Red Octane lets loose separate Wii Guitar Hero III controller

It looks like Wii users wanting to expand their Guitar Hero arsenal (or replace an axe after they got a little too into things) won't have to wait much longer, as Red Octane is now set to let loose a separate wireless Les Paul controller for the system. It doesn't exactly come cheap, however, with the company listing the controller at $70 on its own website, although Toys R Us is now taking pre-orders for $60 (Best Buy and others don't seem to be offering it just yet). What's more, while Red Octane only goes so far as say "ETA: March 2008," Toys R Us is giving a ship date of March 4th, so it looks like this one should be landing in your capable hands in no time.

Read - Red Octane
Read - Toys R Us

[Thanks, Nic]

[Faust @ Feb 29th 2008 4:55PM]

Amazon is taking orders for a unit by Nyko or only $49.99

http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Wii-FrontMan-Wireless-Guitar/dp/B00130387I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1204322082&sr=1-1

[rlynd3 @ Feb 29th 2008 6:01PM]

^ Definitely the way to go!! plus i kinda like the strat body!!

and Amazon will guarantee the price. A big deal to me now. see below..

FWIW - I had placed an order with Toys R Us back in early January only to have the order cancelled because of a "mysterious" system error. I then received an email a day later saying that i could re-order the guitars. However, the downside was that the $20 off coupon that i used, and they advertised for was no longer valid!

Hmm... So, me thinks, they cancelled everyone's orders so that they could raise the price!!

[enclaved @ Feb 29th 2008 7:07PM]

that's a telecaster though

[twidget @ Feb 29th 2008 7:11PM]

@rlynd3, that's not a Strat body. Its a Telecaster body. No top cutaway.

[rlynd3 @ Feb 29th 2008 8:43PM]

Damn! your right! i'll be rockn' the tele then. :)

P.S. - if it's not totally obvious... The only "axe" i've ever held is plastic and goes *clank* when i miss a note ;)

[Eric @ Feb 29th 2008 4:55PM]

It bloody well better cost less than $60... it's just a Classic controller in a fancy shape.

Of course, with video games, like guitars, you're paying for the Gibson name.

[pismodude @ Feb 29th 2008 4:55PM]

Finally, oh god yes!

[computer.dude.28 @ Feb 29th 2008 4:56PM]

All I have to say is About Time!

[Tim @ Feb 29th 2008 5:03PM]

Yeah my controller for the 360 just broke, and Red Octane wouldn't do a thing about it except tell me to buy a new one, which of course they don't sell w/o the game bundled. They could learn a lesson or two from how Rock Band has handled replacement of their equally cheap accessories.

[Odimerus @ Feb 29th 2008 5:05PM]

So my GH III game is only worth $20?

[Ghen @ Feb 29th 2008 7:50PM]

Seriously, that was my first thought. But then I realized that without surround sound it kinda is.

[JunaD @ Feb 29th 2008 5:11PM]

What about the Xbox 360?

[Jody @ Feb 29th 2008 5:14PM]

I only paid 79.92 at Walmart for it with the game on lauch day, geeze proud of thier guitars much?

[ijyt @ Feb 29th 2008 5:34PM]

Coolio.

[Ghoti @ Feb 29th 2008 5:37PM]

My local Gamestop has these in stock. They also have the PS3 version.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Feb 29th 2008 5:37PM]

Thats fuckin Bullshit. With a Wiimote, that comes out to $110....while the 360 and PS3 guitars will sell for about $80. That thing is definatly not worth $70, more like $30 or maybe even $40 would be reasonable.

[John B @ Feb 29th 2008 6:52PM]

WTF? And where is the requirement to buy another Wiimote? You're more than welcome to use the one that you already have! Would it be a pain to have to take it in and out if you want to play a different game? Well, sure, but that's the choice for you to make! Buy another Wiimote or don't. Your choice. You are not required to buy an additional one in order to use the guitar.

Get the one that was listed at the top of the thread at Amazon that looks like a Fender Strat. It's only $40.

Quit your bitching.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Feb 29th 2008 7:32PM]

John, the only point in getting another guitar is for multiplayer, in which case another Wiimote IS needed, so my point is still justified. Red Octane should not be making THAT much money off whats essentially only buttons and wires in a shell, with absolutly no wireless or any function built in at all.

