Are you ready for Rock Band 2!!? Take two

[Remora Wraith]

Seeing's as the last thread was derailed by trolls into a faeces slinging match. So here's a repost of Ragemore's thread.

IGN, today, carried the official confirmation IGN: Rock Band 2 this September
of the sequel to Rock Band!

Further details were added by Lead Designer, Dan Teasedale, in an interview also on IGN IGN: Rock Band 2: The Opening Act

Disappointingly for non-360 owners, RB2 is slated to launch in September worldwide, on Xbox 360, with other platforms getting the game "later in the year."

This is where I am lost. I do not understand why the software for RB2 couldn't launch for all platforms in September, worldwide, with the instrument set for 360; then the RB2 instruments follow later for other platforms. (since the RB2 software is confirmed compatible with RB1 instruments. )


And just to be clear this is the US release date there is no confirmed date for Europe (well EA's three country view of Europe).

[Spidery Yoda]

It is quite strange that it's 360 only. I think whoever said it may be that MS is paying them off could be on to something. We usually hear about it if thats the case though don't we?

Well. I have a 360 so i'm not complaining. It's just strange.

[Remora Wraith]

It mis quite likely that money exchanged hands, though you're right that it's strange we've not heard anything. Though it could be some mutual partnership or it could be to do with the differences between the costs of uploading DLC and percentage cut taken my Microsoft and Sony from DLC sales since Rock Band is so heavily DLC oriented.

[Scooper]

If it is a worldwide release which is not completely confirmed or unconfirmed and could change it would be a serious annoyance for europe where most countries haven't even had it released as EAs opinion of europe appears to consist of 3 countries

[Remora Wraith]

I doubt it'll be a global release as they haven't confirmed it for Europe and said it wasn't to be a global release just US. It still could be and they might not have announced it yet but I'm willing to bet they will launch RB2 in Europe after GHIV *hopefully* with a lower price tag to compete with them, I think that EA will see where Activision set the bar and then lower the price slightly to attempt to re-launch RB in Europe.

[StitchRFC]

I'm not ready for it. It's not even out here on PS3, PS2 and Wii and the US will probably get RB2 before RB1 is out on them three consoles here. It's stupid.

[Remora Wraith]

Well this sounds interesting, according to kotaku an IGN Insdier interview about Rock Band 2 said that ALL the Rock Band 1 songs will be available for Rock Band 2 as FREE DLC.

Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour create an interesting situation for gamers. If you bought Rock Band 1 then chances are you'll feel cheated by the release of RB2, thus you'd think that GHWT would be the way to go as it somewhat redefines the music gaming genre. However, if you didn't buy the first Rock Band then I would absolutely agree with notagoth. Immediately upon purchasing Rock Band 2 you'll have the ability to download a huge library of songs, as well as all of the songs off of the original disc as a free download. Then again, Guitar Hero World Tour does allow users to create and share their own songs, so it's really only a matter of time until the Rock Band library is eclipsed. At the end of the day it could come down to which series has earned your allegiance over the last year since RB's original release."

The article also has rumoured tracklistings, here's the kotatu page: Rumor: Dueling Rock Band 2 Tracklists

[iapetus]

I believe that one's been debunked as containing about as much truth as the average Kotaku article - ie. not very much at all.

And given EA's track record so far, I very much doubt the word 'FREE' would be involved in anything at all. 'Extortionately overpriced' would make me more likely to believe the article. As it is, it's probably garbage.

If not, then it's yet another reason not to buy Rock Band. With a sequel round the corner that promises reliable hardware, new features and all the old songs for free, paying over the odds for the obsolete original seems even more laughable than it did in the first place.

[Scooper]

exactly. no way would EA give away free the entire rock band 1s tracklist. Would certainly pee alot of european gamers off. In the end i think the article is right about people going for the game thts won their allegience either that or you've got to have enough money to waste on buying both games. For me most likely it will be guitar hero world tour as i have felt cheated by EA over the past few months and i hav had good moments with activision:
for example with guitar hero 3 when my guitar broke they did not ask for it to b sent back b4 they dispatched a new one, they sent me a new guitar straight away and a free copy of the game which i sold on. I fink EA could learn something from them

[Remora Wraith]

They gave the Army of Two map pack away for free, Burnout Paradise is getting a years worth of updates that virtually make an entire EP adding bikes, planes, a whole new freaking island and loads of game modes. While I agree there are likely to be lots of string attached like having to own RB1 (probably some kinda authentication) it's still one feature that's been asked of GH EVERY time around to be able to play the old tracks with the new features, but people certainly won't pay for it unless they don't own RB1.

