Rhythm Games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero will go without original masters of Led Zeppelin because the remaining band members don’t want to see their most valuable possessions in the wrong hands.
For Activision and MTV, original master tracks are the most valuable asset they can get their hands on. Cover bands work well and many do great justice (sometimes better) to the original artist but masters are where it’s at! What if those tracks are ever “lost” while mastering them for a video game?
Page and the crew aren’t looking to take that risk, no matter what Activision and/or MTV is ready to pay for those original tracks. Led Zeppelin is a classic rock band, perhaps stuck in old ways, but they’re lively hood is in those master tracks; it’s the heart of the Led Zeppelin sound.
To Led Zeppelin it’s not worth the risk in losing those masters just go get their songs in a video game.
The band isn’t comfortable with the prospect of granting outsiders access to its master tapes, a necessary step in creating the games. “It ain’t about the money,” Mr. Mensch says. (WSJ)
Can you fault them for the mistrust? Risking everything you’ve worked on since 1968 just to get your product in a video game isn’t an easy decision. Many folks, Aerosmith included, probably see this as a great opportunity to get their songs into the youth, market themselves on a new medium and make a few bucks while doing it. There is definitely going to be some ego involved with being able to see your songs grow on a brand new rock medium, but not everyone thinks the same.
To some artists, music isn’t all about marketing and popularity. To each his own, but it’s upsetting to know we won’t be rocking out to any classic Led Zeppelin with a wailing Robert Plant and beating the drums like one of the most respected drummers in the industry: John Bonham.
Great show guys, enjoyed the topics greatly.
@Joystiq no longer scoring: I agree I never liked the scoring of any game it never told me what I really needed to know about the game. Saying 3/5 stars or 90% is like saying Banana or starfish! Completely arbitrary and meaningless, I need and want to know how the person felt about the game they played. Take Dragon Age Inquisition, I have heard many detailed reviews from people I know about the game what they liked and didn’t; and I value that over some random score some review site gives. As you guys pointed out someone who doesn’t like a genre of games may be biased against it and will hate it no matter what. I had argued with someone the other day who felt that since Dark Souls had no story it was a bad game, when they were clearly missing the point of that game all together. So I am glad they have decided to drop scoring a game and entice people to actually read the review.
@Jonah joining NC: Speaking of reviewing Wow that is awesome, have you made videos for them already?
@Hatred AO rating; My first impulse to hearing this was good, I don’t think little children should be playing this violent a game, and before Paul says it yes the parents should be paying attention to what their kids play. I guess I can’t deny they have the right to make whatever game they want and make it available but stores do have the right to refuse to sell something if they don’t want to sell it. I’m fine with the rating to make it clear just how violent it is, course there are plenty of violent games but do have much more context as to why the violence is happening. I remember being bothered when my daughter was playing Fable 2 and she wiped out the starting village, for some reason the game didn’t summon any guards for that action.
There is a double standard with the violence being more acceptable for kids to witness. I’ve asked myself this, why is it ok to have a movie or game that kids kill people or see violent acts yet you get some nudity and then suddenly everyone losses their mind. I think at least for me it’s because violence is wrong and sex is not. It’s easy to say “well this is fantasy and we’re just having fun make believe” but sex there’s nothing wrong or bad about it, it’s a natural thing and can be difficult to discuss with someone who isn’t mature enough to handle it yet and I mean the real intimate details and not just “when two people love each other”. It is a difficult subject and it’s up to each parent to decide when to talk to their children about these things.
@Pose able toys: I think this idea really Is brilliant to have movable figures that would respond or give signals to in game actions. That would greatly increase interactive ness. I am also tempted to get some amboii’s if for no other reason than to display them, this is a DLC I can get behind.
A side note next time someone has a very noisy background that even the co-host can’t hear you maybe they should mute their mic or find a quieter place to record.