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The battle rages on: Activision speaks out about PS3 Rock Band patch photo

When Harmonix finally came out about word that Activision had been blocking attempts to allow the PS3 Guitar Hero III peripheral to work with Rock Band, we knew it wouldn't be long before Activision were ready to comment. (They didn't respond to our initial contact regarding the rumor.)

According to Activision, there are always two sides to a story, and this is theirs: 

To Music Gaming Fans:

The recent announcement by MTV Games/Viacom’s Harmonix division that Activision is blocking Sony from releasing a patch and their plea to enable Rock Band software to work with Guitar Hero hardware paints a very misleading picture. 

In fact, Harmonix and its parent company MTV Games/Viacom recently declined Activision’s offer to reach an agreement that would allow the use of Guitar Hero guitar controllers with Rock Band.  We have been and remain open to discussions with Harmonix and MTV Games/Viacom about the use of our technology in Rock Band.  Unfortunately for Rock Band users, in this case Harmonix and MTV Games/Viacom are unwilling to discuss an agreement with Activision. 

Activision’s top priority is to provide consumers with a seamless marriage of best-in-class hardware and software.  We are focusing our efforts on innovating hardware and software that are designed to work together, work flawlessly and provide an enjoyable gaming experience. 

Best regards,

Activision

So who's right? Who knows, but you can bet we'll be reaching Harmonix for comment. In the meantime, pull up a seat and grab some popcorn -- things look like they're about to heat up.


Continue: More Rock Band stories





prev next 50 comments

51 comments | showing # 1 to 50

BFeld13's Avatar
BFeld13 at 12/13/2007 21:58
Oh snap! It's been brought!
vexed alex's Avatar
vexed alex at 12/13/2007 22:04
So basically, "Harmonix and EA are unwilling to give us a fuck ton of money to allow for us to let them patch the game."
WDot's Avatar
WDot at 12/13/2007 22:04
Wow, this is just bizarre. "They won't let us release the patch!" "Nuh UHH, they won't let us let them... release... the patch."
odintal's Avatar
odintal at 12/13/2007 22:05
the conversation in my mind:

harmonix: we'd like your guitar to work on our game

activision: we'd like your drums to work on our future games

harmonix: thats kind of our thing dude

activision: fornicate yourself with a metal pole
saysay's Avatar
saysay at 12/13/2007 22:09
I like this move by activision. Their PR group and Legal reps are clever ;P Using the word "agreement" so vaguely and discreetly you cant even feel it!
ExpertPenguin's Avatar
ExpertPenguin at 12/13/2007 22:09
Activision's bullshitting everyone. I'll call it, because it isn't the first time they've pulled this.

They started with Guitar Hero 2 on the PS2, locking out all "unofficial" prehipherals (i.e. buy our guitar if you want to play the game), and they're doing it again, which is why nothing but the Les Paul works on GH3.

What I don't understand however, is why they wouldn't want PS3 owners to use their guitar in a rival game, and have it work only on the PS3 It makes little sense from where I'm standing, since Actvision could stand to actually sell more guitars in that fashion.

They couldn't pull it on the 360 due to a specific guitar controller standard that has to be adhered to across the board. the most they could do was a software lockout, which is why the Fenders don't work in GH3.

However, this just screams of a dick move on Activision's part. I find it hard to find fault with Harmonix on this, because sales of the PS3 version are suffering as a result of it. Every store I go to, I see stacks of the PS3 version, and no 360 ones in sight. If anything, they would WANT this patch to get out as soon as possible, since with this lockout in place, it doesn't even make sense to buy a standalone copy of the game.
saysay's Avatar
saysay at 12/13/2007 22:12
I like this move by activision. Their PR group and Legal reps are clever ;P Using the word "agreement" so vaguely and discreetly you cant even feel it!
fluc02's Avatar
fluc02 at 12/13/2007 22:12
Do they really think anyone is too much of a dumbass to read through the lines of this statement and recognize that "agreement" means "shitton of cash?" Another example of Activision shitting on their customers.
Peronthious's Avatar
Peronthious at 12/13/2007 22:15
Of course, Activision is trying to come out making themselves the good guys, but what exactly the proposed deal with MTV entails is anybody's guess. It likely involved large amounts of cash monies and/or Viacom granting Activion access to some of their music portfolio.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/13/2007 22:15
So now Activision is evil and EA is good? Sounds to me like both sides are being stubborn assholes about this whole thing.
Robert's Avatar
Robert at 12/13/2007 22:19
This is the old "I know you are but what am I?" comeback that I haven't heard since 3rd grade! Ahh!
Wedge's Avatar
Wedge at 12/13/2007 22:20
Errr no, it sounds like Activision wants money to let their guitar work on the game. This statement kind of confirms that.
slapme7times's Avatar
slapme7times at 12/13/2007 22:25
ah... lunacy inducing anxiety over accepting blame over this consumer fuck-a-long.