Can we get a source of this supposed debunking? I know Kotaku aren't the most reliable information source around but it came from IGN, it's just you need to be an IGN Insider to read the interview, kotaku merely posted the excerpt from it.

[Scooper]

fair enough. but the thing with guitar hero content is tht activision would problem run into a lot of problems with harmonix as it has changed hands.

[Spidery Yoda]

Originally Posted by Remora Wraith

They gave the Army of Two map pack away for free, Burnout Paradise is getting a years worth of updates that virtually make an entire EP adding bikes, planes, a whole new freaking island and loads of game modes. While I agree there are likely to be lots of string attached like having to own RB1 (probably some kinda authentication) it's still one feature that's been asked of GH EVERY time around to be able to play the old tracks with the new features, but people certainly won't pay for it unless they don't own RB1.

Just for the record, the Ao2 map pack was sponsered by Pontiac, Burnout Paradise's Bikes are going to be charged for, and the plane is just an experiment they're doing. There's a much higher chance of them not making it into the game than otherwise.

If RB1 tracks are going to be in RB2, then its much more likely that you'll have to pay for them. I really can't see the entire list being transferred somehow. Then again it shouldn't be too hard to check if you have a RB1 save and then let you download the tracks.

[Scooper]

lets face it, they're not going to give up the chance to ripp off the consumers

[Remora Wraith]

Whether it was sponsored or not it was still free for the consumers, so that's beside the point really. And actually no the bikes will be included in the free Davis update for Burnout, the only premium content will be new cars as they want everyone to have the same functionality to prevent there being divides in the online structure of the game whereas the cars are optional additions, and while the plane was just something one of the physics programmers knocked together in a day they still want to add it if they can.

And it isn't actually up to EA if the content is charged for it's up to Viacom/MTV who own Harmonix, EA are just the publishers they don't own Harmonix they have a stake in it and publish the game but the financial stuff is up to Viacom/MTV mostly as my understanding is. I still think it'll probably be a case of using the registration code on the back of the Rock band manual as a redemption code with it being premium content for people who don't own Rock Band.

And yeah I know there are difficulties because of the activision take over and the ownership of the music licenses, but that has no bearing on the fact that Guitar Hero fans WANT the old tracks in the new games does it?

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by Remora Wraith

Can we get a source of this supposed debunking? I know Kotaku aren't the most reliable information source around but it came from IGN, it's just you need to be an IGN Insider to read the interview, kotaku merely posted the excerpt from it.

Don't have a direct link, but a quote from Hillary of IGN: "Nate goofed in writing that. He hopes that is allowed. Nothing about this has been announced and Nate's never even seen RB2. Sorry, guys."

Sure, that doesn't mean it's not true. But it takes away the source for the rumour.

Edit: Apparently, if you have Insider the link is here.

[Remora Wraith]

Oh right, fair enough then, not an IGN Insider so.....

[Spidery Yoda]

Well. You were right and I was dead wrong - Never mind its unrelated


Rock Band 2 Features Drum Trainer, Wireless Instruments, Full Backwards Compatibility

First things first: If you already own Rock Band and you buy Rock Band 2 all of your songs will transfer over automatically and free o' charge.

Amazing news for everyone who bought the first.

Edit: Hmm actually. It doesn't specifically say anything about original Rock band tracks. It jsut means the DLC. Which is old news.

Never mind false alarm.

[Remora Wraith]

Yeah it's pretty unclear it could be either or both the way it's worded, oh well we'll find out VERY soon, might even subscribe to one of the sites that provides the good quality feeds of E3 this year...........maybe I might just watch the free coverage.

[Scooper]

O dear the rumours have started already. I think we should all stop speculating and just wait till E3 is over. after all this is exactly wot happened with the first rock band. Hows that 9th march european release date doing for everyone

EDIT looked at that list of rock band 2 features. Velocity sensing on the drums?? now who can deny that that isnt just because the next guitar hero will have it

[Remora Wraith]

Yeah but given what Activision have done it's only fair really.

[Spidery Yoda]

Originally Posted by Scooper

EDIT looked at that list of rock band 2 features. Velocity sensing on the drums?? now who can deny that that isnt just because the next guitar hero will have it

Well seeing as how the next Guitar Hero is basically a complete copy+paste of Rock Band, I think Harmonix are allowed to copy such a small and almost insignificant feature back.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by Spidery Yoda

Well. You were right and I was dead wrong - Never mind its unrelated

Unrelated, and it's Kotaku again. Seriously, if you read on Kotaku that the sky is blue it's worth going outside and looking up just to check.

[Spidery Yoda]

Well they usually post accurate things from what i've seen. Either that or they make sure it says its a rumour.

That first line that I quoted was very misleading though. It sounded like you could transfer all your songs.