Rock Band 3 crashing into living rooms on October 26

Look, it's summer break. What better to do than learn a little piano in preparation for the upcoming release of Harmonix's Rock Band 3? The next installment -- which promises to bring all sorts of new kit to the market -- was finally given a release date today, and not surprisingly, it'll be quickly climbing the Santa Lists of rug-rats the world over. According to the company, the title will ship on October 26th in North America, with the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions priced at $59.99 sans hardware and the DS rendition at $29.99. Hop on past the break if you're interested in learning about your wealth of pre-order options.

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MTV Games and Harmonix Announce Rock Band 3 Pre-Order Campaigns at GameStop, Wal-Mart and Amazon

Pre-Order Rock Band 3 Now and Receive Great Promotional Offers Including Exclusive Downloadable Content and Credit Toward Future Purchases

NEW YORK, NY – July 19, 2010 - MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), and Harmonix Music Systems Inc. today announced consumer pre-order opportunities with major North American retailers GameStop, Wal-Mart and Amazon for the highly anticipated Rock Band 3.

With more than 30 awards and nominations following its impressive E3 2010 debut, including multiple Best Music and Best Casual/Social game accolades, Rock Band 3 will feature an incredible 83-song setlist and access to far more music than any other music game, as well as innovative new gameplay modes and instruments. The game will ship on October 26, 2010 in North America for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft (MSRP: $59.99), PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system (MSRP: $59.99), the Wii system from Nintendo (MSRP: $59.99), and Nintendo DS (MSRP: $29.99).

GameStop Pre-order* Opportunity:

GameStop shoppers who reserve Rock Band 3 for PlayStation 3 system or Xbox 360 in advance receive three downloadable Rock Band songs at launch:

· Burning Down the House by Talking Heads

· My Own Summer by Deftones

· Blue Monday by New Order

Amazon Pre-order* Opportunity:

Amazon shoppers who reserve Rock Band 3 for PlayStation 3 system, Xbox 360 and Wii in advance will receive access to an exclusive in-game guitar. Additionally, for a limited time only, PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 owners who pre-order Rock Band 3 in advance on Amazon will receive $10 off a future videogame purchase.

Wal-Mart Pre-order* Opportunity:

Walmart.com shoppers who reserve Rock Band 3 for PlayStation 3 system, Xbox 360 and Wii in advance will receive a $10 eGift card for a limited time.

Developed by Harmonix, the world's premier music videogame company, published by MTV Games, and distributed by Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), Rock Band 3 will ship simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories. Rock Band 3 will be compatible with all Rock Band™ and The Beatles™: Rock Band™ peripherals, as well as most Guitar Hero® and third-party instrument and microphone controllers. Mad Catz is the official peripheral manufacturer and distributor for Rock Band 3 game controllers.

The Rock Band platform stands next to none in music content, with 2000 songs scheduled to be available at the launch of Rock Band 3, including Jimi Hendrix, The Who, AC/DC and Green Day - all exclusive to Rock Band. With more choices for fans than any other music-based videogame, Rock Band is, without question, the industry leader in providing the best selection of interactive musical content, songs and artists. Rock Band pioneered offering content in a variety of ways, through on-disc gameplay, game export, downloadable content and the Rock Band Network. The Rock Band platform allows fans to interact with their favorite music in a unique and hands-on way, as well as giving artists the ability to reach fans through a whole new channel.

For more information on Rock Band 3, art and video assets, please visit http://www.rockband.com/press.

*Conditions and restrictions apply. Please see retailer for details.

[JLPicard Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:41PM]

Inb4 Rick Astley posts a comment and everyone replies trying to reference his only famous song and get up-ranked in order to validate their pathetic existence.

[Lord Vader Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:49PM]

@JLPicard. In after inferior being with inferior ship

[JLPicard Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:51PM]

@Lord Vader Must you troll on a daily basis in order to stay strong with the dark side?

[Lord Vader Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:53PM]

@JLPicard Im gonna set my phaser to "Force Choke"

And yes. Trolling leads to the darkside

[JLPicard Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:56PM]

@Lord Vader You're just a KIRF version of a proper Borg drone. I'm not impressed.

[Lord Vader Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:57PM]

@JLPicard. I find your lack of faith in me disturbing

[JLPicard Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:59PM]

@Lord Vader The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! No more canned responses!

[Lord Vader Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:02PM]

@JLPicard I will go boldly go where no Sith has gone before

[zangetsu2 Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:04PM]

@Lord Vader
I love you, Lord Vader.

[JLPicard Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:04PM]

@Lord Vader You should not have come back... to this thread.

[Psyclotr0n Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:06PM]

@JLPicard
in after the lulz

[Rick Astley Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:13PM]

@JLPicard

What'd I ever do to you? I can't help that people love my music. Troll somewhere else.

[Andrew5000 Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:19PM]

@Rick Astley I love you Rick!

[JamesHks Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:26PM]

@JLPicard
Picard vs. Vader.

epic

[MGore32 Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:49PM]

@JLPicard
Kinect?
Move?
Wii Remo– Oh, wait. That's not new.