=) how fun!
emotaku's Avatar
emotaku at 12/13/2007 22:48
"It's not us! It's them!"
jeep's Avatar
jeep at 12/13/2007 22:54
wow...i do believe that everybody has beat me to the punch in saying that the use of Activisions guitar will cost Harmonix either in the short or the long run...kudos to all those who can cut through the bs with a knife
iliketuna's Avatar
iliketuna at 12/13/2007 23:05
If only Harmonix agreed to bend over so we can stick these guitars up their asses...
Joe Burling's Avatar
Joe Burling at 12/13/2007 23:14
No matter what happens, Rock Band > Guitar Hero 3
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 12/13/2007 23:20
Manufacturing doubt, what good pr reps do when bad news comes to the company they work for.
Baron Calico's Avatar
Baron Calico at 12/13/2007 23:26
Question for comment-crawlers. Since it seems like a few greenbacks are gonna be required to make this whole stupid thing work, who here would be willing to fork over a buck or two for the patch?

Just wondering. Personally, I'm not sure if I would be willing to if it came to that. Cheaper than buying another guitar, certainly, but the principle of the thing...
Cdewarior's Avatar
Cdewarior at 12/13/2007 23:53
Translation: Activision wants EA/MTV/Harmonix to pay them for the right to make guitar hero guitars usable with harmonix games. EA/MTV/Harmonix is balking at this.

BetaMax/VCR - BlueRay/HD-DVD - Rock and Roll Edition!
Fading Star's Avatar
Fading Star at 12/13/2007 23:59
:(.
jackdoe's Avatar
jackdoe at 12/14/2007 00:12
Activision probably wants licencing fees from EA for using their guitar.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 12/14/2007 00:30
This is a sad ploy on Activision’s part to regain trust from their consumers — trust that was lost when Harmonix gave their side of the patch story. I’m inclined to believe Harmonix if they said they already had the damn patch complete and sent to Sony, and that Activision involved their lawyers in stopping the release of the patch. Go to hell, Activision — I should’ve figured you’d let the title of “#1 publisher” go to your heads.
Kinjiro's Avatar
Kinjiro at 12/14/2007 00:49
You have to realize that Activision dedicated a lot of time and money into researching and developing their guitar. Another game company going "Sooo, yeah, we're just gonna take that from you, and let people play our game that is in direct competition with yours, with your peripheral. Don't even think about the fact that we pretty much took your game exactly, made a guitar that has this nasty tendency of failing, and that our guitar isn't compatible with your game either."

I kind of agree with Activision here. A lot of people would buy guitar hero controllers to play rock band, helping rock band gain popularity, with the possibility of detracting from future guitar hero popularity. They are well within their right to do this. If Harmonix is going to charge $200 for their game, they have to expect that it'll hurt sales. It is a financially sound decision to at least ask for monetary reciprocation for essentially giving Harmonix more sales.

It may hurt Activision's popularity by blocking the patch, but only for people who play rock band. This further polarizes the market. I'm willing to bed everybody that opposes this owns rock band, or wants to own it. Thus, Activision is helping to maintain market dominance, despite the fact that they will probably lose customers because of this. It is basically both companies trying to protect an investment.
ironic_name's Avatar
ironic_name at 12/14/2007 01:17
How can Activision say, "use of our technology". Didn't Harmonix make this shit up?
Kinjiro's Avatar
Kinjiro at 12/14/2007 01:26
but it's attached to the guitar hero franchise, which harmonix left, right?

wouldn't that give activision sole rights and control of the peripheral?

i might be wrong, that was all opinion anyway
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/14/2007 01:32
The fact is all we're really hearing from both sides is spin... we don't know the real details of why this patch is being delayed, if it has anything to do with money or not.

