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Green Day: Rock Band Achievements walk a lonely road
So, you not only want to play Green Day: Rock Band, you want to be the best at playing Green Day: Rock Band? You want some metric by which to measure your Billie Joe-bility against that of your friends and colleagues? MyGamerCard recently got its hands on the list of Achievements for the game -- which will presumably double as the Trophies, though we don't yet know which precious metals each task falls under. Check out the full list of trials posted after the jump!
Rock Band 3 to have vocal harmonies, Harmonix (accidentally) confirms
At Harmonix's PAX East 2010 panel, five Rock Band designers answered questions from the audience for "An Awkward Hour" with one major stipulation: No questions about Rock Band 3. However, when an audience member inquired whether Green Day: Rock Band songs would still have harmonies when imported into RB2, Harmonix Project Lead Chris Foster began listing off the games with harmony support. "We've said Rock Band 3 would have harmonies already, right?" Foster asked his fellow panelists, who responded with a booming, "No!" Foster clammed up without revealing more details about Rock Band 3's harmonies (or even answering the attendee's original question), only mentioning, "It's been nice working at Harmonix." (We think he was joking about that last part.)
Rock Band nabs 'exclusive' Jimi Hendrix experience
[Jimi's last Guitar Hero appearance] True, he once exclusively rocked the World Tour, but there just ain't no telling with that Jimi Hendrix. Today, following the reveal of the Jimi Hendrix Experience DLC album Axis: Bold as Love for the Rock Band platform, MTV Games and Harmonix announced, "Jimi Hendrix's music is now exclusive to Rock Band with more songs coming to its industry-leading platform in the future." (An MTV Games spokesperson reiterated to Joystiq that "moving forward" Hendrix music-game releases will be exclusive to Rock Band, but declined to offer specifics on the deal with Experience Hendrix LLC.) Previously, several Hendrix tracks, including a DLC pack, and a digitized version of the, uh, "No. 1 guitarist of all time" were featured in Guitar Hero: World Tour, which, due to licensing restrictions, can't be imported into other Guitar Hero games. Even a Hendrix-themed Guitar Hero game was once allegedly in the works, having apparently slipped into the sea.
Jimi Hendrix album to be released as Rock Band DLC next week [update]
Jimi Hendrix music is, in fact, headed for Rock Band, in a capacity bigger than the usual song packs -- yet not quite as huge as the Beatles/Green Day dedicated games. Rolling Stone announced that on the week of March 30, the entire Jimi Hendrix Experience album Axis: Bold as Love (minus "EXP") will be released as DLC for Rock Band. In addition, a previously unreleased single, "Valleys of Neptune," from a new CD of the same name, will be made available as DLC. So, not only will you try to play Jimi Hendrix solos in Rock Band, you'll play one you've never heard before. Good luck with that! "It's a whole new level of difficulty unto itself," MTV Games' Paul DeGooyer said. The thing about these tracks is if you're a Hendrix fan you know that really what powered that vibe is that he kind of just closed his eyes and flowed from his fingers, and we really tried very hard, especially on the expert level, to recreate that effect." This is just the first step in a longterm agreement between Experience Hendrix and MTV, which includes the release of the other Hendrix albums, in addition to the option to make Hendrix avatars and instruments available in the game. Apparently, the companies are also open to the eventual production of a dedicated game. [Update: the full track list for next week is listed after the break.]
Rock Band Network sales analyzed, top 20 songs calculated
We haven't gotten much of an indication of how successful Harmonix's recently launched Rock Band Network platform has been during its first few weeks in operation. I mean, we'd consider the Rock Band-ification of The Slip's timeless Guitar Hero classic "Even Rats" to be a huge success, but we're pretty sure they measure it in dollars and cents. RockBandAide recently did a bit of calculation and educated guesswork to come with the amount of cash the RBN has brought in so far -- according to the site, Harmonix has grossed over $107,000 in sales from user-generated tracks alone. RockBandAide also estimate that regular DLC has brought in roughly $161,000 in revenue on the 360 since the Network went live -- a slightly larger sum, though the profit margin on Network tracks is supposedly much higher than that of regular DLC. The site also compiled the top 20 purchased RBN songs thus far, which we've posted after the jump. Keep in mind -- these numbers aren't official, but they're the best we've got to go on thus far. [Thanks Tommy!]
