In an interview with the Boston Globe, Activision's Maryanne Lataif lays it on the line about the patch fiasco that has left PlayStation 3 owners unable to use Guitar Hero III peripherals with Harmonix's Rock Band. Prepare to be surprised -- it's all about the bottom line.
"Unfortunately for Rock Band users," says Lataif, "Harmonix has been unwilling to discuss an agreement that will allow us to provide that option in a manner than maintains the high standards people have come to expect from Activision."
Lataif believes that Activision should be compensated for the use of the technology, whereas Harmonix spokeswoman Spencer Saltonstall says that's not her company's intentions.
"We are really and truly not looking at this from the financial standpoints. We are looking at this from a consumer standpoint," Saltonstall told the Boston Globe.
I personally play the Xbox 360 version of Rock Band, which currently does work with 360 Guitar Hero peripherals, but I can sympathise with my PS3 owning brothers and sisters. In this case, Activision may have legal legs to stand on, and are free to pursue this as they see fit. But looking at it from a gamer's standpoint, it's hard to see how this shouldn't make us -- as the kids say -- "want to choke a b**ch."
Contest:
7:01 PM on 12.20.2007
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I'm sure the 360 version pretty much works by accident because of the simple abstracted way the Microsoft DirectX inputs work, but sony's nasty devkit doesn't work with the hardware addresses and needs additional programming.
I'm not going to support Activision's assholish ways.
In other news, I should be getting a Beatmania controller soon. I am totally going to play GH II with it.
Activision: "Like hell. This isn't a charity; we want a cut of the profit."
Harmonix: "WTF open standard!"
(Which is neither open, nor standard)
*Sigh* This is such bullshit. I still can’t believe that Activision doesn’t see that they will be compensated...in the form of thousands of extra copies of Guitar Hero III being sold for the PS3! I don’t understand why they’re completely shutting out an entire platform — the Les Paul controller works with Rock Band on the 360 but not on the PS3, as Nick mentioned above. Fuck you, Activision. I bought your game (Guitar Hero III), but I haven’t had the urge to play it since I picked up Rock Band.
And, as to why you can't use RB peripherals w/GH3? Because Activision blocks them from working, not because RB doesn't want them to work.
When I buy a tire, do I have to pay extra depending on what car I install it on?