Rhythm games are the new FPS for a lot of gamers, a broader audience of gamers, and the market is thriving and demanding new titles. Harmonix and Activision are at the front of the battle with Konami following a bit behind but still contending (we think) very soon.
Each company plans to up each other with cooler instruments, tighter controls and new in-game options and multi-player fancies. It’s a business and each competitor tries to gain a lead by whatever means needed to win… or do they?
Harmonix stops short when it comes to purchasing exclusive rights to music artists, for now at least. Harmonix’s Eric Brosious went on blogger record saying, “We prefer not to sign exclusive deals with artists because while it seems like the competitive “business” thing to do, in the long run, it’s really not good for anyone. We think we should be working to get more music out to more people.” (kotaku)
As Marky Mark once said, we need “Music for the people” not for in-game exclusives making us choose between Guitar Hero and Rock Band titles. We’ve seen what EA has done to the football franchise by taking control of the NFL roster, money talks and the best game doesn’t always win.
If Activision decides to buy up a ton of great exclusive content and you’re a rock band gamer, you’ll lose out in a ton of great content. For some gamers, that might mean losing out in some artists you’ve never heard before which also means the artist loses out in new fans. We’ve seen younger gamers fall in love with the sounds of Boston and The Police, bands famous way before the birth of many of the Rock Band fan base.
You can tell Harmonix is a development group with roots in music while Activision is a development group with their roots in business. While exclusive access brings you an advantage, in terms of broadening the culture of music, it does very little. Harmonix may be in the right but will that matter in the end when business deals hit the table?
p.s. sorry about the Marky Mark reference, but it had to be done. Bringing out a bit of my own childhood there…
@Super Pitfall
Erm, the youtube video didn’t look THAT bad …
@“Super-slim” PS3 will be a no-show at Gamescom
Meh … not a console user, don’t plan to buy one, not a PS3 at least.
@UbiSoft claims lack of new consoles penalizes creativity
… again with the lack of new consoles? Enough with blaming the hardware manufacturers for the bad choices developers/publishers make. The producers/developers are not being held at gunpoint to release only Call of Duty, it is their damned choice >:(.
Not talking about indies? Why not? How come their creativity isn’t penalized? Or is it that they simply take the plunge?
Rage tanked, yes. Still, kudos to id for at least trying, even if they only got themselves a new game engine.
@Diablo III ‘God mode’ exploit for Wizard discovered
I’m just going to stay away from Blizzard, until they get their act together. Always online DRM, single player game on an MMO platform, really? Really?!
@EA: Nintendo “on track to become primarily a software company”
Yep, always funny reading comments of one company rep. setting a road map for another company …
No question of the week from me.
Gez I think that Blizzard needs to get their act together. They had problems during the beta that weren’t dealt with. But maybe it’s a marketing scam? draw attention to the company just before they are set to release a new WOW expansion?
@Super-slim PS3
Never cared how slim my console is. It’s not a PC. It will run the same games at the same rate as a fat console. Regarding PS3 sitting on the shelves, that’s to be expected. Out of all the consoles currently available (at least in UK) PS3 is still the priciest. Since there is a lack of exclusives nowadays, there is not much difference between PS3 and Xbox 360. Xbox is just cheaper and has Kinect.
@Ubisoft and penalised creativity
I am sick and tired of hearing this argument. We know this console generation overstayed it’s welcome. Why does Ubisoft have to state the obvious that has been stated many times before? Do they want us to storm Microsoft headquarters and demand a new Xbox? Do they think there will be a new Xbox if they tell everyone how bad the industry is feeling? Ubisfot. Sit down. Shut up. Bake Assassin’s Creed 3.
Diablo III “God mode”
You will be surprised at how many glitches/ exploits can pop up in well tested games. Cast yourselves back to the Modern Warfare 2 Javelin glitch. It was discovered a few years after the game was played by millions of people for trillions of hours.
@Nintendo going software only
This argument splits me down the middle. EA has a point. I own a 3DS. I am regretting it. I could have spent my money on more worthwhile things. Like illegal drugs, alcohol and prostitutes. And the WiiU looks dead in the water already. So close to launch and still no price. Most announced titles are games you can play on the Xbox NOW. I hope that Nintendo will pull itself together. But they are led by Japanese old men who seem to live by bushido code and would rather kill their company then give up their franchise to business.
This is all I have this week.
@QOTW: When was the first time that you really got into video games?