Rhythm game fans seem to be in a tough spot. It used to be that we could just buy whatever interested us, and that was that. Now, as new peripheral after new peripheral gets manufactured (of the same instruments), there's a problem: we're running out of space. Not all of us live in big, swanky mansions (or even small, cozy houses for that matter). Another problem? Money. Faux guitars and drum sets don't come cheap, so buying multiple game instruments isn't very economical.Konami feels our pain, which may end up being their pain if people start avoiding Rock Revolution. We think Konami might be in a lot of trouble, since Rock Band and Guitar Hero are already well-established in the gaming world. Rock Revolution is the new kid on the block, and if people already have closets full of peripherals and empty wallets, the game might suffer for it. Since Guitar Hero is currently the most owned of the bunch, Activision has no plans to make things any easier for its competitors. Harmonix, meanwhile, preaches universal instruments, but Rock Band's drum set might be too different from Rock Revolution's to even aim for compatibility.
What do you think, though? Is there room for another multi-instrument rhythm game in today's market?
[Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-26-2008 @ 8:59AM
theMediaman said...
Absolutely not! If Rock Band were sold seperately from the controllers, and I could use the guitars I spent $150 for GH3Wii, I would have pre-ordered.
Instead, I doubt I would buy Rock Band with just the guitar for the regular price, much less the >$100 you have to spend on yet more peripherals. I live in an apartment, and really don't care for two drumsets and four guitars just to play games from two different companies.
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6-26-2008 @ 9:35AM
Dan Davis said...
But those 2 drum kits will come in handy if they release any Slipknot songs for Rock Band :P
6-26-2008 @ 9:38AM
fliedlice said...
no way, i won't even buy rock band since i've already spent so much on guitar hero alone.
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6-26-2008 @ 10:21AM
Nate said...
I'd like Rockband 2 to be compatible with the GH4 stuff. I'm already committed to GH4.
Also those Konami Drum pads look terrible
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6-26-2008 @ 12:20PM
johnnyg0 said...
They do look terrible, but as a drummer, I find the hihat/cymbals (triangle), snare/toms (circles) to be nicely laid out. It feels like my drumkit, unlike rock band where everything is in an horizontal row and GH4 where cymbals are very cool, but has only one "tom".
6-26-2008 @ 12:38PM
Nate said...
Yeah I know what you're saying. I was a drummer in a past life.
6-26-2008 @ 10:32AM
TVGenius said...
Nope. All RB all the way. After how bad GHIII sucked, I'm not even going to risk $160 or however much on GHIV.
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6-26-2008 @ 12:11PM
TheOverlord#2 can has Mario Karts?(MK:2578-3517-9859) said...
Since i'm getting GH:WT(Excellent Wii non-gimpage) I probably won't buy RB2-Wii if it forces me to have 2 versions of instruments.
Harmonix & Activision should just make a deal so that all of the instruments are compatible with both games, and they get 50% of the profits each.(I can dream! :P)
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6-26-2008 @ 12:33PM
Matt B said...
Yeah, I would love the intruments to be compatible, but both Harmonix and Activision won't let that happen. That's why I'm not getting RB for the Wii- no GH3 support (even though Harmonix could do it if they wanted)- not to mention the gimpyness of it. GH:WT is going to be so much cooler and better anyway, so I'm saving my money for that.
Actually, the companies that should mandate this is the console makers. I know Microsoft required guitar compatibility- that's why GH3 guitars work on RB. All three, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft should all demand that the instruments be compatible.
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6-26-2008 @ 12:41PM
Candace Savino said...
Just to clarify, it's Activision and *not* Harmonix who won't allow guitar compatibility. Harmonix has tried, but Activision won't let them. It makes sense for Harmonix to want universal compatibility, since Rock Band came second and they know people don't want to buy more guitars. Activision, on the other hand, is blocking the endeavor because it's better for their business (but sucks for gamers).
Check out Joystiq's compatibility chart to see which instruments work with which games: http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/tabulator-guitar-hero-rock-band-guitar-compatibility/
6-26-2008 @ 7:23PM
Matt B said...
That may be true for other consoles, but on the Wii it is not. The guitar shows up as a classic controller, and since it uses the standard Wii remote interface, Harmonix can easily and legally use the guitar in Rock Band- if they wanted.
6-26-2008 @ 12:40PM
clif said...
Konami's has hit it on the head. What gamers and ryhtm gamers want to hear. But in reality I don't think it's going to happen.
