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Nov-06-2009Lego Rock Band: When franchises breed(topic overview)
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Lee: The song downloads are what makes me appreciate Rock Band. They really reduced the need for creating a new game a year. Guitar Hero doesn't rely on this aspect enough. Chris: Plus, they've done a good job of releasing free and reduced-price tracks, either for April Fools' Day or with fun stuff like Still Alive or Skullcrusher Mountain. Shaun: And while some are songs I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy, they are maintaining some pretty solid stuff, as well as a good variety, such as country and less known rock. Chris: Yeah, I see a lot of complaints from people when a country pack comes out, or when they don't release metal songs every damn week. For me, even though the word Rock is in the title, I like the wide assortment of genres they've put in. Appeals to a wide audience, which is kinda the idea of these games. [1] What makes Lego Rock Band more child-friendly than most of the Rock Band and Guitar Hero titles is the family-friendly song list, the addition of a "Super Easy" mode and the presence of hilarious Lego characters shown in the music videos and story mode. Unlike most of the other music games, which include mildly suggestive content in the song lyrics and their accompanying music videos, the 45 songs found in Lego Rock Band are family-friendly and include such crowd favorites as Ray Parker Jr.' s Ghostbusters, Tom Petty's Free Fallin' and Good Charlotte's Boys and Girls.[2] Families new to music gaming can't go wrong with Lego Rock Band. It's the perfect entry-level music game for kids and their reluctant parents. Not only does it teach you how to play, but it's easier to play than the other popular Rock Band and Guitar Hero games and has a fun story mode that's full of tongue-in-cheek antics by Lego characters. For those unfamiliar with how to play music games, they are played on controllers that look like musical instruments.[2] Playing the guitar in GH made you feel kinda like a rocker, but surrounding yourself with three friends and playing the set of instruments was about as close as you can get. Shaun: And I think it's important to make the distinction that although many music games existed, the genre itself was far from mainstream. Guitar Hero and Rock Band changed this. They made playing plastic instruments cool, which I am personally grateful for. I had a friend who had this piano playing game from Chinait used ten keys, and they all moved as fast and faster than Dragonforce.[1]
Party Mode is unnecessary, especially now that Rock Band is moving beyond the "party mainstay," anyway.'' We also don't need a music creator so that 5 percent of the world who falsely think they are musically inclined can pretend they are dong something important. Chris: Actually, I'm fine with a music creator provided that it's done right (so, not done like Guitar Hero, basically). Harmonix has released some info on the Rock Band Network, which is a full set of tools for bands to create their own note charts for songs and submit them to be added to DLC. Basically, it opens up the game for any band who wants to be in, be they a garage band in Flagstaff or the Red Hot Chili Peppers deciding they just want some more exposure. Lee: Don't know too much about the music creator, but if people can pull it off, more power to them.[1]
Filled with 45 chart-topping songs and classic favorites, LEGO Rock Band allows family members of all ages and skill levels to break loose on the bass, drums, guitar, and mic to a soundtrack filled with hit songs from Queen, Foo Fighters, Jackson 5, The All-American Rejects, Jimi Hendrix, Good Charlotte, Tom Petty, and more. Fans can extend their experience with family-friendly downloadable content from the massive Rock Band Music Store on their Xbox 360' console that contains more than 350 songs that can be played within LEGO Rock Band. Players can also export songs from LEGO Rock Band to their Xbox 360 to play across other Rock Band games.[3] Unique to LEGO Rock Band is the introduction of Rock Power Challenges. Players can harness the power of rock to pull off killer riffs so intense they can demolish a building, thwart an angry octopus or send gamers on other crazy missions. In the LEGO style of "build-and-play" gaming, players can customize their own experience by creating their minifigure avatars, band and entourage. Fans can extend their experience with family-friendly downloadable content from the massive Rock Band Music Store on their Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles that contains more than 350 songs that can be played within LEGO Rock Band. Players can also export songs from LEGO Rock Band to their Xbox 360 beginning November 3, 2009 and PlayStation 3 beginning November 12, 2009 to play across other Rock Band games.[4]
The highly anticipated LEGO Rock Band game for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC and DS will hit stores November 8, 2009, but we'''ve got an early review of this musical video game that ties the look of LEGO with the popular Rock Band series. This game is aimed at family fun and takes elements from both the LEGO and Rock Band franchises and, essentially, puts them together. What exactly are these elements? Well, we played the game and it definitely has the multiplayer music experience of Rock Band, as well as the fun, customization and humor of all the LEGO video games we'''ve tried.[5] Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA)(NYSE: VIA.B), LEGO Rock Band is available now at retail stores in North America for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, Wii console, and Nintendo DS. Offering affordable family entertainment, LEGO Rock Band for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii is available for $49.99, and Nintendo DS for $29.99.[4]
Picking up that Old Navy gift card for your little sister could pay off this Black Friday, when the clothing retailer will be giving away free copies of LEGO Rock Band with every $20 purchase. Old Navy isn't known for its video game deals, but they'll be handing out copies of LEGO Rock Band on Black Friday nonetheless, along with free guitar controllers with any purchase of Rock Band 2. It's all part of the Black Friday event the chain is calling Gobblepalooza, with "3 days of rockin' deals" for fans of Harmonix music games and affordable yet fashionable clothing for adults and teens. It's a bizarre little promotion, really.[6] With Black Friday and Thanksgiving just around the corner, we are going to point you in the direction of some advertising we thought you may find useful when you start that Christmas shopping spree. Black Friday, although not an official holiday is a day which most employee'''s have off, but don'''t say that to a retailer or banker as they will still be working hard to make sure all your Black Friday shop-a-holics get what you want, when you want. Computer game fans, check out this offer: - A Free Lego Rock Band Video Game With Any $20 Purchase, or A Free Rock Band Guitar With Purchase Of Rock Band 2. Now thats value! Old Navy also features a clearance section where they are giving you 30%-60% off the normal price of a selection clothing.[7]
I would hope that rhythm games in general are ubiquitous enough that I don't have to explain the concept of playing guitar, bass, drums or singing along with your favorite rock songs. If you are clueless about what these games are all about, you're kind of out of luck with LEGO Rock Band. Which means that you have to own instruments already. Warner Bros Interactive, MTV, and Harmonix assume you are already a fan of Rock Band when you get this game.[8] You're not playing fake plastic instruments to simulate banging on drums or strumming on a guitar, nor are you belting out the lyrics into the microphone to mimic the singer's vocals. If you were going to rate the game based on accuracy of the franchise, I can see why this design might be a slight turn-off to fans of classic Rock Band. It is not the Rock Band experience on a handheld. What this design does is introduce a fresh rhythm challenge that captures the "flavor" of Rock Band. Here's the deal: each song (the DS version features 25 full-length tracks) is segmented into rhythm guitar, bass guitar, drums and lyrics, each with their own note "highways."[9]
Combining Rock and Roll with the popular building blocks, LEGO Rock Band adds LEGO style into the Rock Band formula. The game features 45 songs and at launch and lets players of all skill levels play bass, drums, guitar and mic to such songs from Queen, Foo Fighters, Jackson 5, The All-American Rejects, Jimi Hendrix, Good Charlotte, Tom Petty and more.[10] Filled with 45 chart-topping songs and classic favorites, LEGO Rock Band allows family members of all ages and skill levels to break loose on the bass, drums, guitar and mic to a soundtrack filled with hit songs from Queen, Foo Fighters, Jackson 5, The All-American Rejects, Jimi Hendrix, Good Charlotte, Tom Petty and more. With LEGO, Rock Band brings its highly successful series to Nintendo DS for the first time.[4]
To conclude I do believe over time Beatles will open up the doors to the older Rock Band titles to new comers in the genre. I waited initially to decide which branch to chose GH or RB as to which game would have Beatles or Pink Floyd on them but always was hoping RB would get it and am happy they did. It may sway your decision, if you haven't heard yet, that Lego RockBand can transfer its songs into RockBand 2, just like RockBand 1, meaning that your RockBand 2 music ecosystem will be around 150 songs from those three titles together.[11] Age appropriate songs that you've already downloaded for other Rock Band games are instantly available to play in Lego Rock Band, instantly boosting the game's relatively modest library. It may not be as appealing to kids as other Lego games and it's probably not as exciting to adults as something like The Beatles: Rock Band, but it will help create a bridge between gaming mammas and pappas and their controller-wielding kids. That, if nothing else, earns Lego Rock Band an earnest thumbs-up.