bandFri, 11 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST