The latest news on the Rock Band 2 front covers the instruments and a few confirmed song tracks. There have been rumors flying around the Internet about the “leaked song tracks” for the next release with absolutely no confirmation. Now, however, we have solid proof on some tracks and some equipment changes.
First, all instruments are backwards compatible. That’s key to the success of Rock Band because fans of the original ponied up a lot of bones to grab themselves the original Rock Band kit. However, there is an incentive to upgrade your equipment in some regards.
If you like the original Rock Band guitar you’re going to love the new one if only for the color updates, wood grain and actual look and feel of a real guitar not a “toy.” As you’d expect (or hope) the new guitar will be wireless, finally, and will have a sturdy strum bar with even quieter buttons. Wireless alone is a great selling point but quiet buttons is important for folks like me who play the guitar like it was a jackhammer and can easily interrupt the drummers concentration during a difficult set.
The drum kit has been improved as well, with a re-enforced foot pedal to avoid the ease of breaking the plastic “toy” version of Rock Band original. As a person who’s busted up their drum petal and forked out cash on eBay for a wood solution, this is more great news. The drum kit will also be wireless which is great for those of you, like myself, who have kids that run through your line of site or dance while you’re playing. Nobody likes their Xbox 360 being flung off the shelve due to tripped cords.
The drum kit will have quieter pads and a velocity sensor; again, your old kit is still usable without these enhancements but the desire to upgrade if you’re a dedicated fan will be high.
The song tracks currently confirmed:
- “Panic Attack” — Dream Theater
- “Chop Suey” — System of a Down
- “Everlong” — Foo Fighters
- “Kids in America” — The Muffs
- “Give it Away” — Red Hot Chili Peppers
- “Ace of Spades” — Motörhead
- “Hello There” — Cheap Trick
- “Pump it Up” — Elvis Costello
- “Anyway You Want It” — Journey
- “Pinball Wizard” — The Who
This is a great indication to where Rock Band 2 is going, mixing up a great selection of artists with classic hits like Anyway You Want It and Pinball Wizard to newer late generation X music like Give it Away and Chop Suey. Talented artists like Dream Theater are sure to keep Rock Band 2 a challenge to all gamers.
Other great improvements being a World Tour mode now accessible online and the removal of the “Band Leader” concept which always locked you into an instrument once you created a band.
NOTE: Xbox 360 will have a timed exclusive on Rock Band 2, arriving later in the year for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3.
Checkout the full feature set so far explained at Kotaku.
The “year” Sony may be talking about is fiscal year 2009… which rolls into March 2010. Although Sony hasn’t tagged either title with an ETA, it’s being assumed that we’re talking 2009 until spring 2010. Given most games launch in the September and October time for the holiday season that leads us to believe it will either arrive for the holiday or slide to 2010. If the title isn’t ready for prime time by the holiday season, can you wait a full year for these games?
The obvious answer is no, Sony don’t NEED theese 2 games to drop in the 2009 calendar year.
If you take a look at the games that are CONFIRMED to hit before 2010:
Killzone 2
White Knight Chronicles (US and EU release)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Yakuza 3 (Japan)
Infamous
Final Fantasy XIII (Japan)
Heavy Rain
New Ratchet & Clank
Gran Turismo 5 (Possibly)
That’s more than enough to offset anything that Microsoft/Nintendo can conjure up. Even if Microsoft were to shock everyone by releasing Halo 4 and Gears Of War 3 (Har har) Sony would still outshine them without the two games you mentioned.
Personally, i probably won’t even be picking up MAG and God Of War 3 is an afterthought for me. The game i’m most looking forward to is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
The obvious answer is no, Sony don’t NEED theese 2 games to drop in the 2009 calendar year.
If you take a look at the games that are CONFIRMED to hit before 2010:
Killzone 2
White Knight Chronicles (US and EU release)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Yakuza 3 (Japan)
Infamous
Final Fantasy XIII (Japan)
Heavy Rain
New Ratchet & Clank
Gran Turismo 5 (Possibly)
That’s more than enough to offset anything that Microsoft/Nintendo can conjure up. Even if Microsoft were to shock everyone by releasing Halo 4 and Gears Of War 3 (Har har) Sony would still outshine them without the two games you mentioned.
Personally, i probably won’t even be picking up MAG and God Of War 3 is an afterthought for me. The game i’m most looking forward to is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
With the inevitable price cut supposedly sometime this year, i think sony can hold off GOW 3 and MAG at least till next year.
The PS3 seem to be coming alive and starting to gain some real momentum and i think a $100 price drop might just seal the deal and save them from utter failure and embarrassment.
Microsoft has already got their install base sewn up hence only need to worry about selling software. Sony on the other hand have the harder task of marketing what seems like a luxury brand (to most people) in a recession. Many people simple can’t justify spending that much on what is primary a game console. (blue-ray simply doesn’t cut it Sony)
At the end of the day it comes down to Two words, PRICE CUT, and they better do it quick.
With the inevitable price cut supposedly sometime this year, i think sony can hold off GOW 3 and MAG at least till next year.
The PS3 seem to be coming alive and starting to gain some real momentum and i think a $100 price drop might just seal the deal and save them from utter failure and embarrassment.
Microsoft has already got their install base sewn up hence only need to worry about selling software. Sony on the other hand have the harder task of marketing what seems like a luxury brand (to most people) in a recession. Many people simple can’t justify spending that much on what is primary a game console. (blue-ray simply doesn’t cut it Sony)
At the end of the day it comes down to Two words, PRICE CUT, and they better do it quick.
The price cut would have been announced today had there been one. Sony’s losing too much per unit still.
The price cut would have been announced today had there been one. Sony’s losing too much per unit still.
The “Rumoured” PS3 price cut isn’t supposed to take effect until April………so why would they have announced it in March??? LOL………….
The “Rumoured” PS3 price cut isn’t supposed to take effect until April………so why would they have announced it in March??? LOL………….
The rumored price drop was March.
http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/11/25/playstation-3-march-2009-price-drop-rumor/
The rumored price drop was March.
http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/11/25/playstation-3-march-2009-price-drop-rumor/
Another rumor:
http://www.gamestooge.com/2009/03/07/more-ps3-price-drop-predictions-by-analysts/
This one was shot down by Sony as well.
Another rumor:
http://www.gamestooge.com/2009/03/07/more-ps3-price-drop-predictions-by-analysts/
This one was shot down by Sony as well.
LOL…..as the link you just provided proves, the price cut isn’t expected to take place until April at the EARLIEST.
Better learn how Sony’s FISCAL year works……..it runs from April through to March of the following year. It makes far more sense for Sony to cut the price at the start of a new fiscal year rather than at the very end of one.
LOL…..as the link you just provided proves, the price cut isn’t expected to take place until April at the EARLIEST.
Better learn how Sony’s FISCAL year works……..it runs from April through to March of the following year. It makes far more sense for Sony to cut the price at the start of a new fiscal year rather than at the very end of one.