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Play N Trade holding national Guitar Hero III competition March 15
This Saturday, video game retailer Play N Trade is holding a Guitar Hero III tournament with a national grand prize of $2000 (in store credit). Competitors should check if their local store is participating in the tournament and confirm the time matches start. Entry fee is $10 beforehand or $15 on the day of the event.Players will compete by single elimination in best 2 out of 3 matches. The top player from each store then plays Through the Fire and Flames on Expert and their score is sent in to determine a national champion on March 17 for the aforementioned $2000. Second place national winner receives a PS3, GH3 bundle and $500 in store credit; third place receives a GH3 bundle and $200 in store credit. Depending on how confident players feel in their TtFaF skills, this could either be a sure bet or an exercise in futility.
Harmonix sues Activision, then withdraws suit to talk
Variety reports developer Harmonix sued Activision on Monday for $14.5 million in royalties owed them from the Guitar Hero franchise, only to pull the suit Tuesday night. The filing of the lawsuit seems to have been all Activision apparently needed to talk things through outside of court.The lawsuit revolved around Harmonix's technology being used in creating Guitar Hero III and royalties owed them for that deal. Harmonix, which created the first two GH's before publisher Red Octane was purchased by Activision, also claims it has not been paid for GH DLC, in-game advertising and other nitty-gritty details. Activision originally stated it had paid what it owed to Harmonix and "the claims otherwise do not have merit." With Activision looking to drive the Guitar Hero franchise into the ground the seventh level of hell, it looks like Harmonix wants to get some money out of watching its original cash cow get milked into oblivion.Read -- Viacom withdraws 'Guitar' suitRead -- The full court docs.
Guitar Hero III + amBX = party machine
Well, any rhythm game really, but this example uses Guitar Hero III. Honestly, we'd never heard of amBX before, but Phillips would have you believe it's the next step in interactive technology. Nope, it's not touch screens or big ass tables, it's ... colors? Desperate marketing aside, when combined with Guitar Hero III, amBX does make for an impressive light show. Whether or not it gives the $99 Rock Band stage kit a run for its money remains to be seen. At twice the price, you'd think it would (or hope so anyway). Unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to wait for the 360 version of amBX hardware -- this video utilized the PC version -- as it's still in development. We're waiting with sarcastically bated breath.
360 gets its first third party wireless guitar
If officially licensed guitar peripherals aren't your thing (just too mainstream for you) then we may have found an ultra-risky third party option for you. Enter some random Chinese manufacturer's Wireless Guitar Controller for all your "X 360 guitar games".Sporting a "working" whammy bar, five multi-colored frets and a d-pad that looks like a black hole ... how could you go wrong? Heck, even the guitar's wireless functionality is unique as it requires a baby monitor sized USB wireless adapter to fully rock out. Best of all, it isn't licensed by Rock Band or Guitar Hero, so your guess is as good as ours to whether it'll actually function or not. Also note that if you actually purchase one of these sad excuses for guitars, then expect to be whacked over the head with a NERF bat. Rock on![Via Xbox 360 News, Thanks craig]
Activision now a sponsor of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
We imagine the deal went something like this:"So, you guys made Guitar Hero, huh? Sounds like a perfect match for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.""Well, no actually. We just bought the name. Oh, and did I mention we're loaded!""Sold!"The end result of that (imaginary) exchange is that Activision looks to further embed itself in the annals of rock, as the company has announced that it has become a sponsor of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Specifically, Activision will be sponsoring the museum's exhibit featuring famous guitarists (surprise!), and also will sponsor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Cermony being held on March 10. Finally, Hall of Fame visitors will soon be able to play "the latest and greatest" version of Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero III (and presumably future iterations once they're released) on demo kiosks at the museum. At the rate Activision is going, the curators may soon find themselves displaying more versions of Guitar Hero than actual exhibits.[Via Press Release. Original image: Jason Pratt]
GHIII gets Modern Metal pack, Dropkick Murphys for St. Pattie's Day