Mega64 pokes fun at The Beatles: Rock Band with a little help from a friend
Mega64 gets back to its roots in the troupe's latest video, enlisting the aid of John and Jane Q. Public to create another minute and a half of comedy based on The Beatles: Rock Band. You're probably asking yourself how the trio can recreate the full British pop quartet. To answer that, we offer this: through the aid of a surprise guest, of course! Head past the break to see who. We're pretty sure you'll never guess who it is. [Thanks, Brock]
GDC: Harmonix on the ups and downs of creating the Rock Band Network
Eleven days ago, Harmonix delivered on a concept many of us had fantasized about since the very first time we ever played Rock Band: It democratized the track-making process. For the first time in the franchise's history, any schmo off the street with a bit of MIDI engineering experience and a song in their heart could put that song on the Rock Band Store for the world to see (and hopefully purchase). At GDC, Harmonix senior sound designer Caleb Epps and Rock Band Network producer Matthew Nordhouse sat down to speak about the challenges that came with opening up the game to user-generated content, and how its dedicated community has organically evolved the song-sharing process.
Green Day: Rock Band releases June 8 worldwide
That's right, folks -- Harmonix has just revealed that Green Day: Rock Band will be available for all come June 8 on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. Up to 6 players (3 mics; 3 instruments) will progress through the career of the trio, unlocking collectible images (more than 100, apparently) and some 40 minutes of "rare and unreleased" footage from interviews, outtakes and performances along the way. As alluded to above, GD:RB will also sport the same vocal harmonizing feature that made The Beatles: Rock Band such a delight for mic hogs and comes loaded with 47 Green Day tracks, including "Brain Stew," "Jaded," "Hitchin' a Ride," "American Idiot," "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Oh, and if you're looking to export these tunes, worry not: all 47 tracks are fully exportable to a console hard drive and playable in Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and the recently announced Rock Band 3. The export fee is $9.99 via Xbox Live or PSN. The export features is not available for the Wii system. Additionally, if you've picked up the six Green Day tunes already available as DLC, you can play them in the new game with added harmonies, "unique" visuals and more "exclusive archival material." Green Day: Rock Band will be available as a standalone game for Xbox 360 and PS3 for $59.99, while Wii owners will get a bit of a price break at $49.99. A special edition Green Day: Rock Band Plus will also come to Xbox 360 and PS3 for $69.99 and includes fancy packaging, an "export" feature (we assume, a voucher to export the disc tracks to the hard drive) and the six previously released Green Day DLC tracks. Update: The GameStop pre-order bonus for the standalone game is an export voucher (for Xbox 360 or PS3). Essentially, pre-order GD:RB from GameStop, and you can export all 47 tracks to your console hard drive for free. %Gallery-87997%
Rock Band 3 out this holiday season
Rather than, we don't know, a press release or any other professional method of disseminating a message (Twitter, perhaps?), Harmonix took to Facebook to tell friends and friends-of-friends that Rock Band 3 will be released "this holiday season." The announcement is brief and detail-free, but reveals that EA will distribute the game -- apparently having renewed its Rock Band distribution deal with Viacom. With Rock Band 3, the developer promises to "innovate and revolutionize the music genre once again, just as Harmonix did with the original Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and The Beatles: Rock Band." If previous comments by Dhani Harrison are to be believed, you may even learn something from playing RB3! [Thanks Helloimbob!]
Rock Band Weekly: Lady Gaga, Cartman's 'Poker Face'
Don't even lie! You're just as excited as any club kid that boundary-pushing pop sensation Lady Gaga is coming to Rock Band next week. So, in the privacy of your living room, break out the tight-fitting pleather and get your jam on (to the tracks you, publicly, tell everyone you hate). Of course, you could pretend you "accidentally" bought the Gaga Track Pack, when you actually meant to purchase South Park chubby charmer Eric Cartman's rendition of "Poker Face." Yup, that lil' ditty will also be available. See, now you can cover up that undeniable desire to go goo-goo for Gaga with a veil of irony! Check out the full release list after the break.
