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Activision settles Guitar Hero III class action suit
Activision has been dealing with the anger of Guitar Hero III owners, which culminated four months ago in a class action lawsuit. The plaintiff, Sam Livingston, filed the suit against Activision because of the company's "deceptive" conduct regarding the lack of Dolby Pro Logic II.Instead of letting the case get to court, though, Activision decided to offer a settlement. The amount of cash that exchanged hands in the deal was not made public, but we bet a check will be more satisfying than a complimentary faceplate. Oh, and speaking of those? They were actually less of an act of kindness on Activision's part, and more of a required legal stipulation from the settlement.Even though Activision probably lost a whole lot of pennies in order to settle, we're sure the company is happy that there's now one less lawsuit to worry about this year.[Via Game|Life]
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.
Guitar Hero III squeezes out version for BlackBerry
Poor Bessy, the Guitar Hero cow is getting her teats squeezed raw by Activision. Hands-On Mobile announced another addition to the GH III oeuvre as the "number one selling" mobile version of Guitar Hero III became available for BlackBerry smartphones. Come on Bessy, just keep squirting.According to Hands-On the mobile version of Guitar Hero III has achieved 7.5 million song downloads in less than six months and will be available on the nation's top four mobile carriers by April. Oh well, more power to 'em. Observing someone play GH III on a phone can't possibly be more awkward than it'll be watching someone play the DS version of GH III on the subway in the morning.
Tabulator: Guitar Hero / Rock Band guitar compatibility
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Guitar_Hero_vs_Rock_Band_guitar_compatibility_guide'; In light of today's official Rock Band Wii announcement, we asked Harmonix if there was any chance the Guitar Hero 3 controller would be compatible with Rock Band (and vice versa). The response was less than hopeful, with Harmonix telling us it's up to Activision -- in other words, no. On the bright side, it gives us an opportunity to update our Guitar Compatibility Guide. Check it out after the break.
Dropkick Murphys pack now available for GHIII
That was quick. Only a week after Activision announced a Dropkick Murphys downloadable content pack for Guitar Hero III, it's already here. Then again, it's not like there was much time left before St. Patrick's Day (which is relevant because the Dropkick Murphys is a Celtic punk band, you see. Best of all, the content is absolutely free. Here's a reminder of what you'll find in the new DLC pack (all the tracks are master tracks): "Famous for Nothing" by the Dropkick Murphys "(F)lannigan's Ball" by the Dropkick Murphys "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya" by the Dropkick Murphys Just remember, if anyone plays one of these songs without wearing any green, it is your legal right to pinch them. You should also remember that anyone playing Guitar Hero is automatically carrying a blunt weapon, so pinch at your own risk.[Via Joystiq]
Dropkick Murphys pack now available, free in Guitar Hero III
Just in time for your weekend St. Patrick's Day celebrations (you're not really going to party on a Monday are you?) comes a trio of Dropkick Murphys songs for Guitar Hero III, available right now on Xbox Live and (we're assuming) a little later in the day on PSN.The pack includes "Famous for Nothing", "Flannigan's Ball" and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya", all master tracks and all from their album The Meanest of Times. Now, before you go complaining that they're not the DKM songs you would have chosen, you should know that the pack is free, free, totally free. Not bad for a holiday usually only good for "you're not wearing green" pinches from the 55-year-old woman in accounting.
Harmonix sues Activision over royalties, withdraws
It looks like the rhythm game battle between Activision and Harmonix extends beyond the sales gap between Guitar Hero III and Rock Band, as Harmonix sued Activision on Monday. The suit was withdrawn on Tuesday as the threat of a legal battle was apparently enough to make Activision talk with the company. According to the lawsuit, Harmonix asserts that it is owed $14.5 million in unpaid royalties for the use of its technology in Guitar Hero III and further asserts that the company has not received any money for song downloads, in-game ads, and related products. Variety reports that the lawsuit was "clearly intended" to lay down a precedent for future iterations of the Guitar Hero series (of which there are many, many planned). Activision, for its part, claims that it has paid Harmonix "sufficient" royalties.[Via Joystiq]
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.
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]
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.
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.
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?
Joyswag: Win Guitar Hero III on your platform of choice
[Update: Entry period is over, folks. We're selecting our winners and contacting them by email, so go check!]We've been feeling generous lately, so we're kicking this week off with another giveaway. This time, we're handing out five copies of Guitar Hero III. Yup, five ...The well-dressed folks at Best Buy (they put on that launch party, remember?) set us up with three copies on each of the major now-gen consoles (that's Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 for those of you who've been stuck in a time capsule), and we're giving away the two PlayStation 2 copies that Red Octane sent over, for a grand total of five full copies of the game (we're talking guitar and game disc). So, here's how this is going to work: You'll have five days to leave five comments for up to five chances to win one of five copies of the game. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post letting us know which console release you want AND your favorite guitar solo of all time (note: in accordance with federal law, "Stairway to Heaven" will not be considered an acceptable answer) You must be a US resident, 18 years or older. (Which isn't very rock 'n roll, we know ...) Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day. If you enter this giveaway more than once a day you'll be automatically disqualified, etc.! This entry period ends in five days at 2:59pm ET Friday 2/15/08. For complete rules you can tattoo up your arms, click here
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.