A new track pack for Guitar Hero III is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Entitled the Modern Metal pack, the new DLC includes three new tracks from the Deftones, Avenged Sevenfold, and Thrice. As an added bonus, all three tracks are master tracks. The tracks, which will run you 500 MS Points, are as follows: "Hole in the Earth" by Deftones "Almost Easy" by Avenged Sevenfold "The Arsonist" by Thrice In addition to the Modern Metal pack, Activision has also announced that a special pack is in the works for St. Patrick's Day later this month. The pack will include songs by the Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys. The three (master) tracks that will be available on the pack are "Famous for Nothing," "(F)lannigan's Ball" and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya." Best of all, the track pack will be free. Expect it to arrive (you guessed it) sometime before St. Patrick's Day.[Via Press Release]
Aussie Guitar Hero III replacement process begins
Guitar Hero III owners is Australia can soon join their North American brethren in getting replacement discs from Activision. In case you've somehow missed the Guitar Hero Wii saga, copies of the game have been found to lack Dolby Pro Logic II, meaning that it won't play in stereo or surround sound.If you folks in Australia are tired of having your game sound like crap, though, you'll finally have a chance to get your new disc. Taking a different approach than what we've seen here in the U.S., you won't even have to send in your glitched disc; just report your troubles by phone to Activision's tech support and they'll send you an improved copy, with no swap necessary. There is a slight catch, though (isn't there always?). Calling Activision to claim your new disc will cost you an irritating $2.95 Australian dollars per minute. NextGEN Gamers, however, was nice enough to post the company's LAN line in Sydney, which is (02) 9869 0955.As for you European folks afflicted by the same Guitar Hero woes, you're unfortunately still stuck with mono sound for now. We'll be sure to let you know, though, when Europe gets on the replacement disc bandwagon.[Via GoNintendo]
Wii Warm Up: How badly do you want another guitar?
We're sure that many of you have been disappointed by your inability to buy a second guitar for Guitar Hero III, which has already had enough issues as it is. Fortunately, it seems like that will start to change, as Red Octane is taking orders for Les Pauls on its website, with a TBA date of March 2008. (Note: We're currently in March 2008).Unfortunately, however, the price of the Les Paul is a whopping $69.99. Keep in mind, that's the official price listed at Red Octane's site.After some searching, the only place we came across a standalone Les Paul was Toys "R" Us, which is selling the guitar for ten dollars less than Red Octane. Of course, that's before the $9 shipping and handling fees, meaning that there's probably no way out of a $69 price for the official guitar.If you want to go third party, you can wait for Nyko's option (Amazon lists the item at $49.99, to be released on March 15th, although Nyko's website says May). There's also CTA's Shred Axe, but we have no idea when that's coming out or what it will cost.So, when it comes to getting another Guitar Hero III controller, how much is too much?
Guitar Hero replacement discs come rolling in
Many of you have been letting us know that you've received your Guitar Hero III replacement discs already, which is good news. The discs completely fix any sound issues, as promised, and only take about one to two weeks to arrive after sending in the claim form.Some readers have noted a difference in Star Power and missed note sounds, too. Is that the case for all of you?Activision is also offering full refunds for discs without Dolby Pro Logic II, if you'd rather have cash than a replacement. We're not sure when the fixed copies will end up in stores (or, if they already are), but we'll let you know as soon as we find out.If you have any comments to make about your new discs, or are still waiting on yours, feel free to let us know what's on your mind here.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
No Doubt about it, GHIII gets new track pack
A new track pack for Guitar Hero III has been released, and this time it's all about No Doubt. Yes, the same No Doubt featuring Gwen Stefani, the woman who stole Gavin Rossdale and crushed the dreams of thousands of women everywhere. The track pack includes the following songs for the price of 500 MS Points: "Don't Speak" "Sunday Morning" "Excuse Me Mr" Fans will be happy to know that all three songs are master tracks, so no one will have to suffer through someone attempting to sing like Gwen Stefani (really dodged a bullet there, seriously). So, when do we get a Bush track pack, hmmm?[Thanks, DeadPlasmaCell]
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
Wii Fanboy poll: How can Activision make it up to you?
