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Rock Band Weekly: Green Day and Mayhem Pack

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 2nd 2009 at 3:15PM }

Next week's Rock Band Weekly brings the announced three-pack from Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown album. The tracks are apparently the first offerings from an "exclusive partnership" between Harmonix and Warner Music to bring the band's songs to the platform. Green Day isn't even the angriest band this week ...

Green Day Pack (440

/ $5.50/ 200 Wii Points apiece)

"21 Guns" (160 / $2)
"East Jesus Nowhere" (160 / $2)
"Know Your Enemy" (160 / $2)

Mayhem Pack (1080

/ $13.50/ 200 Wii Points apiece)

"Conquer All" -- Behemoth (160 / $2)
"What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse" -- Black Dahlia Murder (160 / $2)
"Hammer Smashed Face" -- Cannibal Corpse (160 / $2)
"Empire of the Gun" -- God Forbid (160 / $2)
"Embedded" -- Job for a Cowboy (160 / $2)
"Disposable Teens" -- Marilyn Manson (160 / $2)
"Black Magic" -- Slayer (160 / $2)
"This Is Exile" -- Whitechapel (160 / $2)

All tracks are original masters and are available for download next Tuesday on Xbox 360 and Wii. They make their way over to PS3 on Thursday.

Rock Band Wiikly: Pearl Jam, Mission of Burma, Offspring and more

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 29th 2009 at 7:45PM }

Rock Band Wiikly's tap has flowed with massive quantities of tracks for weeks now. Sure, the releases aren't exactly synced with Rock Band Weekly, but the back catalog of Rock Band DLC is certainly being filled in. Our concern that it would take until mid-2010 for the full catalog sync is slowly dissipating. This week's update of 16 tracks to the Wii music store includes the Pearl Jam tracks from a couple weeks back, along with a whole mess of other stuff. Find the full list after the break.

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MTV Games hires former THQ and Sony execs in key positions

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 29th 2009 at 5:00PM }

MTV Games has hired two new high-level execs to manage its growth. First up is former senior Sony sales and merchandising executive, David Cox, who'll become the company's senior vice president of sales. At the same time, MTV Games has appointed Scott Guthrie as executive vice president and general manager to lead the "fast-growing video game publishing group's management team."

Guthrie's former position was that of executive vice president of publishing at embattled publisher THQ. You know, that company that had to do an executive overhaul and is currently altering its image to forget its past, along with last year's $431 million loss. Hopefully things will go a little better at MTV Games.

Play Rock Band with bands from the Warped Tour

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 25th 2009 at 9:00PM }

As part of its sponsorship of the Vans Warped Tour, Harmonix will be giving attendees a chance to play Rock Band with the actual bands performing. The strange thing about Harmonix's post about this promotion is that the developer gives the name of the bands you'll have the opportunity to play with, but not the location of the tour at that time. So, take a look at the list of bands after the break and compare them to the tour stops in your area.

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Rock Band Weekly redux: Pearl Jam

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 22nd 2009 at 10:30PM }

In addition to this week's Rock Band Weekly featuring Maroon 5 and artists from the Warped Tour, those pranksters at Harmonix snuck in some Pearl Jam tracks. The three tracks were bundled with the re-release of Pearl Jam's Ten album earlier this year.

Pearl Jam Ten Bonus Pack (440

/ $5.50)

"Brother" (160 / $2)
"Alive (Live: Drop in the Park)" (160 / $2)
"State of Love and Trust (Live: Drop in the Park)" (160 / $2)

These master recording will be available tomorrow and Thursday on Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively.

Rock Band Weekly: Warped Tour, Maroon 5

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 19th 2009 at 12:15PM }

Next week's Rock Band Weekly brings artists from the Warped Tour, an extreme-sports-meets-music thang. There are also three tracks from the Grammy Award-winning (2005 Best New Artist) Maroon 5. However, the tracks for next week are from the band's album It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which won a Grammy for "Makes Me Wonder."

