Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/'I am Murloc' track creeping onto Guitar Hero 3 tomorrowhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/i-am-murloc-track-creeping-onto-guitar-hero-3-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/i-am-murloc-track-creeping-onto-guitar-hero-3-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/i-am-murloc-track-creeping-onto-guitar-hero-3-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: ,


Though the corporate merger between Activision and Blizzard is still some months off, that hasn't stopped the two from getting awfully cozy lately, spending long, wine-filled evenings in each other's embrace, the soothing sound of Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain cascading against their warm bodies ...

... before we get too far, that reminds us: L70ETC's number-one hit single (for WoW players) "I Am Murloc" will be available for Guitar Hero 3 on both the Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms beginning tomorrow. Apparently the song is promotionally related to this weekend's Worldwide Invitational in Paris - not to mention that upcoming game announcement - but we know what it's really about. It's business time.

[Via WoW Insider]

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]]>GH3Guitar-Hero-3World-of-WarcraftChristopher Grant2008-06-25T15:14:00+00:00PS3 Guitar Hero III getting free God of War track in June [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/ps3-guitar-hero-iii-getting-free-god-of-war-track-in-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/ps3-guitar-hero-iii-getting-free-god-of-war-track-in-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/ps3-guitar-hero-iii-getting-free-god-of-war-track-in-june/#commentsFiled under: ,


With Xbox 360 players getting a Halo 3 musical number for free last Thanksgiving, the gods of rock have now smiled down on PS3 owners as well. Tucked away in the latest PlayStation Underground newsletter comes word that PS3 armchair rockers will be able to download a free God of War-themed track for Guitar Hero III to rock out to on Thursday, June 5.

No other details have been revealed, including what selection exactly will be released. Even so, free is free, though honestly we're racking our brains trying to come up with a single piece of God of War music that's memorable enough to warrant a living room encore.

Update: It has a name! "The End Begins (to Rock)." [Thanks, Dan; via Guitar Hero Community]

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]]>freegh3god-of-wargodofwarguitar-hero-iiiJason Dobson2008-05-22T09:40:00+00:00New Def Leppard single to hit GH3 before retailhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/new-def-leppard-single-to-hit-gh3-before-retail/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/new-def-leppard-single-to-hit-gh3-before-retail/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/new-def-leppard-single-to-hit-gh3-before-retail/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've known for a while that inclusion on a video game soundtrack can help drive music sales, but usually the song in question is actually available for sale when it appears in the game. Not so for Def Leppard's new single, "Nine Lives," which will premiere as a downloadable Guitar Hero III track before it's available at retail or other online services. No F-f-f-foolin'!

The track, which comes as part of a Def Leppard pack along with classics "Rock of Ages" and "Photograph," will be available on April 24th in the U.S. and May 8th in the U.K. The album "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge" follows soon after on April 28 (digital download) and May 5 (physical disc).

"I know from personal experience how much more you get into the music by playing the game," said Def Leppard Lead Singer Joe Elliott in a press release. "Guitar Hero is extremely popular with all kinds of music heads, which includes a lot of our fans - and we think releasing Nine Lives this way first is just fantastic!"

[Via X3F]

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]]>activisiondef-leppardDLCgh-iiigh3guitar-hero-3guitar-hero-iiineversoftrockKyle Orland2008-04-11T11:50:00+00:00Activision settles suit over Wii Guitar Hero's mono soundhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/activision-settles-suit-over-wii-guitar-heros-mono-sound/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/activision-settles-suit-over-wii-guitar-heros-mono-sound/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/activision-settles-suit-over-wii-guitar-heros-mono-sound/#commentsFiled under: ,

Those replacement discs and free guitar faceplates that Activision has been sending to jilted, mono-version buyers of Wii's Guitar Hero III are now enshrined in law. Gamespot is reporting that the publisher has officially settled the class-action lawsuit brought late last year by gamers who were angry over getting fewer sound channels than they were promised by the game's marketing and packaging.

