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McCartney's replica Rock Band bass looks awesome, backwards
Regardless of your feelings towards the mop-topped British rock sensation upon which the next Rock Band game is based, you have to admit -- The Beatles had them some lovely instruments. Two of these six-strings, Lennon and Harrison's Rickenbacker 325 and Gretsch Duo Jet, will be coming as $99 add-ons to The Beatles: Rock Band -- however, a third replica guitar will be coming in the game's Limited Edition Premium Bundle: Paul McCartney's Höfner bass guitar, pictured above.According to a recent Harmonix press release, this wireless periph will work with all versions of Rock Band. It certainly looks gorgeous, but as our well-read colleagues at Engadget point out, this Höfner controller was designed for a right-handed player. McCartney, of course, was a Southpaw. Man, the game isn't even out yet, and already Harmonix is taking outrageous liberties with history. Unbelievable.[Thanks, MarkHawk!]
The Beatles: Rock Band guitars confirmed, pre-order club announced
MTV Games and Harmonix have announced The Beatles: Rock Band will have two standalone guitars made available alongside the forthcoming Liverpudlian music rhythm game. The Rickenbacker 325 and Gretsch Duo Jet, played by John Lennon and George Harrison allegedly throughout their respective careers, are set to go on sale when the game launches in September for $100 bucks a pop. For those of you playing along at home, that equates to $250 for the full "premium" bundle plus another $200 for both of these guitars, altogether adding up to a whopping $450 for you serious Beatles fans. We spoke with Mariana Agathoklis at MTV Games this morning who said, "These guitars are really for the hardcore fans."Additionally, the "pre-order club" has officially opened for business at the game's official site, allowing those who've already pre-ordered the game to access "breaking news and access to exclusive game elements including art and behind-the-scenes footage." The bad economy has us in a bit of a fiduciary bind -- maybe you fine folks pre-ordering the game would be so kind as to shoot us a tip when the hot scoops hit?Update: Mariana at MTV Games asked us to clarify that these guitars will be compatible with "all Rock Band instruments, as well as most Guitar Hero and other music game peripherals." We've also added an image of the guitars in question in a gallery below, direct from the pre-order site to your eye cavities.%Gallery-51667%
Rock Band Beatles footage spotted at Coachella [update]
If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times: Sneaking cameras into concerts is illegal, folks. And so it's with sheer bravado that we've posted the Paul McCartney performance from two days ago at Coachella in California, playing "Got to Get You Into My Life," above. You'll understand though -- we had to -- as you'll see on the Beatles-sized screen behind Mr. McCartney some awfully interesting Rock Band-esque characters backing him up. Though we can't confirm anything, and there certainly aren't any streaming note charts in sight, we're going all the way out on a limb here and guessing the footage may be our first glimpse at The Beatles: Rock Band (again, sans gameplay). We've asked publisher MTV Games for confirmation and will update this post when we hear back.Update: Thanks to commenter Comtar for pointing out official confirmation of The Beatles: Rock Band video during Mr. McCartney's set at Coachella, via McCartney's website: "It was a night of firsts and was the unexpected, unannounced world premiere of the images from the coming Beatle Rock Band game which played on vast screens throughout "Got To Get You Into My Life." Looks like it wasn't a rumor after all![Thanks, Adam!]
The Beatles: Rock Band limited edition bundle priced, detailed
Finally, a few whispers straight from the horse's mouth. While we've heard rumor after rumor regarding the actual hardware to be bundled in with the sure-to-be-hot The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games, Harmonix and EA have come forward today with a few succulent tidbits to keep you interested until the 09.09.09 launch. We're told that the Limited Edition Premium Bundle will include the game itself, a Höfner Bass (which will undoubtedly do Sir Paul McCartney and southpaws the world over no favors by being right handed), a microphone, a microphone stand, undisclosed "additional special content" and the real kicker -- a Beatles-inspired and Ludwig-branded Rock Band 2 drums, complete with a classic pearl finish and vintage replica Beatles kick drum head. The whole kit is slated to launch worldwide this September, with USers having to pay $249, Europeans paying €199 and Britons paying £179. Finally, we're told that North American and European fans who pre-order any version of the game will be eligible to join the The Beatles: Rock Band Pre-Order Club and "receive breaking news and access to exclusive game elements including art and behind-the-scenes footage directly from MTV Games and Harmonix." Oh, goody!
The Beatles: Rock Band priced in Europe, UK
MTV Games this morning revealed pricing for the European and UK iterations of its upcoming Beatles-based rhythm game extravaganza, The Beatles: Rock Band. Aside from the already announced $250 US release, the "limited edition premium bundle" arrives in the EU at €199 and £179 in the UK. The release makes no mention of the rumored multiple microphone support (for harmonizing, naturally) but remains steadfast that the bundle will come with "additional special content." Maybe that special content is the unreleased Beatles material included with the game? We'll just have to wait until September 9th to find out. In the meantime, take a gander at the uber-classy box art below in the gallery.%Gallery-50259%
Beatles Rock Band features multi-mic support, harmonious performances?