Warped Tour Pack (680

/ $8.50)

"The Downfall of Us All" -- A Day to Remember (160 / $2)
"21st Century Digital Boy" -- Bad Religion (160 / $2)
"I Didn't Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was a Wizard" -- Chiodos (160 / $2)
"The Flood" -- Escape the Fate (160 / $2)
"Reinventing Your Exit" -- Underoath (160 / $2)

Maroon 5 Pack (440

/ $5.50)

"Little of Your Time" (160 / $2)
"Makes Me Wonder" (160 / $2)
"Wake Up Call" (160 / $2)

All tracks are masters and will be available for download next Tuesday and Thursday on Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively.

The Beatles: Rock Band will make you cry, hold a stranger's hand

by David Hinkle { Jun 18th 2009 at 1:55PM }

During an interview with Gamasutra, The Beatles: Rock Band project lead Josh Randall revealed a great anecdote about a playtesting session. "I'm not that great, but the first time I sat in on a playtest session and saw three people singing in harmony together for "Here Comes the Sun," I swear I saw people tearing up at the end," he said. People crying while playing his game? What is this, Shadow of the Colossus?

He also points to another occasion where he saw people "hold hands -- total strangers holding hands, singing in harmony." Randall thinks the game has a lot of heart, and will evoke a lot of emotion from those who play. While we can't comment on that yet, we will say the game's opening cartoon did give us butterflies in our stomach!

Rumor: The Beatles: Rock Band track list leaked [update: Harmonix says nope]

by Ben Gilbert { Jun 14th 2009 at 10:00PM }

It reads like so many rhythm/music game releases in the past -- the ubiquitous track list leak. The Beatles: Rock Band is still a few months off from its September 9 release date but Ripten has gotten its hands on a leaked list of the possible tracks from the game (found after the break).

The list does include the three tracks we checked out in our hands-on with the game at E3, though it also looks an awful lot like a list of Beatles singles across their career. Ripten notes that the ten tracks found in the glorious opening to the game are all included in its leaked list -- and it is approximately the same amount of tracks we know the game will be shipping with -- though we've yet to receive any official confirmation or denial from MTV Games, Harmonix, or EA.

Update: A Harmonix spokesperson has confirmed to us that this leaked list of songs is definitely not the track list for The Beatles: Rock Band, saying, "The rumored 'leaked' list is not the disc track listing for The Beatles: Rock Band. We'll be announcing more tracks throughout the summer. Stay tuned to thebeatlesrockband.com for the most up to date information about disc songs and downloadable content!"

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band

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Rock Band Weekly: Spinal Tap, Evanescence

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 12th 2009 at 4:45PM }

Spinal Tap lands on Rock Band next week and will be ready to turn it up to 11. Just remember to keep an eye on your drummer -- Spinal Tap and drummers don't mix well. Next week's Rock Band Weekly also adds Evanescence. Male vocalists shouldn't even bother. Seriously, it's one thing to sing "Bring Me to Life" with the windows rolled up in your car, but it's a little different trying to do it with others around.

Spinal Tap Pack (560

/ $7)

"Back from the Dead" (160 / $2)
"Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare" (160 / $2)
"Saucy Jack" (160 / $2)
"Warmer Than Hell" (160 / $2)

Evanescence Pack (440

/ $5.50)

"Bring Me to Life" (160 / $2)
"Call Me When You're Sober" (160 / $2)
"Weight of the World" (160 / $2)

All tracks are masters and will be available for download next Tuesday and Thursday on Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively.

GameStop offers exclusive tracks, other goodies for The Beatles: Rock Band pre-orders

by David Hinkle { Jun 9th 2009 at 7:20PM }

Should you mosey on down to your local GameStop and drop a sawbuck on any version of The Beatles: Rock Band,
you're going to get more than just the usual slip of paper. GameStop is giving everyone that pre-orders the game three exclusive tracks, as well as a code for an in-game photo album.

