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Shocker: Activision thinks Guitar Hero > Rock Band photo

Activision publishing CEO Mike Griffith has a lot to smile about. After all, he's a high ranking executing in the most successful and evil third party publisher in the world, and while Guitar Hero and its ten billion sequels beat Rock Band in the charts, he isn't too shy to put the boot in.

"First of all, the consumer has voted and we've outsold Rock Band four-to-one; we're outselling Rock Band 10-to-1 in Europe." he boasts, evilly. "If you listen to the analyst side of things and the Viacom earnings report, it does look like Rock Band is very successful financially. So, you'd have to conclude so far, our business model has served the consumer and shareholders better."

Of course, it's easy to outsell your rival when you pump out so many spin-offs, but the nefarious publisher is too busy counting its gold and gems to really care about that little bit of logic. Griffith justifies the Guitar Hero saturation by claiming there a "thirst" among customers for more of their favorite music and "the next level in innovative gameplay surrounding them."

Well, I'm convinced. Guitar Hero is obviously better than Rock Band. Activision said so.








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35 comments | showing # 1 to 35
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Black Nexus's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:03
Black Nexus
Activision been more full of it than usual lately.
IroN1c's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:03
IroN1c
Fuck Activision.
This is my simple, well justified statement. Because I said so.
Aurain's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:05
Aurain
Guitar Hero Metallica is better than any Rock Band and Guitar Hero combined.

Of course, I'm saying that because I love Metallica. I don't actually give a shit eitherway.
koehler83's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:07
koehler83
I agree with Aurain.
EvilSpants's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:19
EvilSpants
Not quite sure what to say. Rock Band is better for its song support...Guitar Hero is better for the plastic instruments. Harmonix is better at making music games, Neversoft is better at rehasing the skateboard game over and over...and now they are doing it with a music game. Fan-effing-tastic. Way to go Activision! "And next time on Because I Said Soo..."
Nicojay2's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:22
Nicojay2
Mike Griffith is Boastful "hero".
funran's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:26
funran
I prefer rockband, and it's steady release of good dlc every week, and their less apparent plot to take over the world with plastic instruments.
InfraredChimera's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:29
InfraredChimera
So how does Final Fantasy 13 coming to the 360 factor into this?

Also, Rock Band: Beatles.
Maurice Tan's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:42
Maurice Tan
I can't believe I'm saying this, but Activision deserves the sales in Europe.

EA and Harmonix fucked up the EU Rock Band 2 launch so hard with the instruments! Every single forum post I've seen and every person I know who wanted to buy RB2 has bought GH:WT instead. With or without 6 months of complaining about when the RB2 drums would finally be available, with EA and Harmonix continuously lying about dates or saying they would come "soon". EA brought it upon themselves, I'll believe a worldwide Beatles RB launch when I see it.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 08:46
Chronic Logic
They were made by the same video game company. Does it really matter?
KingMe's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:06
KingMe
Did they forget that Harmonix basically invented Rock Band (not Activision), and Harmonix brought in the concept of using every instrument, which YOU, Activision, blatantly copied.

Let me guess, Harmonix will bring in a piano synthesizer for Rock Band 3, then a year later, the next Guitar Hero will do the same thing, and Activision will claim that Guitar Hero is better and say that Rock Band copied them:

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/guitar-hero-director-knocks-rock-band-2-cymbals/

Screw you Activision
KingMe's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:07
KingMe
invented Guitar Hero*
ChaosTeaCup's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:08
ChaosTeaCup
I like my super fine Mexican Sunburst Fender Telecaster with humbucker pickups better than ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL of them.

Also, cocks.
manasteel88's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:25
manasteel88
yeah shipping discs doesn't really matter to me. I want to know the dlc sales. because thats what shows the longevity of the games. GH and their policy of a new game every 4 months doesn't seem as viable as Rock Band's policy of backwards compatibility and all. course I bought GH3 for $20 and thats the extent of my plastic rocking.
Loogibot's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:30
Loogibot
I prefer Guitar Hero, but that's just me liking the peripherals, gameplay and music selection a little bit more. I think we should all be able to agree that both series are being milked to death.
The Trout's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:47
The Trout
Until now, I'd thought Rock Band had superior game play, presentation, graphics, and music - particularly its nearly 700 song library.

