Rock Band

[Tellyn]

Rock Band has received an official Wii announcement and launch date, but with a few drawbacks...

 

An EA representative announced that a version of Rock Band for the Wii was underway last year, but then everything went as silent as dead mute. Today, Harmonix and MTV Games have officially announced the title, with some addition details and a release date.

 

For those who don't know, Rock Band is developed by Harmonix (the original creators of Guitar Hero), and sees you jamming guitar chords, thrashing drums and shattering windows with your voice as you rock out to the hugely popular songs included on the game. Like Guitar Hero, you must hit notes at the right time to successfully play through songs and become a rock legend.

 

Rock Band will be released as a Special Edition pack, which includes the game, a wireless guitar, a drum set and a microphone, and instruments will also be available separately at launch if you want to slowly build up your rock band (or if you want to play in a drum versus drum mode).

 

Harmonix have stated that they wanted to concentrate more on the core gameplay and Rock Band's four-player mode before they moved on to the Wii's online capabilities, "which have yet to be fully realized". So as it unfortunately stands, we won't be seeing any online modes or downloadable content for the Wii version of Rock Band.

 

Rock Band will feature 63 songs, including five bonus songs, and will retail for $169.99 on June 22nd 2008.

 

http://n-europe.com/news.php?nid=11635

[Cookyman]

Absolutely shocking no online play, no downloadable tracks and a shoddy PS2 port plus the guitar does not use the wiimote making the guitar hero gibson useless - I'm so disappointed will not be buying this now *sighs*

 

From IGN

Rock Band Wii Announced, Gimped

The popular music game is set to debut for Wii this June minus online play and downloadable content.

by Matt Casamassina

US, March 24, 2008 - Harmonix, MTV Networks and Electronic Arts on Monday announced that the popular music game, Rock Band, will debut for Wii on June 22 in America and Canada. The package includes the title itself, a set of drums, a microphone and wireless guitar, and will set players back approximately $169.99. Rock Band for Wii features 63 songs, five of which are "bonus" tracks presumably exclusion to the version.

 

Rock Band takes the fundamentals of Guitar Hero to the next level by incorporating additional instruments, such as drums and a microphone. The title has gained popularity since its release in large because of its extensive list of interactive tracks from leading artists, all of which can be purchased and downloaded for use in the game.

 

On the official Rock Band website, a representative for developer Harmonix elaborated on the specifics of the package. "The feature-set is a lot closer to the PS2 version of Rock Band which was also developed by Pi Studios," he wrote on the site's message board. "We've decided to focus on getting the core gameplay on to the Wii and focus on making that awesome."

 

The instruments included in the package will not be compatible with the Wii remote, according to Harmonix. Instead, the instruments will work wirelessly directly with the Wii console, similar to the other console versions.

 

Disappointingly, Rock Band for Wii will support neither online play nor downloadable content -- huge, glaring omissions. One of the game's biggest draws on other consoles is the steady stream of downloadable songs, which can be purchased and then utilized in-game very easily.

 

"When developing Rock Band for the Wii platform, we focused on making the core gameplay experience as solid and enjoyable as possible while tailoring it specifically to the strengths of the platform. The Wii version still contains the robust four-player band experience and all the fun at the core of other versions of Rock Band," said Harmonix in a statement. "However, because the Wii's online capabilities and potential have yet to be fully realized, we wanted to wait before we explored online functionality for Rock Band to ensure that players get the high-quality of online performance they've come to expect."

 

"The Wii's success among casual and core gamers of all ages makes it an ideal match for the cross-generational appeal of the music featured in Rock Band," said Bob Picunko, vice president of Electronic Games and Interactive Products, MTV.

 

"The social interaction and addictive nature of the Rock Band experience is a perfect fit for the Wii and will undoubtedly be fun for the entire family," said Steve Singer, licensing VP from Nintendo.

 

 

This sucks balls - I'm gutted!

[Noodleman]

I realise this is about the Wii version, but ive had 2000 MS points sitting in my xbox live account begging to be spent on DLC for this bloody game. The delay in European release is verging on Nintendo territorys.

[Dyson]

360 it is then.

[Cookyman]

360 it is then.

 

I dont have one

[dazzybee]

Really fucking annoying as I'd rather get the Wii version!! The 360 version will blatantly sell the best and they will use that figure to prove it won't sell well to a Wii audience - "Too hardcore". How times do we have to see to these wanker developers "GIVE WII THE SAME FUCKING VERSION AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHICH SELLS BEST!!!!!!!!"

