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Charlie Daniels upset that 'Devil Went Down to Georgia' in Guitar Hero III
We thought that the inclusion of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," as the final song in Guitar Hero III was a pretty inspired choice, but it seems not everyone was as thrilled with the selection, including Charlie Daniels, the song's author. The Christian country star (who no longer holds the rights to the song) recently posted about the game on his blog, his primary beef seeming to be that El Diablo can win. He wrote that the song "is supposed to be a lighthearted novelty about a fiddling contest between a country boy and the devil and the devil always loses." But, he goes on to say that GHIII features "a guitar-playing devil who battles the player and very often wins." ... So, is Daniels complaining about balancing issues? Because, if so, we totally agree. The devil's way too tough.But we do feel compelled to point out that the game never says the main boss is the devil. In fact, he has a name and it's Lou. Maybe Lou isn't a devil at all, maybe he's just deformed like that guy from Mask. So we ask you, dear reader, what's the worse sin? Letting the devil win in a video game or calling handicapped people demons? We think the choice is pretty clear.[Via Bit-tech.net]
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]
Charlie Daniels: Guitar Hero 'perverted' my song
While a lot of people here may have spent hours rawking out and pulling buffoonish poses to Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, it's safe to say that country rock musician Charlie Daniels wasn't quite as enthusiastic. Firstly, the guy is 71, and if performing high kicks and the splits is beyond us flexible twenty-somethings, it's probably going to be unrealistic for anyone who qualifies for a free bus pass. Secondly (and a lot more relevantly), he's not too chuffed about how one of his songs, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," has been presented by Legends of Rock.According to an entry by the musician on his blog, the song in question is "a lighthearted novelty about a fiddling contest between a country boy and the devil and the devil always loses," but try telling that to Guitar Hero III. Instead, the game has players competing on the song with old Beelzebub himself, in a face-off which the devil can win. Insert outraged gasps here!Anyway, this is the main sticking point for Daniels, who accuses developer Neversoft of "perverting my song," and huffs that he's "disgusted with the result." He also describes the game as having "a dark side, complete with grotesque monsters on stage with the band, strange, eerie lighting effects and all manner of weird things popping up on the stage," and reckons it's "not the healthiest thing in the world for young, impressionable minds to be exposed to."As it happens, Daniels' complaints look set to fall on deaf ears, because he sold off the publishing rights to the track. Nevertheless, his diatribe is worth a read, if only for a chuckle.[Via Kotaku]
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.
Colorware gets ahold of Guitar Hero axes -- we're in love
If you thought a Colorware'd DS Lite was the new heat, get a load of this. The company famous for making gadgetry of all kinds look its best has turned its talents on the iconic Guitar Hero axe, and we must say, we're infatuated. Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 thrashers are all invited, and while users can join the revolution for as little as $198 (that includes the title and a painted instrument), current slingers can send their guitar in and get it colorized for as little as $99. For those on a budget, we strongly recommend not clicking the links below. Those completely unafraid of purging their wallet on impulse buys can go ahead.[Thanks, Adam]Read - Colorware's Xbox 360 guitarRead - Colorware's PlayStation 3 guitarRead - Colorware's Wii guitar
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.
Wii Guitar Hero III owners get free faceplate
We think that those playing Guitar Hero III on the Wii have every right to feel like the cast-aside stepchild. Not only does their system of choice not get the DLC from the other consoles, they also got the fun of sending their discs in to be replaced when it turned out that the game was mixed in mono rather than stereo sound. Now, Activision is attempting to make up for one of those slights with a free guitar faceplate for those who had to send their game away.What's especially cool is that the company didn't make a big announcement about the deal, they just quietly went about trying to make things right with jilted fans. Good show, Activision. Now, about that DLC ...
Activision and RedOctane send guitar faceplates to Guitar Hero III owners
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Activision_says_it_s_sorry_to_GH3_Wii_owners'; Activision has made some mistakes with the Wii edition of Guitar Hero III, and it probably wasn't all too much fun for game owners to send in their discs and await fixed copies. The company, along with RedOctane, are trying to get back into people's good graces, though, by sending a free guitar faceplate to people who've replaced their discs.We think this is a great move on Activision's part, especially since they didn't announce their good will publicly. It's nice that they're trying to compensate gamers for the inconvenience they've caused, considering they could have done nothing but fix the problem at hand -- that's what we call good customer service. From what we understand, the faceplates will arrive a few weeks after customers get their fixed editions.So, what do you say, Guitar Hero owners? Will you forgive Activision, or will the company still be sleeping on the couch tonight?To see Activision and RedOctane's love note to customers, check past the break.
