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Rumor: Activision behind Rock Band PS3 peripheral compatibility patch delay?

5:25 PM on 12.06.2007, Nick Chester 35 comments

     PS3

Yesterday, we brought you news of an impending PlayStation 3 Rock Band controller compatability patch, by way of Harmonix. The headline read: "PS3 Rock Band getting controller compatibility patch today." Well, yesterday's "today" has come and gone, and PlayStation 3 owners longing to finally be able to use their wireless Gibson Guitar Hero III controllers with Harmonix's game are still waiting.

A trusted source has told Destructoid that the patch has indeed been submitted to Sony for approval, and (as promised) should have been available yesterday. What's the hold up? According to our source, Activision has actively attempted to block the release of the patch, even bringing their lawyers into the fray. While the obvious plan is for the patch to be available as soon as possible (it was announced yesterday, after all), until this is all worked out behind closed doors, PS3 shredders may be waiting a little longer.

Harmonix has been very clear that they're interested in an open standard for these peripherals, an idea clearly not shared by their competition. (The Rock Band Stratocaster guitar peripheral does not work with Activision's Guitar Hero on any platform; Guitar Hero controllers currently DO work with with Rock Band on the Xbox 360, but not on the PS3).  We've pinged Activision for comment, and we'll update with information as we get it.


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MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 12/06/2007 17:28
I need a this for this seriously.
ruckus's Avatar
ruckus at 12/06/2007 17:29
i need a seriously for seriously seriously
Variable Gear's Avatar
Variable Gear at 12/06/2007 17:30
EA = super seriously assholes and sour pusses.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 12/06/2007 17:32
Cereal?
Nick Chester's Avatar
Nick Chester at 12/06/2007 17:34
You know, we do appreciate it when you guys have something intelligent to add to the discussion. Sometimes that's just as cool as respond with "FARTZ LOLX!"
Hoygeit's Avatar
Hoygeit at 12/06/2007 17:40
If this is true, I think it’s kind of piss poor for Activision to do so. They’re punishing PS3 owners who got the game (either the standalone or package) as there really isn’t an alternative.

Is it really going to hurt them? If a person already has a PS3 controller from Guitar Hero 3 and they bought Rock Band… there’s probably a good chance they’ll purchase another rhythm game that uses a similar controller. Ala Guitar Hero 4.
Variable Gear's Avatar
Variable Gear at 12/06/2007 17:40
@ Nick Chester:

I can't believe Activision is (seemingly) trying to block a patch that would open up the Les Paul guitar peripheral to be used in Rock Band. What is the point of this? How many PS3 owners refused to buy GHIII once they heard the guitar would not be compatible with Rock Band? The number may not be very high, but that's no excuse for Activision to act this way.

Also, geetar.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 12/06/2007 17:41
Wow... inane comments are inane.

I personally believe it has something to do with Activision bitching about the open platform environment Harmonix wants. They probably are trying to sotp something
gamerzworld's Avatar
gamerzworld at 12/06/2007 17:47
Maybe "Activision Blizzard" haven't seen the money making side of this so let me point it out.

1. Let the patch come out
2. Price the controller lower than EA's version
3. Profit.

Hey if they are not going to buy Guitar Hero, then you might as well try to make money off of Rock Band some how.
Variable Gear's Avatar
Variable Gear at 12/06/2007 17:52
LOL COW FART!!!

Necros's Avatar
Necros at 12/06/2007 17:53
I can't see why Activision is opposing this. People would be buying their controller for use no matter what! Hell, some people don't even like the Stratocaster, that could be two purchases right there!
MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 12/06/2007 17:54
All I can say is: dick move on the part of Activision. Enjoy your rez sickness.
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 12/06/2007 18:05
Title: Lawyers fuck gamers in a bid to make more money.
Husky Hog's Avatar
Husky Hog at 12/06/2007 18:58
amen wardrox
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 12/06/2007 19:54
This is bullshit, especially considering that you can use the 360 Les Paul to play Rock Band. Does Activision specifically have a vendetta against PS3 owners?
Ichigo Style's Avatar
Ichigo Style at 12/06/2007 20:35
You think this is entirely Activision? I'm pretty sure Red Octane has a word in this too, means they have everything to gain by locking out 3rd parties from cashing in on their market.

Either way, I'm enjoying the Stratocaster very much.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 12/06/2007 22:23
[RELEVANT COMMENT FOR NICK]
balth's Avatar
balth at 12/06/2007 22:38
OMFG you broke news.

I'm going to have to post about this.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/07/2007 01:56
Eh, I'm thinking this should be taken with a very large grain of salt. It makes little sense for Activision to block this, simply because they're still making money by selling the peripheral.
rem666's Avatar
rem666 at 12/07/2007 09:00
http://www.guitarhero.com/forums/14/forum_topics/22943

Go here and add your comment to this topic in the GH forums. We need to let Activision know how the gaming-faithful feel about this.
TKurata's Avatar
TKurata at 12/07/2007 19:36
Yeah good luck getting info out of either company. They both cocked this up royally. After the "next-gen" disappointment that was Guitar Hero 2 I thought would have worked ish out. I'm out almost $500 right now and still can't play 4 player RB. ($100 GH, $170 RB, $200 on my checking account on hold for 2X periph replace from HMX). Nuts. I'm so pissed off, but if I try to vent on the RB Forums the threads get SHUT DOWN literally within seconds. I haven't been this mad since my Xbox died and M$ gave me the figurative finger. Yeah I'm gonna head to the Activision forums and spout off a little there, too.
taidan19's Avatar
taidan19 at 12/07/2007 22:47
I know it is cool to suck on Harmonix's teet, but would you people stop saying Rock Band is using an Open Standard for their controllers?

An open standard means that other developers and peripheral makers have instructions and guidelines to help them make a compatible device. This is not what they are doing, otherwise the Fender Strat would probably work in Guitar Hero 3 (since Red Octane would know how it works). All Harmonix is doing is promising that any other controller will be supported, and the only reason they can do that is because they know from past dealings how companies like Red Octane, The Ant Commandos, etc. make their controllers. They've benefitted from past experience, whereas only they know how the Strat is made. They aren't being any nicer than any other company as much as they are benefitting from their knowledge.
Joe Burling's Avatar
Joe Burling at 12/08/2007 08:26
Rock Band > Guitar Hero 3
Ichigo Style's Avatar
Ichigo Style at 12/08/2007 23:31
taidan19: What are you going on about?
Open Standard means that they will support other peoples controllers, much UNLIKE what Activision/Red Octane is pulling with Guitar Hero (I.E Locking everything that they DIDN'T FUCKING MAKE OUT).
Open Standard is EXACTLY what they're doing, as you can see that Guitar Hero Controllers work just fine on the 360, but not vice versa.
Everyone, we can go back to sucking on Harmonix's teet, because they're not asses like Activision.
KingMe's Avatar
KingMe at 12/10/2007 23:02
wow......does Activision really suck now or what? Before, they allowed any guitar work on GH2, but now they won't let their controllers work on RB for PS3, yet they have no qualms about the 360 version?

Hypocrites
GOOS's Avatar
GOOS at 12/22/2007 10:59
Sign my petition to free the Rockband patch that lets you use the Les Paul with Rockband: http://boycottactivitision.blogspot.com/

-GOOS
gollyg's Avatar
gollyg at 01/02/2008 22:20
hey i have GHIII for wii and its fun and ll but i just got RB for Ps2 and its been realy fun. but my friend has GHII for PS2. will those guitars work on my rockband even though they connect through USB?
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