 

Winds me up!!!!

[AeroScap]

360 it is then.

 

PS3 it is then!

[dazzybee]

I'll still probably get it for the Wii anyway as I'm not a massive online fan and can live without the DLC, but it's the principal! Wii version better be cheaper!!!

 

I just wish Nintendo fans were treat the same as all the other fans. It's a kick in the teeth and they're talking out of their arse blaming Nintendo. Hasn't stopped other people - a poor excuse!!!

 

PS What part of Lincolnshire are you from Aero?

[AeroScap]

I'll still probably get it for the Wii anyway as I'm not a massive online fan and can live without the DLC, but it's the principal! Wii version better be cheaper!!!

 

I just wish Nintendo fans were treat the same as all the other fans. It's a kick in the teeth and they're talking out of their arse blaming Nintendo. Hasn't stopped other people - a poor excuse!!!

 

PS What part of Lincolnshire are you from Aero?

 

basically grimsby lol!

 

I would get the wii version but with the PS3 I am getting a blu-ray player which would go jsut nicely with my 50" HD tv and 5.1 surround

[Guest Maase]

I'll still probably get it for the Wii anyway as I'm not a massive online fan and can live without the DLC, but it's the principal! Wii version better be cheaper!!!

 

I just wish Nintendo fans were treat the same as all the other fans. It's a kick in the teeth and they're talking out of their arse blaming Nintendo. Hasn't stopped other people - a poor excuse!!!

 

PS What part of Lincolnshire are you from Aero?

 

Rock Band will feature 63 songs, including five bonus songs, and will retail for $169.99 on June 22nd 2008.

 

I don't think so, buddy

[McPhee]

Bit of a shame this, the game is basically built up on Online and DLC. Without that it's a comparatively poor game

 

The whole idea of releasing a 3rd version when they're already struggling to meet demand on the first 2 seems more than a bit strange too...

 

I'll still probably get it for the Wii anyway as I'm not a massive online fan and can live without the DLC, but it's the principal! Wii version better be cheaper!!!

 

Why would you get the Wii version if you have a 360 and PS3? If it retails for the same price and is the same bar the lack of online and DLC then surely you'd have to be insane to buy the Wii version?

[Ashley]

lol the old "well nobody else has tried to push it so....we'll wait to see if someone else does" approach. [online]

[Tellyn]

lol the old "well nobody else has tried to push it so....we'll wait to see if someone else does" approach. [online]

 

Exactly, it's stupid. They could do it with Guitar Hero III, they can do it with this.

[flameboy]

PS3 is it then... There is no reason for this to at the very least have some kind of online face off mode as a minimum, I wasn't expecting DLC but online play...it doesn't deserve to sell well on Wii...

[david.dakota]

I can agree that DLC is possibly not a feasible idea with Wii, with the lack of storage device, but a lack of online is appalingly short sighted. Both Wii and DS do have success with online games, I can't understand why Rock Band is any different.

[Gizmo]

Tbh even those of you who do plan on buying it, gimped or not, may aswell relax and not get yourself hyped up. It'll be months before it's released here anyway.

[AeroScap]

Tbh even those of you who do plan on buying it, gimped or not, may aswell relax and not get yourself hyped up. It'll be months before it's released here anyway.

 

That is why I am opting for a PS3 version. Since it is region free not only can I get the console on the cheap for about unlike the 280~ on the ebay. Not only that I can get Rockband on the cheap! AND any other games that decide to release in the USA first I can get at the same time AND on the cheap

 

It already hurts having to pay around 80quid to play rockband alone..

[dazzybee]

Grimsby? I'm from Grimsby Well I grew up in Immingham. Then moved to Grimsby after Uni (I live in Lincoln now) though work in Grimsby.

 

Anyways, I just can't see Rock Band being the same price on the Wii. I just can't see it!!

 

I'm disgusted at this though, I may not get it at all and stick with Guitar Hero. Games Developers/Publishers are really beginning to piss me off

[AeroScap]

Grimsby? I'm from Grimsby Well I grew up in Immingham. Then moved to Grimsby after Uni (I live in Lincoln now) though work in Grimsby.

 

Anyways, I just can't see Rock Band being the same price on the Wii. I just can't see it!!