Of course, now that I know that Guitar Hero has sold more copies, I've since changed my ways. Yay Guitar Hero! Activision says you're the best so it must be true! Obviously, the best games ALWAYS make the most money.
TKurata's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 09:50
TKurata
fuck guitar hero
Qraze's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 10:04
Qraze
rock band has AC/DC. they win. metallica sucks these days. now old creeping death misfits covering metalica l love.
boots555's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 10:25
boots555
Rock Band FTW!
JohnnyViral's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 10:31
JohnnyViral
In my opinion Rock Band is vastly better than Guitar Hero. Rock Band has a better art style, more and consistent DLC, though I disagree for some of their choices for their music I almost always enjoy the songs and have had some of them grow on me.

For me the most important thing is to enjoy what I'm playing. World Tour's mechanics for the star power, and the band failure are god awful and the Bass mechanic for World Tour is the dumbest fucking thins I have ever seen. Why the hell would I let the fret buttons go unless the song was over? Seriously fuck Activision for these comments.
HiddenAHB's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 11:02
HiddenAHB
Isn't all the same shit?
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 11:08
-PL-
There is no contest, Rockband has way more and way better songs. But, GH:WT's drumset is better.
silvain's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 11:26
silvain
Neversoft really doesn't understand how to chart a song to make it actually feel connected to the music. For that reason alone, rock band wins.
The Prodigal Son's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 11:43
The Prodigal Son
@Professor Pew:: I'd be surprised if EA fucked the RB: Beatles launch in the UK...
Bob Muir's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 11:45
Bob Muir
I'm not surprised at Europe, since Harmonix seems to be treating them like shit for no good reason. Beyond that, shut up, Activision. Comments like this is why you're the new EA and no one likes you. Bragging about your inventiveness when Guitar Hero: World Tour was a direct rip-off of Rock Band (even down to how the game is structured), except with a few problems thrown in, is pure arrogance. Congratulations on selling more units to the casual market than people who know better. Big accomplishment there.

Also, JohnnyViral doesn't know how to play open notes on a bass, it seems. :P
Calamansi's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 12:10
Calamansi
The music game I play is better than yers!!!!

grow up. Both have positive and negative aspects about them.

I for one think Street Fighter 4 is better than rock band and guitar hero. I mean you cant even use Blanka or Dhalsim in those other games.
Cyberxion's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 14:52
Cyberxion
I enjoy both games a fair bit, but if I had to give an edge to either, it'd be Guitar Hero. I can't quantify my opinion for you folks, it is what it is. For one reason or another I just find myself gravitating towards Guitar Hero over Rock Band.
Cyberxion's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 15:01
Cyberxion
@ Necros

I'm almost completely positive that all any game publisher cares about is sales. Whether a copy of their game is sold to a "hardcore" gamer or a "casual" gamer, they don't care. After all, a sale is a sale is a sale. So while we can sit here all day long and draw silly distinctions between gamers and the sorts of games they play, I can assure you that Activision isn't gonna see your post as the insult you clearly intended it to be.

Just sayin'. :P
grasslunatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 15:15
grasslunatic
LIES.
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 15:33
Darren Nakamura
So long as Harmonix doesn't stop releasing DLC, I don't care if Guitar Hero outselling Rock Band.
Vedicardi2's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 16:31
Vedicardi2
Fuck activision, hands down =w=
ParaParaKing's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 17:46
ParaParaKing
Guitar Hero is blatantly better than Rock Band? I want to read that! Go write it Jim!
Minamu's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 19:58
Minamu
It's obviously easier to out sell your competition when you make 15 spin-offs, while your competition does not. And we all know that Activision is riding on a name they didn't create in the first place, but by their said competitors.
ajaxender's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/02/2009 20:35
ajaxender
Guitar Hero will beat the living hell out of Rock Band everywhere except USA because Harmonix/EA never bother to get the damn games out in other territories. And if they do, its with a very limited shipment of instruments. If they want to succeed much longer, theyre gonna need more exposure both in and out of the US; Guitar Hero is 100 times more well known than Rock Band, although of course thats mostly Harmonix's doing in the first place.

In the USA... theres 4 times as many Guitar Hero games, and the series has the kind of public attention thatll guarantee sales for every single bloody title they release, no matter how re-hashed or lacking in decent songs it is.

The Rock Band games are better games (for the most part), with more attention and effort put in to make them so. But if they dont put similar attention into selling the product (and making more durable instruments, for that matter), theyre never gonna compete.
vOverdrive's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/03/2009 09:19
vOverdrive
lol
activision is out of there minds.
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