The settlement stipulates that wronged parties will be able to get a replacement disc and a free faceplate through Aug. 31. It might not quite be the full profit stripping that the original suit sought, but we suppose it is something to have the replacement program enshrined in the law.

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]]>activisiongh3ghiiiguitar-hero-3lawlawsuitsettlementKyle Orland2008-04-08T14:30:00+00:00Check out the PlayStation Pavilion at the new Nationals Parkhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/check-out-the-playstation-pavilion-at-nationals-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/check-out-the-playstation-pavilion-at-nationals-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/check-out-the-playstation-pavilion-at-nationals-park/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click to enlarge

A new season of Major League Baseball started up in America last night with the first game ever at Washington's brand new Nationals Park, complete with a presidential first pitch and a thrilling walk-off home run. Why should you care about any of this? Because the opening of the new park also means the opening of its new promotional PlayStation Pavilion, packed with demo kiosks for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, MLB08: The Show, Guitar Hero 3 and SingStar.

You'd think people at a ballpark would have better things to do than play video games, but the demo area drew quite a crowd among the opening night fans. Need proof? Check out our exclusive gallery of photos from the new pavilion below.

Gallery: PlayStation Pavillion @ Nationals Park

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]]>baseballdemogh3gt5kioskmlb08nationalspavilionsingstarsonyKyle Orland2008-03-31T18:00:00+00:00Guitar Hero III Guinness record holder wins tournament, beats previous recordhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/gh-guinness-record-holder-wins-gh-iii-tournament-beats-previous/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/gh-guinness-record-holder-wins-gh-iii-tournament-beats-previous/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/gh-guinness-record-holder-wins-gh-iii-tournament-beats-previous/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Chris Chike, currently the Guinness world record holder for points in Guitar Hero III, won the Play N Trade GHIII tournament last weekend and bested his record-setting score. Chike's Guinness score was 870,647 (seen in video above) before he won the tournament, along with $2000 of in-store credit, with 889,256 points.

The best part of this story is that Chike actually drove two hours to compete at the Play N Trade store in Bloomington, Minnesota. Guess when you're the world record holder the trip seems worth it, considering you've probably got the win in the bag. Chike says he still hasn't done as well at any tournament event than he's done at home. The good thing about tournaments and competition is you only have to be better than second place.

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]]>chikechris-chikeghgh3ghiiiguitar heroguitarheroguitarheroiiiplay-n-tradeAlexander Sliwinski2008-03-20T10:15:00+00:00Rock Band outsells Guitar Hero III on Xbox 360 in Januaryhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/rock-band-outsells-guitar-hero-iii-on-xbox-360-in-january/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/rock-band-outsells-guitar-hero-iii-on-xbox-360-in-january/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/rock-band-outsells-guitar-hero-iii-on-xbox-360-in-january/#commentsFiled under: ,


IGN reports January's NPD data shows that the Rock Band bundle on Xbox 360 barely beat out Guitar Hero III in sales for the month. This would be the first time Rock Band has been able to catch GH III on any of the platforms it is available on. Although it would be easy to dismiss the accomplishment because GH III had already sold millions before Rock Band was even out of the gate, it does mean consumers don't think of Guitar Hero as the end all music game.

Despite Rock Band's higher price point for the full bundle, it appears gamers are willing to spend the extra cash for the "platform." Sales of the game have been steady and the the constant flow of DLC has come back to MTV/Harmonix in a river of cash. With the announcement by Activision of retail game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it's become clear that Activision and MTV/Harmonix have very different ideas on how to establish longevity for the franchises.

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]]>gh3ghiiiguitar-hero-3rock-bandrockbandsalesAlexander Sliwinski2008-02-15T12:30:00+00:00Joyswag: Win Guitar Hero III on your platform of choicehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/joyswag-win-guitar-hero-3-on-your-platform-of-choice/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/joyswag-win-guitar-hero-3-on-your-platform-of-choice/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/joyswag-win-guitar-hero-3-on-your-platform-of-choice/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


[Update: Entry period is over, folks. We're selecting our winners and contacting them by email, so go check!]