Wouldn't it be great if you and your mop top-clad friends could all sing together in the upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band? According to a rumor found in the latest issue of Game Informer, Harmonix is doing just that: including multiple-microphone support for players to harmonize on the tracks. Not much else is given, but a NeoGAF forum poster who last week claimed to have played an early version adds that three mics were being used -- one for each instrument -- and there was also a new harmony trainer mode to ensure your vocal talents were up to snuff. We'd advise a good bit of skepticism, no matter how much sense it seems to make or how many of you dreams would come true if this turned out legit. In the meantime, you can go back to deciding which of the Fab Four you're gonna pretend to be first when the game launches on September 9.[Via Joystiq]Read - Multi-mic supportRead - Harmony trainer
Rumor: Beatles Rock Band supports multiple mics, harmonies
From the pages of Game Informer, according to Destructoid, comes a rumor that the upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band will support multiple microphones so that players can harmonize on vocal tracks. Apart from making sense, given the wide use of harmonies in Beatles music, the rumor raises a question: Where are we going to keep all this stuff? The sheer amount of equipment needed to supply four virtual rockers with both an instrument and a microphone begins to rival that of a real band. Here's hoping the next Rock Band accessory is a full-size van.
The Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition bundle to contain replica bass, drums
GameStop just announced details of the Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle. According to an email sent out to customers, the Bundle will include a a Höfner bass, "The Beatles-inspired and Ludwig-branded Rock Band drums with classic pearl finish, a metal kick pedal and a vintage replica drumhead," a microphone and stand, as well as "additional special content." We're guessing that the drum set's careful description means it'll be an embellished Rock Band 2 drum set, rather than an accurate replica of Ludwig drums. You can get an idea of what it's supposed to look like at the game's website. And we're also guessing that EA couldn't get the rights to a Rickenbacker guitar. Even if it is Paul McCartney's bass, the inclusion of a bass and no guitar seems odd!The email teases an upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band Pre-order Club, which enables members to "receive breaking news and access to exclusive game elements, including art and behind-the-scenes footage." You know, if you're a huge fan of ... pre-ordering.
Beatles to re-release catalog alongside The Beatles: Rock Band
In case you weren't otherwise convinced of the hugeness of the September 9th The Beatles: Rock Band release, that date now also marks the re-release of the band's catalog, digitally remastered for the first time. Each of the 12 original records will be bundled with a mini-documentary.Also released alongside the game: Two new Beatles collections, and, if you want your significant other to really resent you, a 10-CD collection of Beatles recordings in mono -- perfect for snobs, people with one ear, and one-eared snobs.
The Beatles: Rock Band features unreleased material
The hits and classics won't be the only tunes found in The Beatles: Rock Band, says George Harrison's son Dhani. He told Billboard.com that Harmonix's new game will feature Beatles material "that has never been heard, never been released." Dhani is apparently one of the prime movers for getting this game out in the first place, revealing that work on the title started two years ago. Dhani says The Beatles game will be "totally, historically accurate." Does that mean we're going to see a Yoko Ono scenario? Let us know, Dhani, before the game's September 9 release.[Via Destructoid]
The Beatles: Rock Band launching worldwide on 9/9/09
Okay, so it will be a Rock Band game. Apple Corps LTD., Harmonix and MTV Games have announced that rock music's dream cast, The Beatles, will be reduced to multicolored note charts on 9/9/09, when the "The Beatles: Rock Band" launches worldwide on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. The "unprecedented, experiential progression through and celebration of the music and artistry of The Beatles" will allow players to tackle a cavalcade of culturally monumental songs via mic, drums and guitars, all included in a Limited Edition Premium bundle for $250 (all platforms) and "modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr throughout their career." Standalone guitars will also be available ($100), as will separate game discs ($60, all platforms) for those already surrounded by Instrument Protagonist equipment. According to the press release, The Beatles: Rock Band will be compatible with all prior Rock Band instruments and "other current music-based game peripherals." And now we wait until September. God, we hope the person behind the store counter is named Jude. It's going to be SO funny when we ask for a copy.Update: Speaking to an MTV representative, we confirmed that despite the "collaborative decision" to append the Rock Band brand, The Beatles will remain a "custom, standalone, dedicated game experience." MTV and Harmonix are not willing to discuss matters regarding DLC or song importation yet.
The Beatles come to 'Rock Band,' instruments and all (update)
Do you love the Beatles? Do you love Rock Band? Are you ready to totally lose it? If you said yes, that's good -- because MTV Games and Harmonix have just announced a partnership with Apple Corps, Ltd. to bring the band's music and instruments to the Rock Band universe. According to the PR, the game (which apparently lets you do all kinds of awesome Beatles-related rocking) will also premiere with a set of new hardware "modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr throughout their career." Right now they've just got a holder page up with a launch date of September 9th, but as soon as we get our eyes on the gear, we'll let you know.Update: Here's some more information to cleanse your pallet. The game, known henceforth as The Beatles: Rock Band, will be sold software-only for $60 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii (note the extra Hamilton over the usual Nintendo pricing). The standalone guitars will be sold separately for $100, and if you're opting for the Limited Edition Premium Bundle, featuring the game and all instruments, it'll set you back $250. No word on pricing outside of US just yet. Despite the Rock Band branding, it's considered a standalone title and no one is talking right now about any connectivity, downloadable content or transferring of songs between Beatles and other RB games. According to Joystiq, you'll be able to rock out to 45 songs from the band's 1962 to 1969 EMI catalog. Full press release after the break.
