OK, so this is happening. Warner Bros. Interactive, TT Games, The LEGO Group, Harmonix, and MTV Games have all come together to announce -- you guessed it -- LEGO Rock Band.
Slated to hit Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS holiday 2009, LEGO Rock Band lets players "Build a Band and Rock the Universe." How that's going to work is a bit sketchy, but the press release says you'll be able to build a mini-figure avatar, band, entourage, manager, and crew. And then it also goes on to say that LEGO Rock Band supports all existing Rock Band instruments, as well as other music game controllers. We assume this doesn't apply to the Nintendo DS version, which will likely feature modified gameplay.
The game features a track listing more "suitable for younger audiences" including:
- Blur - “Song 2”
- Carl Douglas - "Kung Fu Fighting"
- Europe - "The Final Countdown"
- Good Charlotte - "Boys and Girls"
- Pink - "So What"
I'll be the first to say "WTF?" to all of this, and I'll also be the first to admit I'd rather just have all of those songs in existing
Rock Band games as DLC. Yes, even the Pink song, which is a little ditty about getting screwed over by your ex-husband and then going on an irresponsible social rampage to spite him. Like they said, "suitable for younger audiences."
Again, this is a real thing. Discuss.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games Announce LEGO® Rock Band®
Rhythm Based Music Game Snaps Together Best-Selling Franchises to Create Fun Family-Friendly Experience for All Ages
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games are joining forces with the LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), to merge two of the most popular videogame franchises with the creation of LEGO® Rock Band®. The unique family-friendly music experience is currently in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game, which will allow families, tweens and teens to experience a wild journey to rock stardom where they can “Build a Band and Rock the Universe,” will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ home videogame console. LEGO Rock Band for Nintendo DS™ will be co-developed by TT Games and Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio. All versions are scheduled for release holiday 2009.
LEGO Rock Band combines the multiplayer music experience of Rock Band® with the fun, customization and humor of the LEGO videogame franchise packed with brilliant chart-topping songs and classic favorites suitable for younger audiences, including:
Blur: “Song 2”
Carl Douglas: “Kung Fu Fighting”
Europe: “The Final Countdown”
Good Charlotte: “Boys and Girls”
Pink: “So What”
Players will become rockers as they embark on a journey to stardom that the whole family can enjoy as they work their way through local venues, stadiums and fantasy locations on Earth and beyond that mimic the imaginative settings that the LEGO world offers. Also continuing the LEGO “build-and-play” gaming experience, players will be able to create their own LEGO Rock Band style as they customize their minifigure avatars, band and entourage, including roadies, managers and crew. LEGO Rock Band supports Rock Band instruments, as well as other music game controllers.
“LEGO Rock Band combines two compelling properties and creates an experience that family members of all ages will enjoy playing together as a group,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are the world experts in music gameplay, and we’re genuinely thrilled to bring the unique and humor-filled LEGO experience to their Rock Band universe.”
“We’re thrilled to offer another LEGO branded gaming experience that will deliver humorous and social play for families and friends,” said Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Vice President, the LEGO Group. “LEGO Rock Band is built around the same values of imagination and family-friendly creative role play that is present in other LEGO videogames. It will deliver innovative new elements of game play that complement the fun of the Rock Band experience.”
“Rock Band is a social game experience that crosses every generation and every genre of rock,” said Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games for MTV Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are big fans of the LEGO game franchise and excited to work with TT Games to develop a new take on Rock Band that focuses on great music and LEGO humor that’s fun for the whole family.”
Contest:
8:34 AM on 04.21.2009
| 
For shame.
WHORES.
Yes it does. But get this... so does Rock Band. Just saying.
The bad news for me is there's still the Beatles version for me to waste $$$ on, as I very much want that Beatles one.
...yeah. WTF?
I mean...
...no. No other words. Just "WTF?"
But wtf? The normal version is already kinda' a game for kids...
Also, is it wrong that when I read the article the only thing I could think of was Arrested Development when I read that "The Final Countdown" was to be included?
/COME ON!
I'm in as long as the songs are exportable.
www.schocholautte.com
COIN
COLLECT
GET
The games are also designed by people who can (in all likelihood) play actual instruments well the hell better than you're able to.
: (
Harmonix isn't probably dividing their time equally between Beatles and Lego; the Rock Band part of Lego seems as if it may be somewhat generic, and the models of the Lego Minifigures characters are being ported from previous Lego games. This is a quick cash-in buck to be sure, but a smart one.
Beatles: Rock Band will sell like nobody's biz and probably, rightly so; Lego Rock Band is there to cover the market with a tarp in case you're too young or too 'cool' to play Beatles. Better market divergence than Metallica/Van Halen/Aerosmith offerings in my opinion.
I would rather the whoring of Rock band be an imaginative or cool idea than be repackaging of old songs released as a new game (Greatest Hits cough cough). I'm not going to lie and say that I hate this and how its stupid. I think it's fairly cute and so far has 2 songs I want to play (Song 2 and Final Countdown) so I might play it. It's a goofy idea but I think it might work.
GH is coming out with around NINE
Who is whoring their franchise?
Whats with all the smack talk about Harmonix being better than this? Electronic Arts publish the thing, of course they're going to exploit a huge franchise of theirs. They aren't any different that Activision. Fact: Big Companies like Big Money.
We'd better be able to export the songs to use them in regular Rock Band, a la the AC/DC disc... otherwise, Harmonix is going to suffer like G did.