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Activision and RedOctane send guitar faceplates to Guitar Hero III 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.

Continue reading Activision and RedOctane send guitar faceplates to Guitar Hero III owners

Good music possible in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith


In addition to the rumored (but now unlikely, according to the RedOctane press release) drum and microphone compatibility, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith may have one other saving grace: bands that are better than Aerosmith. Buried in the original press release is a note that you'll be able to play not only Aerosmith songs, but also "songs from celebrated artists that the band has either performed with or has been inspired by in some way."

USA Today mentions "opening acts" in a blurb about the game, and a Best Buy flyer says that you'll be able to "rock out with Aerosmith and all their favorite bands." Hopefully all of Aerosmith's favorite bands are not also Aerosmith. An Aerosmith fansite even goes so far as to say "think Run-DMC." We would like to think that, thank you. Aerosmith has, of course, performed with Run-DMC.

There's also the unfortunate possibility that the "opening act bands" featured in the game could be worse than Aerosmith, but that seems statistically unlikely. And don't forget, even with other bands, it'll be hard to avoid Aerosmith in a game called Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.

Dad finds son smoking pot, attacks his weak point for massive damage



When eBay seller k_lid found his fifteen-year-old son Isaac smoking marijuana on the patio with two of his "delinquent friends," he did what any respectable parent would do: he calmly removed his son's copy of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock from beneath the Christmas tree, and put it up for sale on eBay, complete with a lengthy description about why it was being auctioned.

With the listing underway, all that was left to do was show the auction page to Isaac, who apparently "was not amused" by the sight of his number one Christmas present going on sale. Funny, that.

But kudos to k_lid, we say. That's a pretty calculating, imaginative punishment, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of tough love. Didn't do us any harm. Apart from the panic attacks. And the nightmares. And the endless twitching.

[Thanks, Chris!]

You don't say: Guitar Hero III bringing in the big bucks

Earlier today, Activision announced Q2 revenues of $318 million, a 69% increase on the same period last year.

Now, those figures alone are worthy of applause, if that kind of thing floats your boat. However, the recent release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on the Wii (and, y'know, some other consoles you may have heard of) is tipped to boost Q3 earnings to unprecedented levels, with many expecting Activision to shatter the $1 billion mark in net revenue. And sure enough, despite the odd issue, the game has made a fine start in the US, with Activision crowing today about first week revenues of $115m.

Of course, it's not exclusively the Wii version of Guitar Hero III that will have contributed to that mind-boggling number, but you can bet your bottom dollar it will have played its part, thanks to the sheer ubiquity of the Wii, not to mention its popularity at social occasions. So "yay" for the Wii, "yay" for Guitar Hero, and "yay" for capitalism. A winning combination.

Incidentally, don't forget that Legends of Rock headbangs its way into Australasia tomorrow, while Europeans will be rocking out from November 23.

[Via Joystiq]

Guitar Hero III apparently awesome (who knew?)


Boy, that Guitar Hero franchise really sucks, huh? If there were ever a set of games that were a complete and utter waste of time, it's these. Luckily, Guitar Hero III changes everything.

No, wait. We have that all wrong. Guitar Hero is unconditionally awesome, and we can expect nothing less from the latest and soon to be greatest version -- especially when we're playing it on the Wii. 1UP recently took a look at all three next-gen versions of Guitar Hero III and reported back improvements across the board, particularly in regard to the guitar peripheral. From buttons to accelerometer, the guitars seem to have gotten a major overhaul, and longtime fans of the series will find their frustrations with past versions fading away. The Wii controller offers up a tiny bonus, as well; the Wii remote speaker outputs, as as 1UP's Garnett Lee accurately puts it, "the ugly guitar string twang" that sounds when players miss a note. Not only is that more accurate -- such sounds should come from your guitar, after all -- but in multiplayer situations, when you're strumming along with no problems and your buddy can't seem to find his butt from the strum bar, you're less likely to be distracted by his mistakes.

All in all, it seems that Guitar Hero III is taking the franchise to a whole new level and getting closer to simulating actual guitar play without involving actual guitars.

New Guitar Hero 3 guitar skins look like guitars


After we said, uh, things about some of HeroGear's Wii Guitar Hero controller skins, we weren't sure we wanted to open the email we received from them. But rather than scream at us, they took the high road and sent us some more images of new controller skins. They did an even better job of shutting us up than any threat would have; the skins look great and entirely guitar-like!