[Ghen @ Feb 29th 2008 7:53PM]

I'll second that, I still only have 1 wiimote. There haven't been any games out that me and my wife both want to play at the same time.

side note - minigames suck =)

[John B @ Feb 29th 2008 8:27PM]

Okay, I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong and I'll concede the point to you on that one. As a computer geek for more years than I care to admit, I have learned the value of having backups, which is what I would consider a second guitar to be (since my daughter is more interested in drums, hence we're eagerly awaiting Rock Band for the Wii). In that case, only one Wiimote is necessary.

But the very top of the replies had a cheaper alternative from Nyko. With the "savings", you can get an additional Wiimote for the cost of Red Octane's w/o the Wiimote. And I'll admit that I must prefer the design of the Fender Strat to the Les Paul, so that tells you which one I'll be getting. :)

[Allan @ Feb 29th 2008 5:46PM]

So do I buy this now... or wait for the Rock Band special edition and just use that guitar with the one I currently have?

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Feb 29th 2008 8:33PM]

Have you been paying attention? Did you even read the boot up screen on the game?

Red Octane are assholes and won't let you use their controllers with other games or other games' controllers with their games.

[wickedpheonix @ Feb 29th 2008 5:52PM]

Yep, the peripherals for this game are much too expensive - remember when console games used to cost $50? GH3 WITH the controller should be no more than $80.

Right now I'm just pissed that I can't trade in my PC version for a 360 version, PC version has no DLC...

[B3astofthe3ast @ Feb 29th 2008 6:07PM]

But with the PC version, you have access to custom songs that are free, and larger in selection in GH3 on the 360...

[wickedpheonix @ Mar 1st 2008 7:31PM]

uhmmmm.... no you don't.... can you give me a link then?

[fnc @ Feb 29th 2008 6:05PM]

Considering you've ALREADY paid for all expensive wireless transmission and motion sensing fiddly bits when you bought your Wiimote that's plugged into it, they're practically raping the customers. But, I guess fashion sells.

[GonarcH @ Feb 29th 2008 6:28PM]

They already sell in spain, bought it 2 weeks ago por 70 euros.

[EJinID @ Feb 29th 2008 6:48PM]

I just picked one of these controllers up at Gamestop today (2/29/08). It was their last one, the rest were already prepaid/reserved.

This game is so much more fun playing head to head.

[raptorspike @ Feb 29th 2008 6:58PM]

RO can suck it! I'm not buying one of their guitars for more than $30. I'd rather go give my money to Nyko, who at least makes customers happy

[Mick O @ Feb 29th 2008 8:21PM]

Wow, this overpriced overdue standalone guitar TOTALLY makes up for the fact that they're not going to have downloadable songs for the Wii.

Thanks guys!!!!

[Matt VZ @ Feb 29th 2008 8:29PM]

So there has been a separate wireless guitar for the Wii for some time now. Check your local Gamestop for the purchase (my Gamestop had 10 in stock last weekend).

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802829

Yay for Engadget providing yet another old news release.

[taco @ Mar 1st 2008 12:00AM]

The standalone Wii guitar is only just being released in the US?

It's been available since last year in Australia, a few weeks after launch.

I bought two game packs on special, and then sold the second copy of the game to a mate who bought two standalone guitars.

[uShak @ Mar 1st 2008 12:39AM]

It was in stock today at best buy.
(laurel, md)

[Mike @ Mar 1st 2008 1:10AM]

I'd still rather have guitar rising.
http://packratstudios.com/index.php/2008/02/07/guitar-hero-vs-guitar-rising/
Mike

[BrotherEstapol @ Mar 1st 2008 1:21AM]

Welcome to Australia late 2007.
It's a time and a place where Guitar Hero controllers, for all platforms, are sold seperately at retail.

Why is this news?

[Jarodk @ Mar 1st 2008 1:24AM]

Got mine today at gamestop, got it home tonight green button is definately not working 90% of the time! Bummer!

[taco @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:11AM]

I had an issue with my whammy bar not working when I first played, but dismantling the guitar and putting it together fixed it up.

[droopy1592 @ Mar 1st 2008 2:53AM]

So they want us to pay full price for a guitar with just buttons? And we have to supply our own Wiimote?

Crazy. I was just about to go out and buy GHIII but fuhgetaboutit.

[Jake @ Mar 1st 2008 11:45PM]

WOW, you all are stupid.... its a LES PAUL... its made by gibson... not fender.... the difference is night and day.. how cant you relize it... teles = not cool, les pauls = sweeet.. i think ill get another one.. maybe

[TeoNYC @ Mar 2nd 2008 10:42AM]

Just picked one up at Best Buy yesterday. Used a gift card, so didn't care that it cost $60+. Now can play in coop career mode as well as battle head on.

BTW, can't ever find anyone online to play against on the wii. What gives?