The reason it doesn't work in the first place is because Harmonix didn't share any technical information with Neversoft regarding the PS3 Guitar controller. If they had, there would have been no need for a patch in the first place. Think about this a second before jumping to conclusions. If this is just a cashwhore money grab, then why does Activision have no problem with the controller being supported in the 360 version? Just because Harmonix bitched first doesn't necessarily mean they're in the right.
Kinjiro's Avatar
Kinjiro at 12/14/2007 01:37
ok, i didn't know that

and thus the pertinency lifespan of my post was only forty five minutes
konchu's Avatar
konchu at 12/14/2007 01:37
Its ones word against the other but I suspect Activision/Red Octane want compensation for using there perphial. This whole thing is silly.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/14/2007 01:50
I should have phrased it "Harmonix & Neversoft didn't share any technical information with each other". Btw, I can't find any solid information on this, but does the Rock Band controller on PS3 work with Guitar Hero 3?
Wedge's Avatar
Wedge at 12/14/2007 02:33
No the PS3 RB controller does not work on GH III. It was already stated that the GH III controller works on RB for 360 because Microsoft has standards for their controllers they both had to conform to. The RB controller would work on GH III for 360 as well, but GH III is coded specifically to NOT let it work.

There isn't an "spin" from both sides, this is all on Activision being douches. The fact they talk about having made an "offer" is ridiculous, because there shouldn't be any need for such a thing in the first place.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 12/14/2007 02:52
Wedge has the full story right. Activision needs to realize that it shouldn't take a fuckload of money to help out the poor consumer.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/14/2007 02:52
@ Wedge: If there's solid evidence that this is all Activision's fault, please share it. Right now all we have to go on is the various forum posts/press releases from either side, and speculation from the internet masses. It looks to me like both parties are being douches about this whole thing, but everyone seems ready to suck Harmonix's cock and tell them it tastes like candy when nobody knows the actual details.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/14/2007 03:29
It also can be reasoned that Activision stands to lose money by not allowing GH3 controllers to work with Rock Band. Since there's no way for Rock Band players to get a 2nd guitar outside the bundle, the most obvious option is to buy a GH3 guitar. Blocking that potential revenue source doesn't make sense, there has to be more to this.

The Microsoft standards thing doesn't make any sense to me. The reason GH controllers work with RB on the 360 is because the peripheral already was released and Harmonix was familiar with it from GH2. There was no prior PS3 GH control they could reference. Why RB controllers don't work with GH3 could be explained as Neversoft not being given access to the tech specs of the new guitars (which came out after GH3 was released), hence not being able to support them. Why didn't MS force Harmonix to share that information to ensure compatibility if there are such standards in place?
JtheYellow's Avatar
JtheYellow at 12/14/2007 03:33
The unobvious option is to get a GH2 rig, but that's only an option for Xbox 360 users who don't mind having a Explorer model instead of a Les Paul.

Harmonix/MTV are the ones trying for new IP here. Activision is the one trying to push the existing IP that Harmonix got started, they've been out a month longer than Rock Band and have a smaller price point overall.

But I fucking called this. Everyone thought this was going to be sooooo copacetic.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 12/14/2007 04:34
That's lame, they didn't even explain anything, they just said "No u!" and left it at that. They aren't making themselves look very good.
PraiseChaos's Avatar
PraiseChaos at 12/14/2007 06:32
I've seen in several places that Harmonix wants to have an open-standard for these controllers. If Harmonix has set forth an open-standard for guitar controllers, how exactly does that make them unwilling to cooperate? That's why I have a problem with Activision's response.

Personally, it really irritates me that I can't use my Rock Band controller on my 360 version of GH3. I can't imagine how angry PS3 owners are over this.