Red Burst up there looks like something we'd expect to see on a fancy PRS guitar, for example. The rest of them are all delightfully classic, with the exception of Diamond Plate, which is totally metal. Jem from HeroGear promises that their full line of "50+ designs" will be available for the Wii guitar soon after launch. So if you want to put a thin, clingy sheet of stuff over your controller, this is an option. It'll look cooler than Saran Wrap, anyway.

Gallery: Guitar Hero 3 Skins

HeroGear.net may not have ever seen a real guitar


Guitar Hero "skin" purveyor HeroGear.net has released images of their skins for Guitar Hero III controllers, including two made for the Wii guitar. The first, seen above, doesn't do a lot to aid the illusion that the squeaky plastic controller is a real guitar, since guitars tend to have paint jobs that look like they could be made of paint (and usually only on the body.) The pattern is called "Neon Blocks" and we have no idea what the idea is there.

The other Wii skin, Neon Rebel, is ideal for either Lynyrd Skynyrd superfans or people who love uncomfortable conversations. Really, it's best for people who fall into both categories.

RedOctane confirms online multiplayer for Guitar Hero III


Kai Huang just wanted to make you guys sweat in his recent interview with Pro-G when he said Guitar Hero III wouldn't have online multiplayer "initially for the Wii, but we are working with Nintendo to see how we can get those features in." Looks like it's actually downloadable content that's on the negotiating table, with nothing confirmed for now. Pro-G has corrected their original interview to reflect the clarification from RedOctane's Jordan Dodge.

With the lack of a hard drive for the Wii, this is really no surprise -- but that's something we've long hoped will change in the Wii's future. Even if it doesn't, perhaps we'll see some downloadable content via Wii Ware.

RedOctane president hints at Guitar Hero III online while denying it


Kai Huang is either working hard to satisfy Wii gamers, or just kind of mean. In an interview with Pro-G, when he was asked about the possibility of online features in the Wii version of Guitar Hero III, he gave an answer that managed to be both negative and hopeful."There won't be online initially for the Wii, but we are working with Nintendo to see how we can get those features in."

This opens the door to all kinds of possibilities, some of them exciting. Maybe the game will be patched with online play when Activision and RedOctane get it figured out! Maybe the addition of online play via update will portend more updates, such as downloadable music through the Wii Shop!

To take a more cynical view, it seems likely that we'll have to pay for the online capability as a sort of "expansion pack." To take an even more cynical view, we may not want to get our hopes up about online Guitar Hero on the Wii. We're trying not to occupy the cynical extremes, ourselves, because we'd be very happy about online play or content downloads.

[Via GoNintendo]

The Guitar Hero III controller broken down (literally)


Many of our commenters have wondered how the Wiimote fits into the Guitar Hero III controller, and, more generally, what the benefit is of sticking the Wiimote in there. IGN has answered the questions in their latest Guitar Hero III writeup, which includes pictures detailing the guitar's design.

The most obvious new feature in the guitar is its portability. The controller's neck can be removed, making it much easier to fit into a backpack or suitcase. The other noticeable feature, the Wiimote-shaped hole, is actually not the point of access for the remote. Instead, a removable door on the back of the guitar allows you to plug in your Wiimote, with a little indentation provided for balling up and stuffing the wrist strap.

The Wiimote actually does more in the guitar than just broadcast your Nintendo fandom: it provides the wireless connection capability and motion-sensing Star Power activation for which the other GH guitars have their own hardware. Exclusive to the Wii version, powered by the Wiimote, is force feedback-- the guitar rumbles along to the beat, just like a real guitar.

The Wii game, developed by Vicarious Visions, will have all the same songs as the next-gen versions, and will run in widescreen at 480p. It looks fine, and graphics really don't matter in Guitar Hero (who has time to look at them?) Apparently it'll have some kind of online mode, but the exact implementation has yet to be revealed.

The Wii version of Guitar Hero III actually looks like it might end up being a solid purchase-- if the rumored Wii Rock Band release doesn't happen.

[Via NeoGAF]

Guitar Hero 3 to use Guitar controller, features online gameplay

IGN got the skinny on the upcoming installment in the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero 3. Most importantly, they discussed the Wii version with RedOctane's co-founder and president Kai Huang. Huang confirms that the Nintendo Wii version of the game will in fact use a Guitar controller, one that will be "similar to a guitar you've seen in the past."

There is more exciting news, however, as Huang confirmed that the Wii version of the title would be seeing improvements the other console installments would be receiving: online play and downloadable music.

That's right, online play.

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