We've been feeling generous lately, so we're kicking this week off with another giveaway. This time, we're handing out five copies of Guitar Hero III. Yup, five ...

The well-dressed folks at Best Buy (they put on that launch party, remember?) set us up with three copies on each of the major now-gen consoles (that's Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 for those of you who've been stuck in a time capsule), and we're giving away the two PlayStation 2 copies that Red Octane sent over, for a grand total of five full copies of the game (we're talking guitar and game disc). So, here's how this is going to work: You'll have five days to leave five comments for up to five chances to win one of five copies of the game.
  • To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post letting us know which console release you want AND your favorite guitar solo of all time (note: in accordance with federal law, "Stairway to Heaven" will not be considered an acceptable answer)
  • You must be a US resident, 18 years or older. (Which isn't very rock 'n roll, we know ...)
  • Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day. If you enter this giveaway more than once a day you'll be automatically disqualified, etc.!
  • This entry period ends in five days at 2:59pm ET Friday 2/15/08.
  • For complete rules you can tattoo up your arms, click here

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]]>ActivisionGH3Guitar-Hero-3NeversoftChristopher Grant2008-02-11T15:00:00+00:00Today in Joystiq: January 10, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/10/today-in-joystiq-january-10-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/10/today-in-joystiq-january-10-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/10/today-in-joystiq-january-10-2007/#commentsFiled under: ,

You show one wood carving and all of a sudden an influx of tree-related game paraphernalia come into the tip line. Okay, so we really only got one tip -- from Patrick, who made a maple veneer faceplate for his Guitar Hero III controller. And to be honest, we're impressed - now do it for our Rock Band drum kit. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
Off the Grid reviews Horse Fair Card Game
X3F Week in Review: January 4, 2007 - January 10, 2007

News
GameTap Thursday: A new Sam & Max, what Moai could you ask for?
Crysis patch clamps water tessellation (finally!)
Portal 'First Slice' extended demo free for NVIDIA customers only
Burnout 3 coming to Xbox Originals Jan. 14
Smash Bros. Brawl's Multi-Man gets online co-op
CES 2008: NATAS honors Stormfront for original Neverwinter Nights
US Army hosts first ever Halo 3 Xbox Live tournament
Sony Japan discontinues 20GB & 60GB PS3
Valve acquires Left4Dead dev Turtle Rock Studios
Microsoft: Xbox 360 back compat 'winding down'
Crazy curved Alienware monitor perfect for Crysis
CES 2008: Hands-on with first public showing of Space Siege
GameStop sales increased 35% over last holiday
CES 2008: Conflict Denied Ops aims at non-existent 'casual FPS' market
They are amused, UK breaks game sales records
Gates: Xbox will be "most reliable" game system
TGS 2008 dated Oct. 9-12
Curt Schilling leaving baseball for game development

Rumors & Speculaiton
WiiWare launching in March, according to developer
Analysts sound off: What does Blu-ray winning mean to the PS3 and gamers?
Rumor: Microsoft looking to buy Logitech
Rumor: Vib Ribbon coming to Euro PSN

Culture & Community
NPR takes a condescending look at stories in games
FBI pays visit to nuclear reactor-building gamer
Do you want a Portal 2?

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]]>dailyrecapgh3guitar-heroguitar-hero-3guitarheroRoss Miller2008-01-10T23:59:00+00:00Best of the Rest: Griffin's Picks of 2007http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/best-of-the-rest-griffins-picks-of-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/best-of-the-rest-griffins-picks-of-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/best-of-the-rest-griffins-picks-of-2007/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (Wii)

For a port of a two-year-old game, RE4: Wii Edition didn't have a whole lot going for it. It had the same extra features as the PS2 port of the game, not-so-updated graphics, and slightly lower reviews than its original iteration -- and yet, somehow, just by changing how the game is controlled, Capcom created an entirely new adventure. When the peculiar controls for the Wii were first announced, this is the type of interactivity that I imagined from the future games for the system -- responsive, accurate, and realistic. The only way they could have made the gunplay feel any more natural would have been to package the game with an actual gun, which you shot at the on-screen zombies. Once.



Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl (DS)

Haters be damned -- I'm a Pokéfanatic. As such, my Best of the Rest list wouldn't be complete without this year's edition of the handheld monster catching series. Sure, certain elements of the game haven't changed since the days of Pokémons Blue and Red (two of my favorite games of all time), but the things I love about the series remain intact, and in some cases, improved. The music is amazing, the number of the titular creatures are increased, and the Squirtles are bluer than ever.


Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DS)

At first consideration, casual puzzle games and role-playing games seem like two great tastes that, together, taste like stale poison. Casual games are supposed to be short, singular experiences that you can pick up and put down when need be; RPG's require you to embed yourself into the couch so you can soldier on until the next save point. Somehow, Puzzle Quest takes some of the best qualities of these two fields and blends them spectacularly, creating a clever hybrid genre. With the addictive character customization abilities of an RPG, and the even more addicting Bejeweled-esque gameplay, they might as well have titled it Heroin: The Game.


The Bigs (Xbox 360)

To those offended by the lack of sports titles on our Top Ten list, I offer you this consolation. It might lack the realism of MLB '07 and MLB 2k7, but it makes up for it with over-the-top gameplay and arcade style controls. Add on an incredibly enjoyable career mode and some incredible Angels in the Outfield-esque diving manuvers, and you've got the NFL Blitz of America's greatest pastime.


Crackdown (Xbox 360)

Crackdown, for me, was pretty hit-or-miss. The game was really only enjoyable when playing online co-op, and even then, the main story mode got pretty stale after a short time. Everything else, however, was buttercream. There's more ways to waste time in this city-sized sandbox than you could ever imagine, especially with the release of the "Keys to the City" content patch. I can't tell you how many hours I spent playing Crackdown Donkey Kong, cackling at my teammate's futile attempts to climb a skyscraper as I dropped dump trucks on him from its summit.


Disappointments
  • Mass Effect (Xbox 360) -- Mass Effect is in no way, shape, or form an unpleasant experience. It's a great way to spend 20 hours. It's an incredibly deep galactic chronicle. It's an evolution of narrative in video games. However, it is a terrible game. Does that make sense? The elements that make it a video game are terrible. The gunplay is clunky and unresponsive, as are the rest of the combat controls. The character customization and equipment screens are cumbersome and remarkably confusing. It seems as if BioWare designed the game so that the action would be something that happens between conversations and story development, an unfortunate reversal of the usual video game formula.
  • Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (Xbox 360) -- Not only does it feature one of the worst soundtracks ever featured in a Guitar Hero game (I only really enjoyed about five or six of the songs), but Activision managed to mangle both the art style and sense of humor that I loved so much about the first two versions of the game. Sidenote: Rocks the 80s was also junk, but I wouldn't label that as a disappointment, as my hopes for a Guitar Hero game composed entirely of 80s music were decidedly low.
  • Blue Dragon (Xbox 360) -- Somehow, the math just didn't add up. Any game being worked on by the creator of Final Fantasy and the developers of Chrono Trigger should be the most legendary RPG ever. How did Blue Dragon end up a repetitive, boring, ugly mess? We may never know.

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]]>Best-of-the-rest-2007Blue-DragonBlueDragonCrackdownGH3GOTY-2007Guitar-Hero-3GuitarHero3Mass-EffectMassEffectPokemonPuzzle-QuestPuzzleQuestResident-Evil-4ResidentEvil4The-BigsTheBigsGriffin McElroy2008-01-02T02:30:00+00:00PSN Thursday: Trials of Hawkish, Mesmerizing Snakeballshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/psn-thursday-trials-of-hawkish-mesmerizing-snakeballs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/psn-thursday-trials-of-hawkish-mesmerizing-snakeballs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/psn-thursday-trials-of-hawkish-mesmerizing-snakeballs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This week's batch of PlayStation Network content is pretty massive - "our biggest ever," according to the official US PlayStation blog. There's a catch, of course, in that PSN will not be updated next Thursday (also known as Christmas Eve). Enough pouting, let's open our presents a week early!

