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Guitar Hero III first game to make $1 billion
You may recall a similar headline from the past, where the Guitar Hero franchise earned over $1 billion. Well, another milestone for Activision comes thanks to the previous title to release in the franchise, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. That game alone has generated over $1 billion in sales, making it the first game in history to do so. The news was presented by Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith during a keynote speech at CES. We're not sure how much an impact the Wii version itself has had, but consider it to be significant. The Wii version of the game has been very popular for quite some time now. Well, up until World Tour released, anyway.
Les Paul costs less money
Those of you in the market for another guitar for Guitar Hero III will be happy to know that RedOctane has dropped the cost of the wireless Les Paul guitar. Originally fetching a price of $69.99, it is now $10 cheaper.Have you been holding off on picking up an extra guitar until the price dropped? Have you been waiting to get one but just can't find one? Want a free one? Or do you go from hotel to hotel enjoying the Guitar Hero III they have to offer?[Thanks, Eric!]
Guitar Hero 3 rocks the BlackBerry, viciously
Drop your axe and pickup your BlackBerry? Seems Hands-on Mobile and Magmic Games have brought the wildly popular -- 7.5 million songs downloaded for the mobile version in less than six months -- guitar thrashing lunacy to the BlackBerry platform. The software can be picked up in two different flavors, a $4.49 subscription version that delivers 15 tracks up front with an ongoing charge of $4.49 which adds 3 songs a month to your track list. Magmic also offers a outright purchase option at $14.99 which includes the 3 songs a month. The initial crack track list includes songs like Santana's Black Magic Woman, Van Halen's You Realy Got Me, and even a bit of Black Sabbath by way of Paranoid. Aside from absolutely destroying corporate productivity, this game will add hours of joy -- and pain, we expect -- to your BlackBerry experience.
Come for the soft beds, stay for the Wii Sports
What's a good way to get folks into your hotel? We have no clue, what with being a game blog and all, but it looks like some hotels might have found a good way to get folks in their doors: gaming. We imagine if you have something the people like and want, they'll flock to you. That must be the thinking behind some hotels in the U.S. incorporating some of the most popular games into their repertoire of activities available to patrons. Games such as Wii Sports and Guitar Hero III. While we can't comment on whether this is a good decision from a business perspective, we can comment that this is a good decision from a customer service perspective. Now top Wii Sports bowlers and fast-fingered freaks in Guitar Hero III need not worry about getting rusty while they're attending that convention in Tuscaloosa.[Via Joystiq]
Friday Video: Guitar Hero world record-setter
It may not be the Wii version of the game, but anyone that can throw down in Guitar Hero as good as this kid can is certainly deserving of all the fame and fortune that comes from being featured on Wii Fanboy. The fame of being recognized by avatar-less commenters and the fortune of having 14 people see your video are just some of the small things Wii Fanboy can bring to the table.All kidding aside, this guy is good. In fact, we wonder what would happen if him and that little kid got together in the same room. It'd like totally cause a rift in the space/time continuum or something. [Via Joystiq]
Activision offering full refunds for Guitar Hero 3
Well, for those of you who had time to check in on our poll and voiced that you would like a full refund for the game, Activision has announced that they're doing just that. If a replacement disc doesn't sound like your cup of tea, you can instead fill out a hefty form and send it in for cash monies instead of a disc with surround sound.Which would you choose?[Thanks, Tom!]Read - Full refund detailsRead - PDF refund form
Nyko not the only ones making a guitar
While many of you wait on the official Les Pauls to hit the open market, third-party solutions from companies like Nyko are likely presenting themselves as increasingly better choices as each new day passes. It's okay, we think they look kind of sweet, too!Now, there's another option courtesy of CTA Digital. The guitar (pictured) looks like the inside of a ski lodge, to be honest. At least it's a dark shade, as an oak-like finish would've not been all-too-pleasing to the eye, if we may say so. One problem we've encountered is we can't find it anywhere. We've searched some of the distributors that are listed on CTA's website, but none lead to an actual listing for this guitar. So, we have no idea in regards to price at this moment.[Thanks, Dan!]