 

I'm disgusted at this though, I may not get it at all and stick with Guitar Hero. Games Developers/Publishers are really beginning to piss me off

 

Lol w00t! we can have our own little RE meetup in caistor or something! haha! (BTW i saw your website witht he "invisible" film and part of it was film in the grimsby library!! feel so famous now) lol

 

Well you can just look at the wii version fo GH3 compared to the PS3 and 360. Is there any price difference? Last time I saw the wii verison was going for 70 quid.. in virgin (zavvi)

[Shorty]

Lol w00t! we can have our own little RE meetup in caistor or something! haha! (BTW i saw your website witht he "invisible" film and part of it was film in the grimsby library!! feel so famous now) lol

Caistor... I lived there for like, 7 years. I went to college in Grimsby (Franklin) and my Mum works in Immingham. Weird.

 

Aaaanyway, this news is ridiculous. 360 it is. Oh and June 08 US release? That basically means you might not see it in Europe til 09, if the gap for the 360 is anything to go by (the US got it in November, we still don't even have a solid release date)

[Jamba]

lol the old "well nobody else has tried to push it so....we'll wait to see if someone else does" approach. [online]

 

Exactly, it's stupid. They could do it with Guitar Hero III, they can do it with this.

 

I still think that it's Nintendo to be blamed for this not the devs but then again its not like we're ever going to know. The devs will protest that it's their fault and Nintendo will say "well they got the dev kit so...."

 

To me, it's in the interest of devs to get it online and there is something stopping that. My guess is that, although possible, implimenting online is more costly than beneficial because doing so would mean lots of testing and software engineering with practically no cooperation from Nintendo. They are forcing the seesaw to stay on one side. We don't even know if devs are allowed to use their own servers (afik), maybe they have to use Nintendo's. If that's the case then I can see Nintendo stalling because we already have evidence that theirs arent handling the load.

[pedrocasilva]

I still think that it's Nintendo to be blamed for this not the devs but then again its not like we're ever going to know. The devs will protest that it's their fault and Nintendo will say "well they got the dev kit so...."

yeah (irony), it's Nintendo's fault that they are making a quick cash-in using the PS2 build of the game without adding features, and thus they should be blamed for the lack of online instead of Electronic Arts when Electronic Arts even has a infrastructure at place (EA Nation) and GH3 has online gameplay.

 

My point being... there's no such excuse; or reason to blame Nintendo, for DLC perhaps; but even then... it's clear that they didn't even try.

[AeroScap]

Caistor... I lived there for like, 7 years. I went to college in Grimsby (Franklin) and my Mum works in Immingham. Weird.

 

Aaaanyway, this news is ridiculous. 360 it is. Oh and June 08 US release? That basically means you might not see it in Europe til 09, if the gap for the 360 is anything to go by (the US got it in November, we still don't even have a solid release date)

 

Any chance you went to the grammar in caistor aswell? That would make a local RE meetup of 3 people YARR!

 

 

One would think nintendo would be really up for doing rockband, since the console is literally littered to addons and attachments. Nintendo should be offering more support in terms of putting the game up to par since it fits with their "the wii is for a party!!!" approach

[Jamba]

Yeah EA can be blamed for the build (and quick cash in obviously) but GH3 was online through shear force really, maybe to make up for the audio failings in the Wii and as a response to the fans.

 

As I said, we don't know if they have to use Nintendo servers, that's exaclty the kind of thing Nintendo would do. And if getting online is possible, then why isnt everyone doing it yet? It's about coding it for the Wii and if Nintendo are not willing to give them help, then it would be VERY expensive.

[pedrocasilva]

One would think nintendo would be really up for doing rockband, since the console is literally littered to addons and attachments. Nintendo should be offering more support in terms of putting the game up to par since it fits with their "the wii is for a party!!!" approach

They can't force them to add such features (such as online) when they're going for the quick cash-in.

Yeah EA can be blamed for the build (and quick cash in obviously) but GH3 was online through shear force really, maybe to make up for the audio failings in the Wii and as a response to the fans.

The audio was a last minute bug, it wasn't something as to "make up" for something else; if they'd know it was a in mono beforehand... they would have fixed it instead.

As I said, we don't know if they have to use Nintendo servers, that's exaclty the kind of thing Nintendo would do. And if getting online is possible, then why isnt everyone doing it yet? It's about coding it for the Wii and if Nintendo are not willing to give them help, then it would be VERY expensive.

No... we know that.

 

EA doesn't use Nintendo servers whatsoever, they have their own EA Nation network.

 

Why aren't they doing it? because they can get away with it. EA even has a deal to not need friend codes. Others of course, have to use them. But still, they can do online games as they please.