Warhawk fans have the most gifts under the tree this week, with the already-opened Omega Dawn expansion, a free theme, a game video of the expansion and (gasp!) the original Warhawk PS One title downloadable as a classic for play on either the PS3 or PSP. Rhythm fans also get a tasty sampler of the usual Rock Band DLC and a free Guitar Hero III song, the holiday-themed "We Three Kings" (strangely absent from the list: the premium GH3 songs for this week).

Downloadable games include Toy Home, Snakeball and two PS Eye games: Trials of Topoq and Mesmerize: Distort. A demo for Blacksite: Area 51 is also out, and those looking for more festive updates can check out the free Folklore DLC and PAIN wallpaper. Full update list after the break; check out our sister site PS3 Fanboy for European PSN update info.

Update: So apparently we have two fewer days to shop for Christmas gifts than we thought. Hmph.

Downloadable Games
  • Toy Home ($9.99)
  • Snakeball (free demo, $9.99 full game)
  • Trials of Topoq ($4.99)
  • Mesmerize: Distort ($1.99)

Add-on Game Content
  • Warhawk Omega Dawn Booster Pack ($7.99)
  • Folklore Holiday add-on (free)
  • Motorstorm Holiday Skin (free)
  • Guitar Hero III - "We Three Kings" (free)
  • High Stakes: Poker Edition add-on 1 (free)
  • High Stakes: Poker Edition add-on 2 (free)
  • Rock Band DLC

Demos
  • Blacksite: Area 51 demo (free)

PS One Classics for PS3/PSP
  • Warhawk ($5.99)
Game Videos
  • GT5 Prologue Trailer (free)
  • Warhawk Omega Dawn Trailer (free)
  • Devil May Cry 4 Trailer (free)
  • Tony Hawk's Proving Ground - Mike V's Skater Story Trailer (free)
  • Turok - Gameplay Vignette #3 Dino Mauling (free)
  • Uncharted: Drake's Fortune "Facial Animation" Video (free)
  • PS3 Universe of Entertainment TV commericial (free)
  • PS3 "Only On" TV commercial (free)
  • PSP Feature Video (free)
Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers
  • Strange Wilderness Trailer (free)
  • Shakira Oral Fixation Tour Blu-ray Disc Trailer (free)
PS3 Theme
  • Warhawk theme (free)
  • PAIN Cookie theme (free)
  • PAIN Santa theme (free)
PS3 Wallpaper
  • (2) High Stakes: Poker Edition Wallpaper (free)

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]]>area-51blacksitefolkloregh3guitar-hero-iiimesmerizemotorstormomega-dawnpainplaystation-networkps-networkpsnpsn-thursdayrock-bandsnakeballtoy-hometrials-of-topoqwarhawkRoss Miller2007-12-20T22:30:00+00:00Guitar Hero III DLC: The Used Mastadon roams Linkin Parkhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/guitar-hero-iii-dlc-the-used-mastadon-roams-linkin-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/guitar-hero-iii-dlc-the-used-mastadon-roams-linkin-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/guitar-hero-iii-dlc-the-used-mastadon-roams-linkin-park/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Well, perhaps the song selection will make more sense to you than the headline. Still not content with the initial track list in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Activision has revealed the contents of the rock 'n rhythmer's next set of downloadable content (but not the price, so no accusing them of pitching a con-tent just yet). Right, on to the content:

The Warner/Reprise Track Pack (master recordings) Single song downloads (courtesy of "popular European bands")
 "Free, exclusive rock rendition" of a holiday classic
  • "We Three Kings" by Steve Ouimette
In fitting with tradition, you can expect the Warner/Reprise/Wrist Slasher Special track pack to cost $6.25 when it appears on the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network sometime in December. We'll let you know as soon we've confirmed the prices of the individual songs.

