Lips mic incompatible with Rock Band / Guitar Hero (at launch, anyway)

Anytime we hear the words "incompatible" and "music game" mixed into the same sentence, we typically can't resist the onset of a bitter beer face. That being true, we can't say we're too terribly bummed about this one, particularly since we highly doubt Microsoft's Lips will have the same following as Rock Band and / or Guitar Hero: World Tour. At any rate, you should probably know that the accelerometer-packin' Lips microphone will not work with RB nor GH at launch, though creator Keiichi Yano of Inis did confess that compatibility was theoretically possible with future patches. 'Course, we doubt anyone will spend time on said patches unless Lips moves like a billion copies this winter, but we suppose anything is possible with a snap of the fingers and a pinch of pixie dust.

[Via Joystiq]

[Saad Rabia @ Nov 18th 2008 9:03AM]

So?! I don't see Microsoft's responsibility to make sure that this mic would work with these games. It's clear that Microsoft has some special high technology games in plan that will make Lips one hick of a cool device, all through software tech; I for one am excited.

I personally love singing, I do it all the time, but playing on fake guitars and hitting boxes to act like if I was a rock star is by far the lamest thing I've ever seen and tried on earth, IMO.

[Ivan @ Nov 18th 2008 9:11AM]

^ its called karaoke.... and that sir can sometimes be called the gayest thing i ever seen...

[Saad Rabia @ Nov 18th 2008 9:34AM]

Well Ivan, at least in karaoke there is a very good chance for someone to become a good singer; it doesn't involve you obeying some set of strokes to do what a computer is asking you to, then clicking buttons that have absolutely no rational relevance to real life tunes and melodies then calling yourself a rock star!

If it's singing what Microsoft's Lips is all about, then they have won me, and if singing is gay, then I'm the gayest man on earth.

[JOCOMAN @ Nov 18th 2008 9:29AM]

It's Mr. Microphone...... hey good looking what you got cooking.

[Saad Rabia @ Nov 18th 2008 9:34AM]

Well Ivan, at least in karaoke there is a very good chance for someone to become a good singer; it doesn't involve you obeying some set of strokes to do what a computer is asking you to, then clicking buttons that have absolutely no rational relevance to real life tunes and melodies then calling yourself a rock star!

If it's singing what Microsoft's Lips is all about, then they have won me, and if singing is gay, then I'm the gayest man on earth.

[Ivan @ Nov 18th 2008 11:32AM]

GH/Rock = follow notes on screen

Lips/Karaoke = follow lyrics on screen

karaoke doesn't make you a better singer, it may help you memorize lyrics to a song but in no way will karaoke help you sing... n e ways Lips Mics will definitely get patched post release because anyone who saw this immediately thought, RB/GH:WT ftw!...well hopefully it will happen :)

[Zebek @ Nov 18th 2008 11:03AM]

Compatibility would be a good thing for the many GH/RB players out there because it cuts down on cabling across the room.
If it was compatible I can imagine people buying Lips purely for this reason.
I say this as someone who pre-ordered it on the off-chance it was compatible.
Now I've seen the song list, maybe it wasn't such a good gamble :-)
I expect it will see some use this Christmas.
Probably not as much as use as RB2 and GHWT that Santa is supposed to be bringing me.

[inteller @ Nov 18th 2008 11:39AM]

Is it my understanding that I can plug in my Zune with Lips and it automagically strips out the vocals so I can sing it myself?

[Ordeith @ Nov 18th 2008 1:35PM]

patched in later.

[Ehed13 @ Nov 18th 2008 11:47AM]

Wait, so what's the point of these if they don't work with GH or RB??????

[Ordeith @ Nov 18th 2008 1:36PM]

They work with Lips.

[michaelportent @ Nov 18th 2008 12:38PM]

I wonder if Microsoft realizes that Lips might move a bunch more copies just from people buying the wireless mic for RB/GH. I think it's a mistake for them to make it incompatible.

[Doug @ Nov 18th 2008 6:18PM]

Exactly. Without GH/RB compatibility, no buy for me.

[Jane @ Jan 2nd 2009 7:59AM]

I just bought Lips today mainly for the wireless mics as well as additional song titles on the hopes that they would be compatible; obviously they were not hence my internet search for a way around it!!! Lips would definitely sell better if compatible since not only have I not yet seen a wireless mic for GH yet, other than ebay have not seen mics sold alone at all. I am very disappointed. It would seem like an easy fix.

[sandlog @ Nov 18th 2008 1:56PM]

yeah i'm one of those people who were hoping this was RB/GH compatible. i'm not a big karaoke fan but this would serve multiple purposes. the lips game itself looks decent enough. if it's anything like singstar on the playstation then it should be a good thing. much better than all the other crap singing games on the wii like boogie and american idol. i'm actually using the mic that came with boogie for the wii with rockband on the 360 (it's just a usb mic afterall.)

i just don't see how microsoft would have missed the boat on this one. alot of people would pick this up just to use the mic with RB/GH and then let their gf or sister have karaoke night with the lips game itself.

blah!

[Thor @ Nov 21st 2008 9:39AM]

Bummer.. i was going to buy it mainly to use with RB and GH:WT... and have the lips-game as a party game... they should really fix that

[Jack Dunn @ Feb 13th 2009 1:09PM]

Can the mics be used with PC?