Wii's third-party million-sellers revealed
Ah, how we all knowingly chuckled when Sega predicted it would sell four million copies of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games across the Wii and DS. Like a drunken, rowdy friend boasting of sexual conquests that never actually occurred, Sega's strutting came across as the stuff of fantasy.And then the news came through. They'd sold five million. D'oh!We were reminded of our misplaced Mario & Sonic cynicism again today, after That Videogame Blog listed the third-party games that have shifted one million units on the Wii. Sure enough, the plumber and the hedgehog taunted us from the top of the pile (with 3.4 million sales), while Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (1.8 million), Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition (1.6 million), Rayman Raving Rabbids, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Carnival Games (all 1.2 million), and Red Steel (1 million) sat beneath it.Helpfully, author Ashutosh Chhibbar has also listed those titles that are nearing the magical seven-digit landmark, with Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, MySims, or LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga just needing one last push.
Guitar Grip gives DS owners the means to rock out
Good news, DS owners! You too will soon be able to shred just like those kids with stay-at-home consoles -- sort of, at least. According to a first look over at Video Games Zone, the summer-bound Guitar Hero on Tour title can be really enjoyed with the aptly-named Guitar Grip. As you can see above, it is limited to just four buttons, but nevertheless, it allows users to hold the DS upright and tap the buttons of the peripheral -- which is suitably fitted into the GBA slot -- and strum the touchscreen to take care of the pickin'. Sure, it's a far cry from wielding a full-fledged axe, but it's not too shabby for shredding on the run. Check out a smorgasbord of pictures and a promo video in the read link below.[Via NeoGAF]
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.
Activision files lawsuit after Gibson claims Guitar Hero patent
Yesterday was a busy legal day for the Guitar Hero franchise, what with Harmonix pulling a $14.5 million dollar royalty suit on the same day Activision decided to address a patent claim from its guitar partners at Gibson. Sure, we're not fancy lawyers with fancy pants, but it strikes us as particularly odd that Gibson managed to work up a deal with Activision – licensing its branding as well as the likenesses of some of its most iconic guitars – well before realizing that, hey! It's already patented this whole thing and owns the rights to a device whereby a "musician can simulate participation in a concert by playing a musical instrument and wearing a head-mounted 3D display that includes stereo speakers."Turns out that while Gibson told its pals at Activision about the patent back in January, the Big A just filed a lawsuit yesterday asking the U.S. District Court for Central California "to declare Gibson's patent invalid and to bar it from seeking damages." Considering we're talking about a billion dollar franchise, we're sure Gibson's been seeing dollar signs. Perhaps it's afraid games like Guitar Hero are siphoning potential guitar sales away from, y'know, actual instruments ... or maybe it just figured why the heck not. Unless they make nice nice, we figure there's a chance we could see Fender-branded guitars in both guitar rhythm series going forward.[Via Engadget]Read – Activision's "Guitar Hero" violates patent: Gibson (Reuters)Read – United States Patent Number 5,990,405
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.
Third-party Xbox 360 wireless Guitar Hero axe hits the market
Although Nyko's wireless FrontMan axe is slated to land for Xbox 360 this June, it seems as though it has been beaten to the proverbial punch by some random rival from who knows where. Known only as "3rd Party," the aforementioned company has seemingly crafted a wireless Flying V that plays nice with the Xbox 360, and better still, it looks to be available right now. Still, considering the fact that it's labeled "Guitar for Games" and designed to function with the "X 360," we're not entirely sure we'd be willing to risk our $41.94. But hey, if you see "quality" written all over that image pictured above, we certainly aren't going to stop you from pulling the trigger and hoping for the best.[Via XBox 360 News]
SXSW08: Booth Hero
What's better for attracting people to your booth than a fake guitar? Apparently nothing! Walking around SXSW's ScreenBurn Arcade, I began to notice that I was seeing a lot of Guitar Hero III and Rock Band setups. The guitars and drums are a lot showier than most game controllers, and are thus a lot better at getting attention than other games. I understood the power of these two games.But that doesn't mean I didn't find it a little weird that groups who had basically nothing to do with Guitar Hero III or Rock Band were featuring it at their booths. I was also amused by the number of booths that featured guitar games, compared to the total number of booths in the ScreenBurn Arcade. It almost seemed like these two games outnumbered not-music games.%Gallery-17993%
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]
Guitar Hero III gets Modern Metal, free Dropkick Murphys tunes coming
Well now, this is a trend we'd like to see continue: Just a week after it's last update (a batch of No Doubt tunes) Guitar Hero III is getting another song pack. This time, it's the "Modern Metal Track Pack," featuring master tracks of Deftones' "Hole in the Earth," Avenged Sevenfold's "Almost Easy" and Thrice's "The Arsonist." As you've come to expect, the three songs will cost you 500 points ($6.25).If you don't find yourself in a metal mood, you'll be excited to hear that the next pack is already in the works. It's three from Dropkick Murphys, master tracks of "Famous for Nothing," "(F)lannigan's Ball" and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya." It's due in mid-March in time for St. Patrick's Day. And the best part? Totally free. We didn't think it was possible for us to be more excited about drinking ourselves into oblivion on a Monday, but we guess wonders never cease.[Thanks, Matt]