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]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzardBreakingNewsDLCGH3Guitar-HeroGuitar-Hero-3GuitarHeroGuitarHero3GuitarHeroIIIMusicNeversoftPSNXboxLiveLudwig Kietzmann2007-12-14T20:45:00+00:00Zero Punctuation wails on Guitar Hero IIIhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/zero-punctuation-wails-on-guitar-hero-iii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/zero-punctuation-wails-on-guitar-hero-iii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/zero-punctuation-wails-on-guitar-hero-iii/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Yahtzee puts in plain speak during the latest Zero Punctuation review that Guitar Hero III is when the Guitar Hero series stopped being fun. Because you see, there's this wall that players hit and the game becomes impossible. Yahtzee doesn't want to hear it -- and neither do we -- if you're the only guy in your village who beat everything backward and forward. You aren't average, normal, or in any way a part of the natural order of sheep that make up the population of our little planet. Also, in this very special episode of Zero Punctuation, Yahtzee puts questions about his sexuality to rest.

Find your weekly dose of (NSFW) unhinged rage after the break.

[Thanks Mromson]

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]]>escapistgh3ghiiiguitar-heroyahtzeezero-punctuationzeropunctuationAlexander Sliwinski2007-12-12T14:55:00+00:00Rock out with your block out: i am 8-bit guitar strapshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/rock-out-with-your-block-out-i-am-8-bit-guitar-straps/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/rock-out-with-your-block-out-i-am-8-bit-guitar-straps/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/rock-out-with-your-block-out-i-am-8-bit-guitar-straps/#commentsFiled under:


You're a rebel. You don't listen intently for thoughtful gift ideas before hitting the mall months ahead of the holiday shopping season. No, you march to your own tune - a tune, which we should add, is more than likely generated by clicking brightly colored plastic buttons on a plastic guitar - and you wait until the last minute to get your gift ideas from a blog, a video game blog, of all places.

Relax, you're amongst peers. Which is why we just had to show you these vinyl guitar straps with that i am 8-bit aesthetic we know you're so crazy about. Yeah, it's really a Christmas present for yourself, but you've been good this year, right? We thought so.

[Thanks, Kevin]

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]]>GH3Guitar-Hero-3Guitar-Hero-IIIGuitarHero3GuitarHeroIIIholidashi-am-8-bitRock-BandRockBandChristopher Grant2007-12-11T22:30:00+00:00Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid done, shipping out Dec. 10http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/guitar-hero-iii-pc-mac-hybrid-done-shipping-out-dec-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/guitar-hero-iii-pc-mac-hybrid-done-shipping-out-dec-10/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/guitar-hero-iii-pc-mac-hybrid-done-shipping-out-dec-10/#commentsFiled under: , ,


You Mac gamers out there (we know, we know, "both of you") will be pleased to learn that the briefly delayed Guitar Hero III will be shipping to retailers on December 10, so you should be able to snag a copy in time for [insert gift-giving holiday of choice here].

The $80 PC/Mac hybrid disc (that's called a twofer where we're from) is bundled with the USB-based X-plorer guitar and will even include cross-platform multiplayer between the two at times warring platforms. Now how about a showdown between John Hodgman and Justin Long?

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]]>AspyrGH3GuitarHeroIIIChristopher Grant2007-11-28T14:44:00+00:00Rock Band rejects PS3's Guitar Hero controllerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/rock-band-rejects-ps3s-guitar-hero-controller/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/rock-band-rejects-ps3s-guitar-hero-controller/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/rock-band-rejects-ps3s-guitar-hero-controller/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Irritating instrument exclusion news now, with IGN revealing unpleasant information to those eager to start a fake band in presence of the PlayStation 3. The article notes that the PS3's Guitar Hero III controller, the Les Paul, does not currently function with Rock Band. The Red Octane peripheral is recognized as a controller and works for menu selections, but it does not register as an instrument. Well, that certainly sticks it to the man... where the man is Harmonix's touting of Rock Band as a music "platform."

