I catch sh*t frequently about my dislike of these plastic instrument videogames. That's not to say that I don't think others shouldn't play them, though. It's just that I don't enjoy them, much like Nick Chester does not enjoy anything where you have to pick battle commands from a text menu. My co-workers would assume that I'd get some kind of joy in saying that music games are going down or something in the like. I'm not; I'm just letting you know that even EA is concerned about their future.
EA Games president Frank Gibeau isn't feeling as solid about music games after seeing weak sales of Rock Band.
"...plastic's way down, so a lot of the music category stuff is not as robust as it's been, and it's unclear whether a lot of this peripheral activity that's happening is going to stick. USD 125, USD 115, USD 99 price points for these things - it appears to have gone soft right now in the market place," Gibeau said in a recent interview.
He feels okay about software-only releases. It's really the big boxes full of plastic things that he's concerned about. Is it just that people are less willing to spend the money on these higher-priced packages? Or is it that music games have run their course? I was done with them after the first Guitar Hero. Are you still playing them? Are you still wanting more?
[via GI.biz]
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
1:20 PM on 08.27.2009
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Beatles Rock Band however seems like a true Beatles Experience. So if EA were to push forward like that on their series I'd be more than pleased. Just don't make Beatles Rock Band 2: Electric Boogaloo.
Software updates are for sure the way to go.
They meed to just consider the RB2 instruments a standard and stick with that. They could push other hardware online via Amazon, The Rock Band Store, etc. but they need to cut down on retail hardware in stores. I know a lot of GameStop managers are pissed because this stuff takes up so much space. I don't think any side is really benefitting right mow from plastic instruments.
How much is this EA rep getting paid for again?
Also, I love that picture as a summary of criticism of Guitar Hero; a bad argument coupled with horrible grammar and spelling errors (it's Down's Syndrome, Down syndrome is only barely acceptable because Americans have to invent their own misspelled version of everything). Not that I'm an intense fan (or even actually a fan) of Guitar Hero but when people hate on it for not teaching legitimate guitar skills it annoys me.
Activison on the other hand, will continue releasing peripherals till 2047's Epiphone hero.
Activision is Guitar Hero. EA is Rock Band.
Hey, me too! They had both the one guitar and TWO guitar bundles at the same price (?) of $44. That's a real good deal; the GH instruments have always been superior to the RB ones. If I hadn't been short on cash I would have picked that up.
It even comes with a great, Guitar Hero World Tour drink coster! You know, to put your Mountain Dew on when you are playing Rock Band. :P
Because everything done on the internet is clearly American in origin.
Besides, are there any Van Morrison songs in there? It's shameful how people tend to forget the man in almost every media conceivable...