Wii Warm Up: Are you ready for your replacement?
Reader Joe wrote in to us to inform that he had gotten his mailer for his replacement copy of Guitar Hero III. It's something we talk about quite a bit around the offices here and you all no doubt have a somewhat bad taste in your mouth after finally getting the Guitar Hero franchise on a Nintendo console. We're hip to it, we understand.But, were you one of the folks who are in need of a replacement disc? Have you received your mailer too? Or, are you waiting for this all to blow over before jumping into Guitar Hero III? Perhaps you're waiting on the competition first?
About the dumbest way to play Guitar Hero 3
That is, if you can call it playing. You see, using your feet to play a plastic mock-up of a real instrument is just what you'd expect it to be: pointless and unnecessarily difficult. We wonder why someone would even go through the bother of filming themselves while they do this. On top of that, wouldn't the person want to get a little better at playing monkey-style before they uploaded their video onto the internet for the whole 10 people that read Wii Fanboy every day to see?
Toys R Us slashes price on Guitar Hero III bundle
For those of you who might have steered clear of Guitar Hero III because the price was just too high for you, take note: Toys R Us is now offering up the bundle for $69.99, which is $20 less than its normal price. With that extra coin, you could pick up a classic controller or just pocket the cash. Getting the wireless Les Paul that comes bundled in for $20 less than everyone else would make us feel so special, if you ask us.Head on past the break for a look at the ad for the price drop.
Korea: Two Guitar Heroes enter, one Guitar Hero leaves
Korea is apparently the place to be when it comes to the integration of gaming and television, as the country doesn't have to put up with the insipid mess of G4 like those of us in the United States. Instead, they look at gaming as more of a competitive sport, showcasing contests between gamers (the example here being Guitar Hero). Sounds like win to us (unless we were to go up against this kid), as we all like to brag about our gaming achievements (34 stars in Super Mario Galaxy for this blogger, hells yeah).[Via Go Nintendo]
Guitar Hero makes a billion
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/WOW_Guitar_Hero_makes_a_billion'; While we're not sure how big a slice of the Guitar Hero pie the Wii version has taken, the franchise has generated some serious revenue. In North America alone, the series of games has earned over $1 billion. In fact, the third title even did so well as to be the top title in 2007.Other data regarding downloaded content is also provided. However, that doesn't really apply to us, as we've been waiting for downloadable content for some time now.
Turntable hero
With the Guitar Hero franchise finally hitting a Nintendo platform, we're so excited to see all of the things people are doing. Heck, even our own Mike Sylvester has had some fun with the Wii's Guitar Hero III controller. Now, we see one individual take the PS2 peripheral and reshape it into a turntable. While not entirely compatible with the game (we can't imagine trying to effectively complete songs on a difficulty higher than medium), we still find the mod to be pretty darn cool. What's next? A Xylophone? [Via Joystiq]
Nyko introduces first third-party Wii guitar
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/nintendo/Nyko_introduces_first_third_party_Wii_guitar'; Nyko showed off some new accessories for the Wii and other systems (but most importantly the Wii) at the CES trade show. The company offered some more concrete information about the release of their Wireless Nunchuck, specifying a Q1 2008 release window and $30 price point for this product.Their other Wii peripheral is something that fills a very important need in the Wii accessory lineup: a standalone Guitar Hero III controller. The Nyko Frontman Wireless Guitar is a wireless (obviously) controller styled after the Fender Telecaster. This guitar should be out in March or April -- a few months and fifty dollars are the only things between you and rocking out with a second player. Unless Activision beats them to the punch with their own standalone guitars, in which case some other amounts of time and money will be required.