[12] There are also some head scratchers in the set list. The nu-metal band Korn is included with their cover of Cameo's "Word Up", as are The Jimi Hendrix Experience with "Fire" (Fittingly, the most difficult track in the game.), and the punk icon Iggy Pop with "The Passenger". Granted, none are as offensive as W.A.S.P., but they're still weird choices. Those songs instead of tunes by Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift. There is also one major flaw in the idea of making a kiddie version of Rock Band : As the father of another (albeit older than six) video game-obsessed kid once told me, the thing his son likes about playing regular Rock Band is that it's his chance to play a grown-up game. He likes being able to play a game his dad plays. Granted, the aforementioned six-year-old won't care about such things, but if your kid is older and wants to be even older, they won't want to play a game with stupid toys in it.[13] There is one glaring issue: The music. While grown-ups will appreciate many of the game's 40-plus songs--including Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name," Queen's "We Will Rock You," and Pink's "So What"--I'm not sure many kids will be very familiar with these tracks. Children have been thrown a few bones in the form of songs made popular in kids movies (such as Rascal Flatts' "Life is a Highway", which was in Cars, and Counting Crows' "Accidentally in Love," a song from Shrek 2 ), but it seems to me that what kids really need to get into the swing of a music game are songs that are targeted directly at them. As much as it pains me to write this, I think most children would be more interested in singing and strumming along to The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus than The Jackson 5 and Queen. That said, if your kids do happen to have a taste for the game's music then Lego Rock Band will prove plenty of fun.[12] As you can surmise from the name, LEGO Rock Band is indeed a music game with LEGOs. The game plays almost exactly the same as other music games and it looks the same, too--from the fret board to the iconography, along with roadies and other hangers-on to hire, as well as both random and player's choice set lists.[13] Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games, the game is available now at retail stores in North America for $49.99 and is rated E10+ by the ESRB. Combining two of the most popular video game brands, LEGO Rock Band pairs the fun, customization, and humor of LEGO video games with the multiplayer music experience pioneered by Rock Band.[3] Get ready to build a band and rock the universe with LEGO' Rock Band', the multiplayer music video game that will have the entire family drumming, strumming, and rocking to the beat.[3]
Rock Band is weighing on Viacom's margins, and the profitability challenge confronting the high-cost Beatles iteration is steep, says MTV parent Viacom. In its most recent fiscal quarter, the company saw profits reach $463 million, an increase of about $62 million year-over-year thanks primarily to its cost conservativism and its Paramount Pictures division, although overall sales were down 3 percent to $3.3 billion. Company CFO Tom Dooley said the company's video games were no help: " Rock Band was a negative contributor to margins in the third quarter," he said on the company's conference call to investors, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.[14] Factor in the expense of archival restoration and separation of very old recordings, plus the design of various "dreamscapes" for a lot of the songs, and the money mounts up. Harmonix has gone on record that future DLC for the Beatles game is entirely dependent on the sales of these first albums and songs. They just cost so much to make compared to standard Rock Band DLC that profitability depends the tracks on selling very well. I love Rock Band, both standard and Beatles variety.[11] If you have any previously-downloaded Rock Band songs from the past two games (but not Beatles ), any song ruled "family-friendly" by Harmonix will automatically appear in the track list. Activision's Band Hero, also released this week, can also use some downloaded songs from previous Guitar Hero games.[15] Some people make the argument that the music/rhythm game genre is nearing excess. The number of Rock Band and Guitar Hero games that have come out over the years have been staggering, with this year alone showing multiple entries for both franchises. Guitar Hero 5 and The Beatles Rock Band are so high in quality, many overlooked this criticism and simply played along to the music.[16] The media giant's chief financial officer, Tom Dooley, says Rock Band could break even or generate a small profit in the fourth quarter, depending on "how many units we sell in the holiday season." The Beatles: Rock Band sold 595,000 copies across three platforms in its September debut, according to sales figures from the NPD Group. The comments from Viacom arrive amid industry concern that the popularity of music games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band are starting to ebb.[17] Despite tanking sales, the music genre still remains one of the best in the industry and The Beatles: Rock Band shows us that the right approach could still determine financial success in the space. Its September debut was very fortuitous and it even managed to best Guitar Hero 5 in the U.S. -- which not only came with a free game, but is also one of the most recognizable brands to the mainstream.[11]