That final paragraph from Activision is so full of fail that it reminds me of my ex-girlfriend. Truly Epic.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 12/14/2007 07:10
If I'm not mistaken, the "shoddy hardware" statement was in regards to Activision not making it a priority to patch GH3 to work with Rock Band guitars, not the other way around.
cryocide's Avatar
cryocide at 12/14/2007 07:11
Money, its a crime.
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie.
Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil today.
But if you ask for a raise its no surprise that they're
Giving none away.
DeusPayne's Avatar
DeusPayne at 12/14/2007 07:14
"Agreement"? You mean they didn't give you all the money you wanted? Fuck off activision. Harmonix rules you. And not just because they're based in my state.
snapperdragon's Avatar
snapperdragon at 12/14/2007 07:24
Hmm, here is my take:

First, RedOctane wanted to sell guitar peripherals. Got Harmonix to make the GH game. Sold games and guitars.

Now Activision is selling the game and guitar. IF, and that is *IF* the periperal makes money, why whould Activision NOT want to have as many sold as possible? No need for additional fees, unless they are just being scrooges.

The only other thing is that they know EA/Harmonix are behind the 8 ball since they don't have separate guitars for sale. Knowing this, they must figure it should cost them to get out of the jam.

These two are competitors, so they want to stick it to EA/Harmonix with additional fees for using their controllers, even though they may $$ regardless of who buys the LP guitars.

GREED!
bubuli's Avatar
bubuli at 12/14/2007 08:18
wow. cleverly worded.

they didn't even address the fact that THEY BLOCKED THE PATCH.

why? because Activision WANT MOAR MONIES (licensing fees) for using their guitar on their game.

i hates dem. I'm definitely NOT buying any GH games until they come clean about this issue.
Drunken Haze's Avatar
Drunken Haze at 12/14/2007 08:57
"recently declined Activision’s offer to reach an agreement"

Replace reach an agreement with GIVE US CASH
Rancor's Avatar
Rancor at 12/14/2007 09:07
Also as to the fender on gh3 issue, in windows they both work exactly the same, each button works with the exact same function in each guitar, so both vresions of gh are specifically blocking the fender. Harmonix said in a statement that they wouldn't work in gh3 because they "weren't there" for development, although they were for gh2. I am inclined to agree with odintal about the drum/mic thing activision probably wants. Also rock band is really kicking gh's ass with downloads. Cheaper, with more options to play, and alot more regular. Although im still waiting for the full album's and ea hasnt said a thing about them yet. Also they should make it so you can have songs just be played by the computer like a concert mode where you pick the chars and venue. . ., or maybe its just My fantasy to have a hendrix, mercury, flea, meg white super band doing david bowie covers?
Tull's Avatar
Tull at 12/14/2007 09:43
Welcome to the Thunderdome! Two devs enter...one dev leaves!
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 12/14/2007 09:52
If both sources aim for the same goal they'll reach it some day.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 12/14/2007 10:17
I would love to hear the specifics of this agreement that Activision said was declined. And, this in no way negates what Harmonix says since the agreement they presented could have easily have been ridiculous in its requirements that it was seen as a blocking method.

I don't see why there's an issue with allowing controllers for use in any other game. If people like your controller enough, they'll buy it, which means money in your pocket. If RB people want to buy your guitar for use in Harmonix's game, that can only be a good thing.

This just doesn't make any sense. May be their holding out until the Holiday season is over, thinking they can get more people upset over Rock Band since a lot of the ones purchased haven't been opened yet (they're gifts) and they want Harmonix to feel the backlash of bad publicity when they are opened.
crowebert's Avatar
crowebert at 12/14/2007 10:35
how iiiiiiiiinterestingk. I didn't expect this, but it's a fabulous move on Activision's part. Almost makes them seem like less of a douche to the casual observer. I'm inclined to side with most of the community in that when Activision says they tried to reach an agreement, they probably tried to license out usage rights for their peripheral for a fee.

So petty. So entertaining! I can't wait to see what happens next!
SourGr8pes's Avatar
SourGr8pes at 12/14/2007 15:09
Activision & Harmonix:

Neither of you invented video game instrument controllers. Konami did. So please stop acting like you revolutioned videogaming, and make them universal for their respective systems.
manta's Avatar
manta at 12/15/2007 22:36
Sounds to me like Activision's "offer" included Harmonix/MTV Games paying Activision some cold hard cash or something along those lines. Assholes.
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