Rock Band Network live on Xbox 360, 105 songs available
The Rock Band Network has gone live on Xbox 360 with a catalog of 105 songs. With over 4,000 registered authors and peer reviewers participating in the program, we're guessing a lot more tracks are in the pipe; and Harmonix and MTV Games have teased that tracks from from Flight of the Conchords, The Smashing Pumpkins, Twin Atlantic, All That Remains, Clutch, Prong, The Gaslight Anthem and hundreds of other artists are on the way. Song prices currently range from 80 to 160 ($1 and $2)*. A nice new feature of the Rock Band Music Store offshoot is that players will be able to download RBN samples to demo tracks before they buy. Songs will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 for 30 days, after which "a selection of standout tracks" will become available on PS3 and Wii. *Artists who submit songs receive a 30-percent royalty of the RBN retail price (excluding tax) for every track purchased. Update: List of RBN launch tracks after the break. %Gallery-71018%
Rock Band Weekly: HIM, Marilyn Manson, The Police
Last week, the Rock Band Store got a few healthy slices of Americana with tracks from Otis Redding and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. This week's offerings are much more foreign -- there's a three-pack from Finnish rock band HIM, a song from Britain's One Night Only, a track from The Police, and a song from Marilyn Manson, whom we all know actually descends from an extinct alien race whose name our human tongues could never hope to pronounce. Click past the jump for the full list of new additions!
The Beatles: Rock Band DLC 'All You Need is Love' coming to PS3, Wii
The Beatles: Rock Band single "All You Need is Love" will bounce on trampolines over to Wii and PS3 on February 16 and March 4, respectively. The song was initially released exclusively on Xbox 360, with proceeds from purchases going to Doctors Without Borders. The track raised approximately $218,000 for the international relief agency before the promotion ended on January 31. All you need to download the track and start singing along is $2, or 200 Wii Points. %Gallery-75971%
Rock Band Weekly: Megadeth's 'Rust in Peace,' The Who mashed-up
Hey, Rock Band aficionados! Are you ready to spend your hard-earned Microsoft Points, Wii Points or good old-fashioned cash money on tracks which you'll never be able to play without injuring your tender, fragile metacarpals? Brace your bones -- the Music Store is about to get a healthy dose of Megadeth, in the form of the outfit's 1990 album "Rust in Peace." Or, as it's more commonly known, "The one with 'Hangar 18' on it." The nine-track album will be available for $14.99 (1200, bundle not available on Wii), and can also be purchased piecemeal for $1.99 (160, 200 Wii Points) per track. In addition, the Who's "Super Bowl S-mashup" medley will be made available on Sunday after the big game for $1.99 (160, 200 Wii Points). Check out all the songs included in next week's update after the jump.
Play The Who's Super Bowl halftime performance in Rock Band [update]
[NFL] If you want to play a bunch of songs by The Who in Rock Band in a manner that satisfies your minute attention span, and do so soon, MTV and Harmonix just made an announcement that will delight you (however briefly). Alternately, you're going to be thrilled if you want to capture some Super Bowl magic in your living room. On Sunday, February 7, The Who will play a 15-song medley during the Super Bowl's halftime show, and Rock Band will feature that same medley as a $2 download the same day (on Xbox 360 and Wii, anyway -- the PS3 version will arrive later). The identities of the songs contained in the medley will be unknown until the Super Bowl performance, but, really, they're all good. Yeaahhhhhhhhh! [Update: We mistakenly identified the "S-mashup" as consisting of the 15 songs listed in the press release. It is actually a medley of unannounced songs. We apologize for the error.]