Poor sales of Rock Band and rival Guitar Hero games were blamed for a lacklustre retail performance during September in the U.S., and the latest DJ Hero title from Activision ' released last week ' debuted in the UK charts at 20, after pre-order sales failed to meet expectations.[18]
There's still a full range of more challenging modes, including easy, medium, hard, and expert. You'll do no better on the hardest levels in this Rock Band than you would in any other entry in the franchise. Which is good, because as kids have shown time and again, they're often more adept at playing games than their parents (check out this video of a teen playing Guitar Hero on expert with his elbow while solving two Rubick's Cubes if you don't believe me).[12] Overall, the game still plays good, no matter what instrument you're using. The fact that it's compatible with all music peripherals, be it Guitar Hero or Rock Band, helps too.[16] The problem is that it's inferior to Guitar Hero. Rock Band may be able to get some of the better tracks thanks to their connection with MTV, but as a game, it doesn't play nearly as well as the GH series. Hell, the component they introduced (drums) has even been outclassed by a more superior GH drum kit.[19] Despite the fact that Rock Band 2 and The Beatles Rock Band are compatible with older Rock Band and Guitar Hero controllers, the games are yet to make a profit.[20] The game even employs some tricks from previous Rock Band and Guitar Hero games to accommodate younger and less skilled fans.[13]
The game's Story mode is similar to Rock Band's career, where you take to the road and play gigs to earn money and fans, which in turn unlocks new venues for you to play in and songs for you to play. In sticking with the LEGO metaphor, the currency of choice is LEGO studs, and they're used to buy new gear and outfits for the band; to hire members of your road crew (some of which enhance your stud- and fan-earning potential); and to purchase larger vehicles to help you move all of the equipment and entourage around.[21] The console versions of LEGO Rock Band are merely reskinned, rehashed Rock Band experiences, but the Nintendo DS version feels fresh and new. It's rebuilding the PSP's Rock Band Unplugged for play on the Nintendo handheld, but it's the first time that design's been made available for Nintendo DS players, so I'm stoked to experience it as a new game.[9] After playing through the Nintendo DS version of LEGO Rock Band – which is, essentially, the same game – I can see why Miller was loving the game so. I believe he may have underrated the PSP version by a couple of score bits because the DS game, while definitely a lesser production with a few rough spots in presentation, is enormously fun to play. Look, as a Rock Band game, this design doesn't really represent the franchise accurately.[9] LEGO Rock Band isn't for Rock Band fans, or even LEGO Batman fans old enough to buy games on their own. If you're the parent of a little kid and want a game that you can play together, you'd be hard pressed to find anything that will keep you both as engaged and entertained. Just as Jack, who after playing a bit of the game once exclaimed, "This game is really awesome, it was really creative.[13] Playing off the Rock Band 2 opening cinematic, the video showcases familiar Rock Band characters as LEGO minifigures in a humorous way rocking through the different locations fans can visit in the game. LEGO Rock Band puts the power of rock into the hands of tweens, teens, families and gamers of all ages as they go on a wild journey to stardom as they '''Build a Band and Rock the Universe.'''[22]
Not to say that one should not compare to similar games when reviewing one, you absolutely should and need to, it is inaccurate to compare to different types of games. While many would argue that it is reasonable to compare Rock Band and LEGO Rock Band because they are the same type of game, I would ask if it would be fair to compare Madden to Wii Sports because they are both sports games? A common criticism people have with games are that they are trying to be more than they actually are. Well, with LEGO Rock Band you get what you see a silly, fun game that everyone in the family can play, and you shouldn't fault this game for being exactly what it promises to be.[13] The track list is great and the button-based rhythm gameplay's extremely fun to play, moreso in single player than in the wireless multiplayer. As a direct Rock Band conversion this game isn't an accurate recreation of the true experience, but as a unique rhythm game? LEGO Rock Band is very fun and definitely worth a playthrough.[9]