Giving the developer the benefit of the doubt, one could speculate that this inconsistency will be dealt with in a downloadable patch. After all, the Xbox 360's Les Paul works just fine with the Xbox 360 variant of Rock Band -- this lack of peripheral support would only be rendered worse if it wasn't even consistent across systems. With no standalone Rock Band instruments available until 2008, the only way of completing the PS3 experience as things stand would be to purchase the $180 bundle again (as if finding one wasn't hard enough). Between your best friends and Harmonix, someone's gonna have to do you a favor.

We'll let you know when we hear more.

[Thanks, M@]

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]]>GH3Guitar-HeroGuitarHeroGuitarHero3LesPaulRock-BandRockBandLudwig Kietzmann2007-11-19T20:55:00+00:00October NPD: Wii, DS dethrone Xbox 360http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/october-npd-wii-ds-dethrone-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/october-npd-wii-ds-dethrone-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/october-npd-wii-ds-dethrone-xbox-360/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


After the NPD group's short-lived hesitation in providing monthly US console sales data spawned many an unhappy emoticon, it comes as a great relief to present October's magnificent results. This is especially true considering that all platforms have ducked out of last month's Halo effect and returned to their familiar positions -- the Wii and DS are back on top and the PlayStation 3 is, well, you know.

GameDaily notes that the industry once again saw over $1 billion dollars leaving wallets at uncanny speeds, placing total sales for the year (through October) at $10.5 billion. At the same time last year, the amount had "just" reached $7 billion.
  • Nintendo Wii: 519K (5 million total)
  • Nintendo DS: 458K (13.6 million total)
  • Microsoft Xbox 360: 366K (7.1 million total)
  • Sony PSP: 286K (8.8 million total)
  • Sony PlayStation 2: 184K (39.4 million total)
  • Sony PlayStation 3: 121K (1.9 million total)

Halo 3 continued to top the software top 10 (US sales now total 3.7 million copies), followed by multiple versions of Activision's hugely successful strummer, Guitar Hero III: Somewhat Superfluous Subtitle. Unsurprisingly, the PS2 versions sold in the greatest numbers, followed by the Xbox 360 and Wii packages. And don't ask us about the whereabouts of the PS3 version. That question is better directed at fellow absentees, Ratchet & Clank.
  1. Halo 3 (all three SKUs - Xbox 360) -- 433.8K
  2. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (Xbox 360) -- 383.2K
  3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (Wii) -- 286.3K
  4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (PS2) -- 271.1K
  5. Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) -- 262.8K
  6. Wii Play (Wii) -- 239.7K
  7. The Orange Box (Xbox 360) -- 238.4K
  8. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock standalone (PS2) -- 231.7K
  9. FIFA Soccer '08 (PS2) -- 129.7K
  10. Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day (DS) -- 116.9K

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]]>BreakingNewsGH3Guitar-HeroGuitarHeroGuitarHero3Halo3legendofzeldaNPDorangeboxzeldaLudwig Kietzmann2007-11-15T19:34:00+00:00Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid 'later this year'http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/guitar-hero-3-pc-mac-hybrid-later-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/guitar-hero-3-pc-mac-hybrid-later-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/guitar-hero-3-pc-mac-hybrid-later-this-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While it may seem like everyone and their roadie already picked up a copy of Guitar Hero III earlier this month - what with $115 million in sales in the first week alone - Red Octane and Activision aren't even through with their brutal march towards total platform saturation. Though the peripheral-laden DS version is still undated, the PC version was released on Tuesday; unfortunately, the Mac version - now revealed to be a magical PC/Mac hybrid disc - won't be available until "later this year" according to Aspyr, the developer porting the game.

When asked what will happen to the current PC-only SKU when the hybrid variant is unleashed, Aspyr told Joystiq "the hybrid PC/Mac version will eventually replace the PC-only SKU." Aspyr is aiming to have that version on shelves this year (we assume bundled with the PC version's wired X-plorer guitar and priced at the same $79.99) but we also worry the veteran Mac developers have their hands full with their just announced Xbox 360 port of Supreme Commander.