I'm optimistic about fuax guitars/drumsets playing nice with each other.
But to actvision if my les paul worked with rock band it's like they are losing money. Which isn't the case I would still buy their game/software. So, red octane is the one losing money it seems or someone is... That's there thinking is that somehow they have to make new instruments every year when it isn't necessary. Christ, Guitar Hero, Rock Revoutlion, and Rock Band aren't that different to need touch fret(which sounds neat but they stated you don't need it to play the game). Granted the solo keys for rock band help with the solo sections in the song. And in GH world tour you can mess and wrap the notes.
But really it's not like the game isn't any fun if you don't have solo keys and touch fret. I still find the game enjoyable without using the solo keys 90% of the time ala' Rock Band. Only in songs like green grass and high tides and highway star or metallica's blacked is using the solo keys necessary on expert. Neat idea not having to strum solo's.
I also think Rock Band's drum set can be compatible with Rock Revoultion since Rock Band 2 might add on two high hat cymbals for 30 bucks to the original drum set. Assuming something like this is announced at E3 in a couple of weeks.
But I hope konami and harmonix, activision can make patches for all systems to make their games compatible. Because buying a disc is easier then buying a 80 dollar drum set or 60 dollars guitar.
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6-26-2008 @ 1:00PM
W33Z3R said...
_Some_ of us might be able to afford three fake drum sets, but I would argue very few of us have room for them. I'm fine sticking with Harmonix and it's constant stream of new music (that already kills my wallet.) Only if GH4 or RR's drums are compatible with RB would I consider buying those games. I don't think these companies make any money off the hardware anyways, so I don't think it would hurt Harmonix if you replaced their crappy, always breaking drums with another companies'.
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6-26-2008 @ 1:33PM
Matthew said...
Yeah... I would be buying Rock Band for the Wii if 1. the Wii version wasn't deformed, losing DLC... and 2. If I knew that when Guitar Hero World Tour came I wouldn't have to buy ANOTHER stupid drum set. So, no thank you. I'll be fine without Rock Band.
Rock Revolution, on the other hand, does not interest me AT ALL. That Drum set looks so stupid, and all over the place to me for one... but for another... it is just retarded for someone to have to own 6 guitars, 3 mics, and 3 drum sets just to be able to fully play Guitar Hero World Tour, Rock Band, and Rock Revolution... not to mention if someone already OWNS 2 guitars for Guitar Hero III, and wants to buy the new one for Word Tour... Then that would be a grand total of 8 guitars.
I'm sorry, but I think it's difficult enough for me to find space for 2 guitars... I can't even begin to think of where I'd store 3 drum kits, and 4 more guitars.
(Not to mention what a HUGE waste of money it is to buy all these extra peripherals. Hell, I'd rather play with the Wiimote than buy so many guitars.)
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6-26-2008 @ 2:06PM
tmntman said...
I would add a different arguement to why Konami is going to be in trouble, a lack of music. Having just one rhythm guitar game in the days before Guitar Hero III was not enough since there was new music being produced faster than new games. But the market has changed drastically in the last year. Not only do you have two companies competing for music licenses, the addition of downloadable songs also means that they can produce a steady stream of new songs instead of having to wait for the next major release or even specialty offerings like Guitar Hero Aerosmith or Rock the 80's. If you now add in another game competing for hit songs to license and I have a feeling that it won't be long before the amount of overlap between the different titles will start to put a serious dent in people's interest in buying new games.
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6-26-2008 @ 5:17PM
YpoCaramel said...
That said, I've always thought Konami had rhythm games down in the Japanese market a long time before Rock Band and GH...
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6-28-2008 @ 11:32PM
The Overlord said...
Actually Matthew Rock Revolution doesn't use a mic has no singing in it and the mic works on each system because it's just USB and no buttons are required infact it even works on the computer.
But yeah i'm just going to be sticking with Guitar Hero World Tour mainly because of the make your song thing plus I don't really like the Rockband Guitar if they added some kind of patch or whatever which will absolutely never happen and for the Wii make that never never, than yeah I would buy multiple games.
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7-12-2008 @ 3:41PM
Dio said...
I think it would be better for everyone if a third party manufactured controllers and Konami/RedOctane/Harmonix could just release their software. The consumers have spoken that they do not wish to purchase sets of controllers for each game, and this could hurt sales.
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7-27-2008 @ 12:29PM
jay942942 said...
Yes. Since Activision aren't bothered, make the Rock Band controller compatible with Rock Revolution and vice versa.
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