If you're sick of it, you'll stay sick of it. The game does feel a little more forgiving than Rock Band 2, though, as I was definitely hitting notes late on some parts and still scoring on them. What do you get with this version? The wacky LEGO personality that has made the other family LEGO games so fun. It's a little strange since there is no corresponding set to purchase, like there was for LEGO Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Batman.[8] You can't even export the songs from LEGO Rock Band into Rock Band 2 on the Wii. This kills the Wii version. I'm permanently stuck with these 45 songs even though I spent hundreds of dollars on DLC for the previous game? Screw that. Considering the game is the same price too this instantly becomes a total ripoff for Wii owners. While a lot of these songs are great songs, that doesn't make them great Rock Band songs.[8] The DLC features are limited to the 360 and PS3 versions of the game, too. Even if you have Rock Band 2 on the Wii, with a ton of downloadable songs, you can't access them in LEGO Rock Band.[8]
You can customize your little band and earn costumes as you progress through the story mode and your customized band and entourage members show up in the cut scenes. It's very charming and if you've got kids that love the other LEGO games they'll dig it a lot more than the grittier band members of regular Rock Band. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions certainly aren't pushing the physically limits of the system, but they look sharp and vibrant in HD. The Wii version however looks terrible.[8] Developed by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, LEGO Rock Band for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii is rated "E10+" by the ESRB. Developed by Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, the Nintendo DS version is rated "E" by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.legorockbandgame.com.[4] /MTV Games/Travelers Tales collaboration known as LEGO Rock Band. The game released this week for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS, much to the delight of fans of LEGOs and rock bands across the country.[23] Imagine The Beatles: Rock Band "Dreamscapes," if you will, except the Fab Four fight off an octopus attack. They're LEGOs, and not The Beatles. That's almost as weird as making Gwen Stefani sing a Nelly Furtado song; it's just not natural. LEGO Rock Band is out right this second for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS and you can buy it with money, not "studs."[23]
Point multipliers are earned during the song as you nail notes in a row, and you can double the multiplier by hitting the white notes and activating Overdrive, either by yelling into the microphone of the DS or hitting Down or B. While the DS edition lacks any sort of way to bulk up the tracklist with downloadable tracks, what the DS version has in LEGO Rock Band that the PSP's Rock Band Unplugged left out is multiplayer. You'll be able to rock out with friends who also have a copy of LEGO Rock Band for their DS, with each player taking a specific instrument. It's not a huge feature because you miss out on a bit of camaraderie with your band partners – you really don't get a sense of working together because the only feedback you get is when they screw up their track.[9] Really. LEGO Rock Band will also populate its track listing with most of your Rock Band downloadable content, which should be a nice bonus for those who've been dumping money into their other games. (Note: It won't add all of your tracks, only those deemed appropriate for game's "family friendly" image.[23]
Most rhythm-based music games are typically profit sucks for publishers because of the cost of manufacturing the instruments and accessories. In the case of The Beatles: Rock Band, those costs were heaped on top of the cash that was dished out to license the coveted tracks, a feat that the game's closing credits proves must have been nothing short of an absolute nightmare. Viacom chief executive Philippe Daumann said, "the economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving," even if it's taking a bit longer than the company would like. Looking ahead to the end of the year, Viacom says it plans to "start putting in more marketing dollars together with our retail partners behind," in the hopes of attracting those ever-precious holiday dollars.[24] Not surprisingly, LEGO Rock Band is pretty easy. The set list is largely comprised of pop tunes, and as we all know from playing the other 47,861 music games that came out this year, pop tunes are easier in these games than rock ones.[13]