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]]>ActivisionAspyrGH3Guitar-Hero-IIIGuitarHeroIIIChristopher Grant2007-11-14T21:32:00+00:00Wireless Guitar Hero 3 controller functions with PC versionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/wireless-guitar-hero-3-controller-functions-with-pc-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/wireless-guitar-hero-3-controller-functions-with-pc-version/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/wireless-guitar-hero-3-controller-functions-with-pc-version/#commentsFiled under: , ,


First, the good news! The Xbox 360's sleek, wireless Gibson Les Paul controller that made its debut with Guitar Hero III has been confirmed by the wonderful folks at Shacknews to be fully compatible with the upcoming PC version of Activision's rhythmic rocker. It's not "officially" supported by develo-porter Aspyr, mind you, but you'll find it works just fine for setting those frets on fire -- all you need is the Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver.

The bad news (don't be shocked, we alluded to this in the first paragraph!) is that Guitar Hero III's PC variant, which releases November 12th, already comes packaged with a guitar, namely the Gibson X-plorer which accompanied Guitar Hero II on the Xbox 360. It's uglier, it's wired and simply won't let you play the game from ridiculous and impractical distances! It seems the Gibson Les Paul is only a worthwhile option if you desire a second controller or if you can track down a standalone version of the game. Can't you help out with this, Steam?

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]]>ActivisionAspyrGH3Guitar-HeroGuitarHeroGuitarHero3Ludwig Kietzmann2007-11-09T03:00:00+00:00PSN Thursday: (Motor)storming through Uncharted territorieshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/psn-thursday-motor-storming-through-uncharted-territories/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/psn-thursday-motor-storming-through-uncharted-territories/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/psn-thursday-motor-storming-through-uncharted-territories/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You've heard us talking about Uncharted: Drake's Fortune before, both in positive and less-than-positive lights. Now you'll get to decide for yourself. As planned, the demo for this PlayStation 3-exclusive title is heading to the PS Network today, along with a demo of College Hoops 2K8.

Additionally, Sony is giving Motorstorm fanatics some more content. The Devil's Weekend add-on ($5.99) includes a new track (Devil's Crossing), five new vehicles with three styles apiece, and The Devil's Weekend festival with nine new races. For Guitar Hero III, the Foo Fighters and Velvet Revolver packs that were previously announced for Xbox Live will also be available on the PS3 for $6.25 apiece.

An assortment of game videos and movie trailers, a new wallpaper featuring Call of Duty 4 is available for free, as well as three new themes (Classy Pink, Pixel and Nature) to spice up your new firmware update. More details after the break.

Update: Sony notes on the PlayStation blog that the Uncharted demo will only work on American PS3 systems due to a bug. The demo is still undergoing localization and will see official release in other territories at a later date.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Demos:
  • Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (free)
  • College Hoops 2K8 (free)
Add-on Content:
  • MotorStorm Devil's Weekend ($5.99)
  • Guitar Hero III Foo Fighters Pack ($6.25)
  • Guitar Hero III Velvet Revolver Pack ($6.25)
Game Videos:
  • MotorStorm Devil's Weekend video (free)
  • Ratchet & Clank Future: ToD launch trailer (free)
  • Devil May Cry 4 TGS Trailer 2 (free)
  • WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 Trailer (free)
  • Burnout Paradise "Carson GT" Trailer (free)
  • Burnout Paradise "Manhattan" Trailer (free)
Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers:
  • One Missed Call Trailer (free)
  • Sweeney Todd Trailer (free)
  • Hostel Part II Trailer (free)
Misc.
  • Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Wallpapers (free)
  • Three (3) themes: Classic Pink, Pixel and Nature (free)

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]]>call-of-dutycall-of-duty-4cod4college-hoopsgh3guitar-heroguitar-hero-3motorstormplaystation-networkpsnpsn-thursdayunchartedRoss Miller2007-11-08T17:02:00+00:00