Best of the Rest: Griffin's Picks of 2007
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (Wii)For a port of a two-year-old game, RE4: Wii Edition didn't have a whole lot going for it. It had the same extra features as the PS2 port of the game, not-so-updated graphics, and slightly lower reviews than its original iteration -- and yet, somehow, just by changing how the game is controlled, Capcom created an entirely new adventure. When the peculiar controls for the Wii were first announced, this is the type of interactivity that I imagined from the future games for the system -- responsive, accurate, and realistic. The only way they could have made the gunplay feel any more natural would have been to package the game with an actual gun, which you shot at the on-screen zombies. Once.
This kid will totally mess you up in Guitar Hero III
Oh man, losing to a kid at anything is pretty darn embarrassing, But, to see a kid absolutely master the ridiculously-difficult "Through the Fire and Flames" by DragonForce is like the best and worst thing we've ever seen. It's great because, well ... damn does that kid have game. But, it's bad because we're not sure we could ever do something so awesome in all of our life. The kid scored a frickin' 95% for crying out loud. We'll tell you what, though. If this kid ever tries drugs, he's doomed.See also: Activision sued over sound issues in Guitar Hero III[Via X3F]
Guitar Hero III DLC: The Used Mastadon roams Linkin Park
Well, perhaps the song selection will make more sense to you than the headline. Still not content with the initial track list in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Activision has revealed the contents of the rock 'n rhythmer's next set of downloadable content (but not the price, so no accusing them of pitching a con-tent just yet). Right, on to the content: The Warner/Reprise Track Pack (master recordings) "Pretty Handsome Awkward" by The Used "Sleeping Giant" by Mastadon "No More Sorrow" by Linkin Park Single song downloads (courtesy of "popular European bands") "So Payaso" by Extremoduro "Antisocial" by Trust "Ernten Was Wir Säen" by Die Fantastischen Vier "Free, exclusive rock rendition" of a holiday classic "We Three Kings" by Steve Ouimette In fitting with tradition, you can expect the Warner/Reprise/Wrist Slasher Special track pack to cost $6.25 when it appears on the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network sometime in December. We'll let you know as soon we've confirmed the prices of the individual songs.
Rock out with your block out: i am 8-bit guitar straps
You're a rebel. You don't listen intently for thoughtful gift ideas before hitting the mall months ahead of the holiday shopping season. No, you march to your own tune – a tune, which we should add, is more than likely generated by clicking brightly colored plastic buttons on a plastic guitar – and you wait until the last minute to get your gift ideas from a blog, a video game blog, of all places. Relax, you're amongst peers. Which is why we just had to show you these vinyl guitar straps with that i am 8-bit aesthetic we know you're so crazy about. Yeah, it's really a Christmas present for yourself, but you've been good this year, right? We thought so.[Thanks, Kevin]
Dad finds son smoking pot, attacks his weak point for massive damage
When eBay seller k_lid found his fifteen-year-old son Isaac smoking marijuana on the patio with two of his "delinquent friends," he did what any respectable parent would do: he calmly removed his son's copy of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock from beneath the Christmas tree, and put it up for sale on eBay, complete with a lengthy description about why it was being auctioned.With the listing underway, all that was left to do was show the auction page to Isaac, who apparently "was not amused" by the sight of his number one Christmas present going on sale. Funny, that.But kudos to k_lid, we say. That's a pretty calculating, imaginative punishment, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of tough love. Didn't do us any harm. Apart from the panic attacks. And the nightmares. And the endless twitching.[Thanks, Chris!]
Guitar Hero: it shreds, and, yes, it blends
Quick, before some pretentious post-postmodern indie band rips the idea and integrates it into their set: check out the video after the break of the will it blend dude sticking a Gibson X-Plorer's fender into one of their machines. Yeah, we're total suckers for the Guitar Hero games, and we love to see Guitar destruction as much as the next rock fiend, so you can probably guess the result.[Via Joystiq]