We already know that the Xbox 360 version of the game is getting the exclusive 'All You Need is Love,' and that Abbey Road will be DLC down the line, so these tracks likely won't come from that album. Also, it should be mentioned that Wii fans won't be left out in the cold, as they'll also get these three free tracks, as well as one additional item: a 2gb SD card.

[Via VG247]

EB Games hosting huge Guitar Hero and Rock Band sale

by Griffin McElroy { Jun 9th 2009 at 4:50PM }

If you're one of the few people left on this planet whose living room, den and foyer aren't littered with fake plastic instruments, it's time for your induction. EB Games is doing a huge online sale right now for slightly "worn" copies of nearly every peripheral-centric rhythm title to come out of Activision and Harmonix. Act quickly, and you can pick up the PS3 or 360 version of the Rock Band 2 SE Bundle or the PS3 or PS2 version of the Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit plus free 3-day shipping for just $94.99.

You could also pick up the other discounted items -- the original Rock Band bundle, Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero Aerosmith -- but the resulting necessary architectural extension of your gaming den might strip the deal of its cost efficiency.

Green Day coming to Rock Band in some capacity

by JC Fletcher { Jun 9th 2009 at 9:30AM }

Green Day will have something Rock Band-related out this year, according to statements made by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong during a KROQ appearance. An audience member asked the band if they were planning on putting songs out for the game, and Armstrong revealed that something was in the works.

"Yeah, we're doing a whole Green Day Rock Band, uh ..." Armstrong responded, unable to finish his sentence due to a swell of applause. Green Day Rock Band what? Game? Downloadable track pack? Expansion disc? Guitar decal line? Instructional video? Whatever it is, we'll find out about it soon, because it's supposed to be out by the end of the year.

The band, having just previously made fun of social networking, went on to discuss how they were too old to play Rock Band well. That's how you connect with your young audience!

[Via Kotaku, thanks, Chris W.]
Source (Part 5 of the "Kevin and Bean's Breakfast with Green Day" recording)

Hands-on: The Beatles: Rock Band

by Ben Gilbert { Jun 3rd 2009 at 10:00PM }

It'd be a lie to say what we played of The Beatles: Rock Band was much more than the game you already know (and maybe love): Rock Band 2. We should also note, for full disclosure and all that good stuff, that we love The Beatles with all our hearts. And so, rather than tell you about the little of the game we could play (10 songs from the game and no campaign mode whatsoever), we're going to talk about the game's instruments -- the one notable change from previous Rock Band titles.

We sat down with the game's rendition of Ringo Starr's Ludwig drums and, erm, stood up with Paul McCartney's Hoffner bass for three different songs ("Taxman," "Here Comes the Sun," and "I Am the Walrus"). Here's the news: the drums are nearly identical to the drums that shipped with Rock Band 2, aside from a nylon screen, faking the outside of a bass drum.

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band 'Abbey Road' Booth @ E3

Gallery: The Beatles: Rock Band

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The Beatles: Rock Band intro is our 'Real Love'

by Xav de Matos { Jun 1st 2009 at 7:30PM }

Rock Band fans will no doubt recognize the 3D models found in the background action of The Beatles: Rock Band, but it was the game's intro that really stole our hearts at Microsoft's Pre-E3 Conference. Using a stylized animation that spanned the early days to the later years of the band's history, the intro video to The Beatles: Rock Band left us wishing the entire game adopted the unique style instead of the standard Rock Band look. Take a look for yourself (above) and let us know which you'd prefer.

New Iron Maiden tracks on the way to Rock Band

by Richard Mitchell { May 28th 2009 at 7:30PM }

The official Rock Band Community Zine has announced that a new batch of Iron Maiden tracks is headed to the game. The 12 upcoming tracks were all played during the band's recent Somewhere Back in Time World Tour and all are master recordings. The list also includes three live tracks taken from the band's Flight 666 documentary. The tracks -- which have yet to be priced -- will be available on June 9. Find all 12 tracks (with handy YouTube links) after the break.

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