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/nintendo/How_can_Activision_make_up_for_Guitar_Hero_3_on_the_Wii'; You know, the whole Guitar Hero 3 debacle has been our minds a lot lately. Mainly because folks are finally starting to get their packages that they send their busted copy of the game out with (you know, where they wait 3-4 weeks for a new disc). We can't be the only ones peeved at this whole state of affairs, right?So, as a responsible blog, we decided to toss up a poll with some ideas on how Activision can win back some of you angry wanna-be rockers. If you want your voice heard, head past the break.
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!]
Reminder: Download free GHIII "Dream On" DLC
Even if aren't a supporter or the least bit excited about the recently announced Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, that doesn't mean you shouldn't take advantage of Acti's Guitar Hero III offer where you can download Aerosmith's "Dream On" for teh free. But you must hurry fellow fanboys, because the free "Dream On" download will evaporate into nothingness (much like Steven Tyler's music career) in just a few hours. You have until 5:00AM eastern to make your way to the XBLM to claim your free GHIII DLC. So get to it and after you complete your download feel free to go back to your GH bashing ways.
Rock Band outsells Guitar Hero III on Xbox 360 in January
IGN reports January's NPD data shows that the Rock Band bundle on Xbox 360 barely beat out Guitar Hero III in sales for the month. This would be the first time Rock Band has been able to catch GH III on any of the platforms it is available on. Although it would be easy to dismiss the accomplishment because GH III had already sold millions before Rock Band was even out of the gate, it does mean consumers don't think of Guitar Hero as the end all music game.Despite Rock Band's higher price point for the full bundle, it appears gamers are willing to spend the extra cash for the "platform." Sales of the game have been steady and the the constant flow of DLC has come back to MTV/Harmonix in a river of cash. With the announcement by Activision of retail game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it's become clear that Activision and MTV/Harmonix have very different ideas on how to establish longevity for the franchises.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith announced and a free GHIII DLC download
Activision just made it official today that the next Guitar Hero incarnation will in fact be called Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and will feature songs exclusively from ... well, the band Aerosmith.GHAero (that's the official X3F abbreviation from now on) is scheduled for a June release when gamers will be able to play alongside Steven Tyler and truly embrace their inner Aerosmith fanboy. The number of tracks, what sort of bundle, pricing information and word about whether or not the GH franchise has been whored out have yet to be confirmed, but one could expect all the specifics to be in line with previous Guitar Hero releases. Yah dig?Activision also revealed that in celebration of their "groundbreaking" GHAero (man are we love that abbreviation) announcement, they will be releasing Aerosmith's "Dream On" to the XBLM as a free GHIII download. The free DLC will be available from February 16th through the 18th, so be sure to gobble that up before it disappears.[Via ScoreHero, Thanks Elliott]
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?
Valentine's Day for the gamer in your life
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/nintendo/Valentine_s_Day_for_the_gamer_in_your_life'; Valentine's Day might be all about spending ridiculous amounts of money on crap sharing sweet moments with that special someone, but that doesn't mean that those moments -- and the gifts -- can't be tailored to your specific quirks. If you're blessed with a significant other with a particular gaming-related fandom, why not get creative and find gaming-friendly ways to juice up the holiday? Wii Fanboy is here to help, of course, with some holiday gift ideas for all the gamers out there who view the approaching holiday with the utmost dread. From the traditional candy and glittering jewelry to ... well, gifts of a more unique variety, we've got everything you need (if it's Nintendo-related).And, for the really clueless, we've also got some handy tips on what not to buy. Valentine's Day gift-giving can be dangerous. You don't want to be beaten with violence when your S.O. starts opening boxes, after all.
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.
A sign of guitars to come?
When it comes to Guitar Hero III, we don't know what's worse -- not being able to hear the game in stereo and surround sound, or not being able to buy another guitar. Yes, the lack of Dolby Pro Logic II just downright sucks. But, we'd still be having a lot more fun with the game if we were able to rock out with our friends locally. Activision has let us know when replacement discs for Guitar Hero will be available, but what about the guitars? All we've heard is "early 2008," which seems to be the company motto. Still, there is hope.Toys "R" Us is now letting shoppers preorder the Les Paul online, listing the peripheral as having a February 26th release date. Since we have no official word from Activision, of course, this can't be taken too seriously. We do see it as a good sign, however, and will let you know as we hear more. [Via GoNintendo]
