So I got back from class around 6:15 tonight, and since I was eager to see what Sony had added to the PS Store, I stopped folding and booted up the store. This Thursday’s update is pretty significant: they’ve added the long-awaited demo of
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, which weighs in at 1.2 GB (I’m downloading it as I type this). There’s also a demo of 2K Sports’
College Hoops 2K8, as well as three new themes that can now be used as of the v2.00 update to the system software. There’s also an add-on for
MotorStorm, but the two things I immediately noticed were the two brand-new song packs for
Guitar Hero III.
The first one features Velvet Revolver songs: “She Builds Quick Machines”, “Slither”, and “Messages”. Of course, this makes sense, considering Slash is in the game and commercials for it. But I’m not a Velvet Revolver fan, so I don’t care about this group of songs.
The second pack is comprised of three Foo Fighters songs: “All My Life”, “The Pretender”, and “This Is A Call”. Now, I
am a Foo Fighters fan, but one of the reasons I won’t be downloading this pack either is because I’m only familiar with one of the songs (“All My Life”). I wish they’d chosen “Everlong”, because that’s probably my favorite song by the band, or at least “Learn To Fly”.
But my main gripe with these song packs isn’t the content; it’s the price. Regrettably, Activision has chosen to follow the same pricing scheme they used with
Guitar Hero II and its Xbox LIVE Marketplace song packs; each pack costs $6.25 on the PSN. This is outrageous, as many gamers have said, and I’m even more pissed off at the idiots who just eat up these packs, seemingly regardless of cost. We all knew Activision was setting a dangerous precedent, but apparently, not enough of us did anything about it. On September 11, 2007, Activison announced that the Xbox 360
Guitar Hero II song packs had
gone multiplatinum, and I’m sure Activision just said to themselves, “This is fantastic, guys! 500 MS Points might be highway robbery, but our customers don’t know any better! Let’s keep the exact same pricing and structure for
Guitar Hero III!”
Don’t give Activision a reason to keep the price this high.
BOYCOTT THESE SONG PACKS. Charging $2.08 per song is nuts; you know it, I know it, and Activision knows it too — that’s why they’re still asking this much money for them, even after the consumer backlash. I just hope that
Rock Band doesn’t charge $25 per album with their DLC.
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Pretender is the Foo's most recent single. Sure you've never heard it?
To be honest, kwaselow, I don’t listen to the radio all that much, and I haven’t really been keeping up with new music. That said, I’ve certainly heard an unfamiliar Foo Fighters song recently, so that may be it...
For what it's worth, a song on iTunes would cost 99 cents. A buck more for solo and co-op tracks seems about fair, or at least more fair than having to pay $1 to turn an iTunes track into an iPhone ringtone.
" Of course, this makes sense, considering Slash is in the game and commercials for it. But I’m not a Velvet Revolver fan, so I don’t care about this group of songs. "
not to be a dick, but isnt slash in guns n roses?
@bronx
Here's the music video. Enjoy.
@iRaf
Slash was in Guns 'N Roses. He left (causing Buckethead to temporarily be GNR's lead guitarist), and later formed Velvet Revolver
thanks, didnt know that. don't really listen to rock, BUT I LOVE GUITAR HERO!
Yep, kwaselow, that was the song I was thinking of. I like it, but still, not enough to warrant buying the pack (on principle). Thanks for the video.
Shocking. And people will keep buying them =<.
Also it's all recent Foo Fighter's stuff, which is lame. Needs moar off The Colour and the Shape.
I hate greed.
Oh and : "Also it's all recent Foo Fighter's stuff, which is lame. Needs moar off The Colour and the Shape."
This is a Call is from their first album. Before Colour and the Shape :P
I agree with what Necros said. A song on iTunes is 99 cents. My problem is not being able to buy a single song. It's ass. I don't want to buy a whole bunch of songs, one of which I care about.
the velvet revolver pack is really fun, challenging, good solos, fun riffs.
foo fighters is all tricky power chords
For those that say you can accept it being 2.08 per song when comparing it to .99 cents on iTunes - lets compare it to something even more similar - like a song on GH3 that is on the disc - at that price GH3 would have been 200 for the disc alone.
And as far as boycotting goes - they/we/I tried to do this for Guitar Hero 2 a year ago...it didnt work...and those were for songs that most people already owned because they were from GH1.
That's really my only problem - I'll get the Foo Fighters pack though cause those are three rocking songs - but I'll have a scowl on my face I will.
you claim to be a foo fighters band yet you dont know of this is a call or the pretender? Dude. Thats just not cool.
Still, you get points for knowing that everlong is the best song.
OH and learn to fly is on rockband, if you ever plan to get it (and why not, i say).
Slither is awesome! Its perfect for this type of game. I hope rockband somehow gets it too.
oh sorry - @ wedge- you think 'this is a call' is recent? I would hardly call their first album recent.
@ajaxender: Fair enough...these are the albums I have by them:
The Colour and the Shape
There Is Nothing Left To Lose
One By One
In Your Honor
I haven’t heard their self-titled album.
I am a gypsy and I take offense to your blog title. My people have been transformed into this unsavory word that is used without care of our feelings. I would like it if you would...
Just Kidding!
The price of the packs does not really concern me. What I have a problem with is the use of the 'Pack' structure in general. What if I don't want one out of the three songs in a pack? Then I can either buy the pack and be unsatisfied with 33.3% of my purchase - or can ignore the pack, preventing myself from enjoying 66.6% of it.
That is the bullshit part. I only want to purchase DLC songs that I want to play. I want to be able to personalize my downloaded content to suit me best and I don't want to be locked in to some predetermined selections that don't fit me.
Hopefully Rock Band gets this right...
You should try to get your hands on the other two albums, bronx. The first self title one is interesting because its all dave, he didnt really have a band at that point. It has quite a few really cool songs on it, like for all the cows, and of course this is a call.
The latest one is extremely good. I prefer it to in your honour.
@Variable Gear: Well, yeah, that’s my main qualm with this structuring as well. For Rock Band, I wouldn’t mind paying $2.50 per song, as long as I was able to pick and choose which songs I wanted to buy.
Note to EA/Harmonix: I am NOT suggesting a price. Lower is always better.
@ajaxender: Yeah, I’ve been meaning to get on that for a while. I’m sure they’re available on torrents...
To be honest, I don't think 2 bux per song is all that unreasonable. 99 cent for a song on itune is pretty overpriced to me, but considering the extra work and licensing fees inevitably involved in putting it into a game, an extra dollar on top sounds fair enough. You can consider it too pricey for yourself, but I think a boycott is a bit of an overreaction.