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Harmonix, EA, MTV drop Rock Band; e-heroin addiction not included photo

Remember the other day when I told you that MTV, EA, and Harmonix were collaborating on something huge? Well, they just announced it; Rock Band is coming and it's going to rock you not unlike a hurricane.

USA Today has a story about the announcement, and the details made me as giddy as a groupie meeting The Nuge circa 1977. Apparently Harmonix wants to greatly expand the premise presented by its Guitar Hero series by allowing four people to form a band in person, or online to melt faces with fists full of awesome.

Other than that nugget, the details are somewhat scarce, but based on the article, we're envisioning a foursome of players all over the world keeping rhythm with various simulacra of traditional instruments. Picture this: you're shredding away in your bedroom in Seattle, your cousin is keeping time on a faux-drum set in LA, a forty year old ex-GnR roadie is laying down a heavy bassline in Baltimore and a waifish Canadian teenybopper is belting out Copkiller. If they include a bonus game where Tipper Gore calls you a "plague on society", I'll buy unicorns for the entire development team.

(Editor's Note: I almost forgot, Rock Band will be coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 around the holiday season, assuming none of the devs OD. -- Nex) 


Continue: More Rock Band stories





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21 comments | showing # 1 to 21

wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 04/02/2007 06:25
How can you keep in time with somebody 4,000 miles away? Surly the lag would make it impossable?
DeusPayne's Avatar
DeusPayne at 04/02/2007 06:55
What lag? There's practically no data being sent. Seriously, each package during gameplay can probably be reduced to a few booleans and integers, and then all scoring, timing, and calculations can be done locally.
Kerri's Avatar
Kerri at 04/02/2007 07:30
Please, Please don't be an April fool
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 04/02/2007 07:42
this is gonna be impossible to pull off, its gonna take like 300 dollars in accessories if you want a full set
TheBrain's Avatar
TheBrain at 04/02/2007 07:47
Pretty ambitious. I'll stay wary for the moment.
thisissami's Avatar
thisissami at 04/02/2007 07:58
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=23941

:D

here's what it says for you lazy people:

Sony, EMI, Warner and Universal sign up

Electronic Arts has officially announced new PS3 and Xbox 360 title Rock Band, revealing that several key music publishers have already agreed to supply tracks for the game.

News of the title emerged earlier this morning, when it was reported that Rock Band is being developed with Harmonix and MTV and will use four instrument-themed controllers.

Now Electronic Arts has released an official statement confirming that "unprecedented deals" with record labels have already been signed. As a result, the game is set to feature "master recordings from the biggest songs and artists of all time", spanning "all genres of rock".

Several major music publishers will offer access to their track catalogues, including EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappell. Along with EMI Music and Warner Music Group's Rhino Entertainment, labels which have agreed to supply songs include Hollywood Records and Sony BMG plus Universal Music Enterprises.

"Our vision for Rock Band is to completely change the way people interact with and enjoy the music they love," said MTV executive Jeff Yapp.

"By joining forces with EA and the music industry’s largest record labels and publishers, we are striving to create a groundbreaking new platform that allows people to connect with their favorite music and artists in ways they never have before."

Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos commented, "Harmonix was founded to create new ways for everyone to experience the pleasure and satisfaction that comes from playing music. Our work on Guitar Hero was an instrumental step toward that goal.

"But Rock Band is Harmonix’s most ambitious project to date, and it will take music gameplay to an entirely new level. MTV has given us the freedom and the resources to really swing for the fences and make the game we’ve always wanted to make."

Rock Band is due out on PS3 and Xbox 360 this Christmas.
darkslide's Avatar
darkslide at 04/02/2007 08:00
What? No Wii?
thisissami's Avatar
thisissami at 04/02/2007 08:01
and here's another article from Game Industry.biz

New game to work with four instrument-based controllers

Electronic Arts has signed a deal with MTV and Harmonix, the developer behind Guitar Hero, to produce a new game titled Rock Band.

According to USA Today, the game will mix rhythm action gameplay with karaoke, and is due for a release on PS3 and Xbox 360 this Christmas.

Rock Band will work with four instrument-based controllers - lead and bass guitars, a drum kit and microphone. Online features will include the option to form bands with gamers in other countries.

Players will also be able to buy songs online, and tracks used in the game will be performed by the original artists rather than cover bands.

An official announcement is expected from EA later this morning.






the difference between this article and destructoids being that the instruments are specified here to be Bass, Guitar, Drums, and vocals.

i'm gonna go play guitar hero II now. still have 14 songs in Hard to get 5 stars on! then onto expert! woohoo!
inque's Avatar
inque at 04/02/2007 08:11
I was going to say the same thing darkslide 8(
ZeeJayTL's Avatar
ZeeJayTL at 04/02/2007 08:21
a microphone?.?.?.?.?.?.?.?

...

meh I say.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 04/02/2007 08:48
Choking to death on your own vomit sold separately.
xtofuconsumerx's Avatar
xtofuconsumerx at 04/02/2007 08:51
No Wii EXACTLY. My wii is a dust collector. I am excited to see a company try and innovate things. We need more things like this to come out. Even if you do not like the idea or do not want to fork over the cash I think the main thing is realizing the risk this company is taking and applaud them for doing so, otherwise we will just get another fps that has some new cover system.
BahamutZero's Avatar
BahamutZero at 04/02/2007 08:58
this sounds lag-tastic. htf is everyone going to stay in sync
epoch's Avatar
epoch at 04/02/2007 09:35
vocals is friggin lame, they should of gone with keyboard
Danzuke's Avatar
Danzuke at 04/02/2007 09:39
keyboards aren't lame?
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 04/02/2007 09:53
The lag isnt caused by the amount of data being sent, its caused by the speed of light, the actually time it takes the signal to get across. Although its true you can't stop the signal, it can get laggy, though, it may not be noticable. I guess we will ahve to wait and see. Though I echo the "What, no wii?"
disrupto's Avatar
disrupto at 04/02/2007 10:29
I'm not surprised that there's no Wii, considering how important the online multiplayer is.
imcowman's Avatar
imcowman at 04/02/2007 10:36
yarr, now I HAVE to buy a 360. don't they realize how easy to is to create something 'wireless' for the Wii? Just plug it into the remote, even have a place for the remote to clip into the instrument!

but it is interesting to find out how they get guitars working on the PS3.....will they work with GH1 and 2? finally?
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 04/02/2007 11:07
I could easily see myself paying $200 for this. No more than that, though. And those would have to be amazing accessories.
ZeeJayTL's Avatar
ZeeJayTL at 04/02/2007 11:24
[quote]Danzuke says:
04/02/2007 09:39
keyboards aren't lame? [/quote]

Rainbow in the Dark FTW
Cory_t_'s Avatar
Cory_t_ at 04/02/2007 12:09
I can see the drums being ultra ghay! They better not be like the DK bongo's... i want a five piece set!
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