[SS]Grifter
04-02-2007, 11:15 AM
Music games won't be solo gigs anymore
Guitar Hero was just the opening act. MTV and the developers of that video game have a headliner in the works called Rock Band, which lets four music lovers gig together in person or online.
Expected in stores for the year-end holidays, the Electronic Arts game (no price set) for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 will be played with four instrument-based video game controllers: two guitars (lead and bass), a drum kit and a microphone.
In the popular game Guitar Hero, players tap color-coded fret keys and strum a guitar-shaped controller in time with scrolling on-screen notes. Rock Band "takes the core premise of Guitar Hero and expands it tenfold," says Alex Rigopulos, co-founder of Harmonix, which developed the game and the Karaoke Revolution games. "It lets you create a complete collaborative band."
MTV is supplying creative and financial support to Rock Band's development, as well as helping make deals with various music publishers.
That means Rock Band will have performances by the original artists. In most previous music games, almost every song is done by a cover band. For Rock Band, some labels plan to supply original recordings. "This game offers a meaningful way for labels to participate in a segment of entertainment they, for the most part, have not been able to," MTV's Jeff Yapp says.
The songs on the new game haven't been revealed yet. Current games include the Allman Brothers, Joan Jett, Kansas, Nirvana and Wolfmother. "We'll be covering a great breadth, from metal to classic rock to Southern rock to everything in between," Rigopulos says.
Online connectivity is a key to the game. The developers envision additional songs for online purchase beyond those in the retail version. And players need not be together to jam. "You could have one guitarist in Germany and another one in Texas, a drummer in New York and a singer from somewhere else, and they can play together online," EA's David DeMartini says.
The music game phenomenon continues its crescendo. 2005's Guitar Hero and this year's Guitar Hero II (both for the Sony PlayStation 2) are top sellers, having sold about 3 million copies total, according to The NPD Group. Research firm Interpret says about 6.8 million have played Guitar Hero II.
A version of the game for Microsoft's Xbox 360 is in stores on Tuesday ($90), and Hands-On Mobile today is expected to announce a cellphone version.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter expects music gaming to grow. "Socially interactive musical games will work well, especially if they have a 'party game' aspect to them," he says. Rock Band "could definitely expand the game demographics."
LINK (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-04-01-rock-band_N.htm)
Harmonix's Next Game Revealed
Become a virtual rock band in... er, Rock Band.
UK, April 2, 2007 - Having cranked up the volume to 11 and wowed rock fans with Guitar Hero, Harmonix is planning to take the virtual videogame group genre a step further with its latest release, Rock Band.
The game, which was announced today, sees developer Harmonix, along with its owner MTV, teaming up with Electronic Arts to offer budding musicians the chance to create their own rock group. We're talking the shebang too, because the game will support four instrument controllers including lead guitar, bass, drums and a microphone for the lead singer.
Scheduled for release on PS3 and Xbox 360 this Christmas, Rock Band promises a wealth of online features, including the chance to team up with musicians in other countries and the ability to download songs.
Although a track listing has yet to be announced, EA has revealed that several major music publishers are involved with the project. EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappell Music are allowing "unrivaled access to their catalogues of incredible songs". These mega-publishers house labels including EMI Music, Hollywood Records, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group's Universal Music Enterprises and Warner Music Group's Rhino Entertainment, which have all agreed to supply master recordings by their artists for use in the game.
With such a healthy list of labels backing its play, Rock Band will be able to offer music that "spans all genres of rock."
Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO of Harmonix said: "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."
"Our vision for Rock Band is to completely change the way people interact with and enjoy the music they love," said Jeff Yapp, EVP, MTV Program Enterprises. "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."
LINKY (http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/777/777535p1.html)
Guitar Hero was just the opening act. MTV and the developers of that video game have a headliner in the works called Rock Band, which lets four music lovers gig together in person or online.
Expected in stores for the year-end holidays, the Electronic Arts game (no price set) for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 will be played with four instrument-based video game controllers: two guitars (lead and bass), a drum kit and a microphone.
In the popular game Guitar Hero, players tap color-coded fret keys and strum a guitar-shaped controller in time with scrolling on-screen notes. Rock Band "takes the core premise of Guitar Hero and expands it tenfold," says Alex Rigopulos, co-founder of Harmonix, which developed the game and the Karaoke Revolution games. "It lets you create a complete collaborative band."
MTV is supplying creative and financial support to Rock Band's development, as well as helping make deals with various music publishers.
That means Rock Band will have performances by the original artists. In most previous music games, almost every song is done by a cover band. For Rock Band, some labels plan to supply original recordings. "This game offers a meaningful way for labels to participate in a segment of entertainment they, for the most part, have not been able to," MTV's Jeff Yapp says.
The songs on the new game haven't been revealed yet. Current games include the Allman Brothers, Joan Jett, Kansas, Nirvana and Wolfmother. "We'll be covering a great breadth, from metal to classic rock to Southern rock to everything in between," Rigopulos says.
Online connectivity is a key to the game. The developers envision additional songs for online purchase beyond those in the retail version. And players need not be together to jam. "You could have one guitarist in Germany and another one in Texas, a drummer in New York and a singer from somewhere else, and they can play together online," EA's David DeMartini says.
The music game phenomenon continues its crescendo. 2005's Guitar Hero and this year's Guitar Hero II (both for the Sony PlayStation 2) are top sellers, having sold about 3 million copies total, according to The NPD Group. Research firm Interpret says about 6.8 million have played Guitar Hero II.
A version of the game for Microsoft's Xbox 360 is in stores on Tuesday ($90), and Hands-On Mobile today is expected to announce a cellphone version.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter expects music gaming to grow. "Socially interactive musical games will work well, especially if they have a 'party game' aspect to them," he says. Rock Band "could definitely expand the game demographics."
LINK (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-04-01-rock-band_N.htm)
Harmonix's Next Game Revealed
Become a virtual rock band in... er, Rock Band.
UK, April 2, 2007 - Having cranked up the volume to 11 and wowed rock fans with Guitar Hero, Harmonix is planning to take the virtual videogame group genre a step further with its latest release, Rock Band.
The game, which was announced today, sees developer Harmonix, along with its owner MTV, teaming up with Electronic Arts to offer budding musicians the chance to create their own rock group. We're talking the shebang too, because the game will support four instrument controllers including lead guitar, bass, drums and a microphone for the lead singer.
Scheduled for release on PS3 and Xbox 360 this Christmas, Rock Band promises a wealth of online features, including the chance to team up with musicians in other countries and the ability to download songs.
Although a track listing has yet to be announced, EA has revealed that several major music publishers are involved with the project. EMI Music Publishing and Warner/Chappell Music are allowing "unrivaled access to their catalogues of incredible songs". These mega-publishers house labels including EMI Music, Hollywood Records, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group's Universal Music Enterprises and Warner Music Group's Rhino Entertainment, which have all agreed to supply master recordings by their artists for use in the game.
With such a healthy list of labels backing its play, Rock Band will be able to offer music that "spans all genres of rock."
Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO of Harmonix said: "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."
"Our vision for Rock Band is to completely change the way people interact with and enjoy the music they love," said Jeff Yapp, EVP, MTV Program Enterprises. "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."
LINKY (http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/777/777535p1.html)