Video Game Price Charts reveal biggest resale prices of 2009
VideoGamePriceCharts.com, a site that tracks average online prices for video games and consoles, has released its year-end report for 2009, and if you were buying and selling games speculatively (we all do that, right?), you'll want to check it out. Okay, so maybe you weren't picking up the now-discontinued Demon's Souls Deluxe Edition because you hoped it would get rare, but if so, you're in luck: That game topped the list, raising in value from an MSRP of $69.99 up to a high of $116. Grand Theft Auto IV's Lost and Damned retail box (which contained a code for the DLC) is another big collector's item, and if you were so lucky as to nab a copy of Bass Pro Shops' The Strike (with Fishing Rod) for Xbox 360, then reel in the money, because it raised in value over 50%. Whew! Welcome to the exciting market of video game price speculation! For a little more practical information, you can also see which companies and consoles kept their value in 2009 -- turns out MTV, Atlus and Nintendo games all did well at resale, with the Wii (surprise!) topping the market for overall value held among its games. Of course, you should really be buying games (and supporting developers) for their quality, not for their resale value, but it doesn't hurt to figure out which ones will give you a few more bucks in return when you're done.
Rock Band Weekly: Chesney, Gentry, Flatts, Evans, Adkins & Willie Nelson
Next week's Rock Band Weekly update puts country stars on the road again, yup, they just can't wait to get on the road again. So, this is the part where I confess that I know little to nothing about the artists featured in the next update. Honestly, the closest I get to country is driving in my friend's pick-up along the forest-filled back roads of Connecticut. Check out the full pricing and track details for the console releases after the break.
The Beatles: Rock Band raises $217,780 for charity (so far)
When you guys aren't setting franchise records downloading a track for The Beatles: Rock Band, you're helping to save lives .... well, actually, we guess you were kinda doing them both at the same time. My, what wonderful multitaskers you all are! Microsoft has revealed that the Xbox-exclusive track "All You Need Is Love" managed to procure $217,780 to date for the Doctors Without Borders charity, an international humanitarian outfit that specializes in assisting those in need in impoverished and war-torn countries. That figure comes from both the DLC and the custom Xbox 360 auctioned off for $17,400. Oh, and if you didn't know all that about the charity stuff and just wanted to download a Beatles song, then there it is: you're making the world a better place, one harmony and hot guitar solo at a time. All proceeds from "All You Need Is Love" will go to Doctors Without Borders up until January 31.
Harmonix cooperatively developing Green Day: Rock Band with Demiurge, MK12, others
MTV Games has confirmed that Harmonix is working on Green Day: Rock Band. The reiteration follows the widespread misinterpretation of a Demiurge Studios designer's personal blog post, specifically this line: "Not included in the [VGA] announcement was the fact that Demiurge Studios was working on Green Day: Rock Band." A spokesperson for the publisher told Joystiq in a statement, "Green Day: Rock Band is being developed by Harmonix in partnership with Demiurge, MK12 and others." This is not Demiurge's first time working with Harmonix on Rock Band: the studio had also previously worked on the Rock Band Country Track Pack and the Rock Band Metal Track Pack.
Rhythm game devs: genre hasn't peaked, user-generated content is key
[Image credit: Jaymiek] In the latest issue of Edge Magazine, Harmonix head Alex Rigopulos and Neversoft project director Brian Bright both speak out regarding the current state of rhythm-music gaming. As you might imagine, neither developer thinks that the genre is flatlining. In fact, Rigopulos even believes that "future music games will exceed the sales success of the last generation." Surprisingly, though, while each heads up their own approach to the genre, the two seem to be in near-direct agreement on the next step for their franchises. "User-generated content will be absolutely critical to the ongoing success of the genre, I think," Rigopulos says. Bright echoes his statement, saying, "I think user-created content is key to the evolution ... if you can't create or edit licensed music due to copyright laws, then you're limited to pretending to play someone else's music." That said, each developer differs in their definition of exactly what that "user-created content" will be. In the case of Rigopulos, he believes the Rock Band Network and its potentially "huge community of power-users -- skilled music creators" will be his company's next "defining moment." Bright is less sure of a plan, simply stating, "I think the key is to create music, but make it compelling to create, so the game is in the creation."