[Booksmart Devil Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:41PM]

Shit just got real.

*starts saving money*

Please, make a lefty guitar....

[NottinghamSidez Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:43PM]

@Booksmart Devil I always thought you can make a right guitar into a lefty guitar by turning it the other way round... evidently not the ideal solution though :p

[Booksmart Devil Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:44PM]

@Booksmart Devil Also, Blue fucking Monday as an exclusive preorder?! Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

[Booksmart Devil Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:47PM]

@NottinghamSidez Yeah, you can, but even by flipping the guitar for RB1 and RB2 you don't have a true lefty solution. (The tremolo/whammy bar is in a crappy spot for lefties). Plus, I was referring to the RB3 Squier Strat that is going to retail for $150 when this releases. (read about it here: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/rock-band-3-squier-stratocaster-plays-both-real-and-virtual-guit/ )

[techlord Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:44PM]

just wait 1 month and price will drop by half.

[Lord Vader Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:08PM]

@techlord Speaking of Bands...I'm making a band called "AeroSith". I will be lead vocals. Anyone want to join me? (or die)

[Joeyjoejoe Shabadoo Posted Jul 20th 2010 12:08AM]

@Lord Vader

Just need some auto tune vader and you are good to go

[Psyclotr0n Posted Jul 20th 2010 12:13AM]

@Joeyjoejoe Shabadoo
his helmet does that already

[AlienSix Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:52PM]

Will be a good holiday season

[solarmoo900 Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:53PM]

wish they would have a preorder for just the game and piano, that would be perfect

[huh Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:01PM]

It would be nice if they'd come up with a Rock Band game that wasn't so, well, wanky.

[taylorsmith246 Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:30PM]

OneRepublic shall destroy you.....

[TareG Posted Jul 19th 2010 7:52PM]

I hate Rock Band and Guitar Hero.... Time wasted learning how to play buttons on a toy guitar is time that could be spent learning how to play a real guitar.

[zangetsu2 Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:42PM]

@TareG
I hate people who say this more than you hate Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

[TSSaloic Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:54PM]

@TareG Ah, so you have not been paying attention to Rock Band 3's "Pro Mode". A mode that teaches you how to play the guitar, and drums, and keyboard.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/11/rock-band-3-gets-pro-mode-real-guitar-hybrid-controller-and-k/

[Alleged Posted Jul 19th 2010 9:13PM]

@TareG Yes, and time wasted playing GTA is time that you could be spending stealing cars and killing hookers, right?

[WilliamNighthawk Posted Jul 20th 2010 4:23AM]

@Alleged It's a wasteful life if you don't get a couple kill points. *Runs over a zombie hooker* "GTA MOTHERFUCKER! 10 Points!" (Also 10 points to whoever gets the reference.)

[TexTheRipper Posted Aug 4th 2010 11:20PM]

@WilliamNighthawk Resident evil the movie 2

[TVGenius Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:05PM]

Ah, Rock Band, reason for my divorce. Wife left me for a guy she met playing RB2 on the PSN. Yeah, seriously. No joke.

[WillyVWade Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:44PM]

@TVGenius Hmmm, I guess you know that the women you meet on there will give good wrists...

[SirNoDroin Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:54PM]

@TVGenius

if that story is true, you are better off.

(or she is, one or the other)

[Lisaaaargh Posted Jul 20th 2010 4:14AM]

@TVGenius Jus be careful who you're playing on the new one... Hope you know her gamer tag!

[WillyVWade Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:43PM]

Harmonix, How many BJs will it tke for you to patch Keyboards in to TB:RB... I'll buy it again on disk... I'll do your laundry... COME ON!

[SirNoDroin Posted Jul 19th 2010 8:57PM]

in b4 someone says "why not learn a real instrument"

but seriously, why not?

[Ghoti Posted Jul 19th 2010 9:12PM]

@SirNoDroin, it seems that @TareG already posted about that.

And as pointed out in a reply to that thread, the "learn a real instrument" mantra doesn't really apply for Rock Band 3 since you'll be able to play real guitar, keyboard, and drums. It'll certainly be more like learning to play a real instrument.

[SiXiam Posted Jul 19th 2010 9:06PM]

It looks like a photon torpedo...

[CptnDriveThru Posted Jul 19th 2010 11:07PM]

October 26....finally, 25 years to the day after Marty McFly went back in time, I can rock out to "The Power of Love".

[Gib Posted Jul 19th 2010 11:37PM]

@CptnDriveThru

You, sir, just blew my mind. Doc Brown was originally planning to travel 25 years into the future... He wanted to pick up a copy of RB3, perhaps?

[Joeyjoejoe Shabadoo Posted Jul 20th 2010 12:10AM]

Australian release date

yes/no/maybe?

[lanceuppercut Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:19AM]

..but what about europe/australia release dates?!

[decypherSMC Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:12AM]

@lanceuppercut "Rock Band 3 will ship simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories"

This piece was more about US pre-order bonuses, perhaps other places will have something else.

Apparently EbGames/Gamestop Canada is also having the 3 DLC pre-order bonus.