Back in August, Warner Music CEO Edgar Bronfman lashed out at the videogame industry, saying that the royalties being paid to record companies for the use of their music in games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band were “far too small.” Activision CEO Bobby Kotick retaliated in September by claiming just the opposite. His argument was that because these games offer a brand new way for people to experience an artist’s music, if any money is going to change hands, it should be the videogame publishers and developers who get paid.
Now there’s word from Reuters that Activision’s stance may have caused the companies who control The Beatles’ recordings -- Apple Corps, Sony/ATV, and EMI -- to choose Harmonix and MTV to develop the upcoming Beatles-exclusive videogame that was announced last week. The specific terms of the deal (i.e., how much MTV/Harmonix shelled out) haven’t been discussed, but Reuters’ sources “hinted” that Activision’s inflexibility regarding royalties -- namely, that the music industry should be paying them for the right to be included in Guitar Hero -- helped make the decision to go with MTV/Harmonix easier:
“It was presented as if they were doing the music business a favor,” Sony/ATV CEO Martin Bandier said. “It’s true you can choose other types of music, and somewhere along the line someone’s going to do it for free for the exposure ... When it comes to the Beatles, the leverage changes. We’re very happy with the terms of our arrangement with MTV.”
Apple Corps CEO Jeff Jones also noted last week during the conference call announcing the deal that “MTV was clearly the innovator in offering a full-band experience.” Frankly, I was happy to find out that MTV and Harmonix will be the people behind the exclusive Beatles game, but that excitement was tempered by the revelation that the songs may not ever be usable outside of that title (i.e., in Rock Band). Still, it seems to me that Activision should’ve realized they’d have to pay up -- and in a big way -- to score The Beatles’ music for an exclusive game. What say you, Dtoiders?
[Via Reuters by way of Gamasutra -- thanks, Jonathan!]
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Contest:
6:27 PM on 11.03.2008
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A "Beatles RB-like Game" is of such significance than I can overlood the lack of interoperability with RB itself. Outside of the Beatles, I doubt I would extend such leniance to other band/game combos.
Also, there was a rumour, which is stringy and met with a non-denial-denial on the RB forums, that the Beatles game might feature a keyboard input. Rumour city, but it makes more sense than a keyboard would in RB2/3 at least. I think the source was a paper like China Daily, or something. I don't give it much weight myself, but I imagine we'll hear more in the coming months one way or the other.
I myself am happy as a clam that its going to be on RB.
WAYYY better then that music game that Activision keeps trying to pass off
That's all I want man!
THAT'S ALL ANYONE WANTS!!!
win x 10000000000
also activision is kind of a whore.
At this point in time, though, I might just be the exception for all I know. I can't speak for the other plastic guitarists out there.
But I also see the other side that if it wasn't for some of the classic songs that they have, I probably wouldn't have bothered buying either of them.
So, no, atastysammich, you're definitely not the only exception.
As far as HMX's position vs. Activision's; just look at the 20 Free DLC - a bunch of new bands, and PEOPLE WHAAAAA'D about them like children (it is the internet of course).
Free songs, 20 of them, all from new, modern bands that could use the exposure, and on the RB forums and elsewhere, people looked the gift horse in the mouth, turned up their noses, and stomped their feet. I don't think a game like GH or RB could have gotten off the ground without the involvment of bands so huge and classic that asking them to pay-for-inclusion would be laughable on the face of it.
I mean, I've grabbed a few albums because of GH/RB, but outside of the 'never heard of em' bands like The Mother Hips, I can't see many bands accepting the Activision-type offer, and the ones that might are not the type of band to move games.
But you also can't deny that (at least until such time as Harmonix and Activision run them into the ground) these games are one hell of a marketing tool for just about any band that's out there because of the millions of people it will reach, something that most indie bands can only dream of otherwise, which is why I do see the point that Activision is arrogantly trying to make. I'm not saying they're 100% correct, but I see where they're coming from.
I can tell you how this story ends: People will get sick of paying high royalties sooner or later for music they already own and will favor the games that works with a person's mp3 collection. It started with Audiosurf but that isn't the killer app yet. Its coming.
And by without a fight, I mean, without strangling it in its crib by suing the pants off anybody who even mentions it, and getting reacharound laws passed through their lobbiest power to make such 'fair use' criminal?
I would love the fantasy game that makes RB-like charts out of any music you throw at it, but I don't see it happening without massive pushback from the people who like to think they own "all music in all forms forever and ever."
Thank you so much for your insightful commentary and for adding so much value and knowledge to this thread. Your wisdom is truly beyond the ages. {roll eyes} Sheesh.
So these games are a great way for these music companies to a new market of consumer that they were never able to reach before. That's where the value lies that Activision is talking about.