L ego Rock Band (PS3/360/Wii/DS), a new music game from Traveller's Tales and Harmonix, combines the family-friendly aesthetics of the popular Danish building blocks with the rhythm-based play of Rock Band while providing enough difficulty options to let players of all skill levels get into the groove.[12] Band's ready. Chris: Both GH and RB have had pretty solid setlists, introducing a variety of genres and pretty big musical groups into a new medium. Shaun: It's nice that as the games grow with popularity, the more master tracks (official songs by the actual band) are included, as evidenced by The Beatles. Another nice bonus? The Beatles licensing their music for Rock Band.[1] I steered clear of the Beatles version. The reason? You can't export the songs and play them in Rock Band 2 along with all of your other songs. I know that it was very likely a licensing issue that prompted this (and possibly the harmony vocal feature), but I have to wonder whether the fact that it was a totally separate game factored into anyone else's choice not to purchase it.[14] In addition to the classic instrument play found in the console versions, LEGO Rock Band offers the same level of engagement without the need for peripherals to play the game and is compatible with Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi.[4] November 3, 2009 - It's kind of a sign of a game genre's ultimate success when it gets its family friendly license versions. While rhythm games have already had these to an extent, the release of LEGO Rock Band is a pretty major addition, even if it's one that should have come out a year ago when both these franchises were fresher.[8]
Text is hard to read, the characters are jagged and things look blurry. By comparison, Rock Band 2 on the Wii looks worlds better, so I know this game should be able to run just fine on the system. Unlike its competitor, Band Hero, LEGO Rock Band opted for a set list that could still arguably be called rock.[8] While LEGO Rock Band is clearly aimed at six-year-olds and their parents, there are some odd adult bits in this game.[13]
Warner Bros. In 'Lego Rock Band,' families new to music gaming can learn to rock out with this fun and simple game that features great music and hilarious Lego character antics.[2] Lego Rock Band is great, yeah some of the songs bite, but the game features all the humor of past lego games and harmonix-esque facts about the lego universe as a whole.[11]
Unique to LEGO Rock Band is the introduction of Rock Power Challenges, where players can harness the power of rock to pull off killer riffs that have the ability to do crazy things like demolish a building, stop an angry octopus or send players on wild missions. Naturally the game promises build-and-play elements that let players customize their own experience by creating a minifigure avatar, band and entourage.[10] No? Well, you should. It's probably one of the most entertaining experiences available on a video game console today, and it's one of the better incarnations of the "holier than thou" Rock Band series. Now, it seems like more bands are booking Harmonix for their own release. At least that's what Roger Daltrey thinks. In an interview with MassLive, the athletic frontman hinted at the release, saying, "The game, yeah, yeah, they're going to be doing a Who one next year.[25] "Your preferred platform may not be available," the ad warns, presumably due to limited overall supply. We're wary that it could be a demo or something like that, but the fact that Old Navy will also be selling Rock Band 2 bundles, and giving away guitar controllers with said bundles, makes this doorbuster deal seem more likely. It's still crazy to hand out a $50 video game with $20 worth of clothes.[26]
Plus, you can use a code that comes with the game and pay a $10 fee to make all of the tracks in Lego Rock Band playable in Rock band 2.[12] Rock Band ends up being a tremendous investment, considering the cost of the instruments, the game itself, and the huge assortment of songs. Because I love the series, I don't mind it, but let's face it: downloading all the DLC to this point would run you more than $1,500. Lee: And that is money in the bank for the company, but it only makes it more profitable for them to increase the quality of the content. Shaun: That number makes me cry, but luckily, I don't have a great interest in the majority of the DLC.[1] The special value edition also includes a Logitech microphone and the game software. Considering "The Beatles: Rock Band" software alone sells for over $45 and the Beatles branded instruments sell separately for $99 each, this would seem to be a good way to pick up an early Christmas bargain. Or a nice present for yourself.[27] The next two months will be crucial for The Beatles: Rock Band in particular, said Viacom, as the company prepares to to pump more marketing dollars into the game during the busy Christmas sales period. "We had a great launch of The Beatles product," said Daumann, but "obviously at this time of year we await the holiday season to begin as the month of November unfolds.[18] "The economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving, though not as quickly as we'd like," Viacom CEO Philippe Daumann stated in an investor conference call. "We had a great launch of The Beatles product but obviously at this time of year we await the holiday season to begin as the month of November unfolds.[28] Viacom has revealed its Rock Band franchise is still losing money, despite the release of The Beatles Rock Band earlier this year. In its recent quarterly earnings report (courtesy of the LA Times ), Viacom revealed that the Rock Band series is yet to prove to be profitable for the company.[20]
Harmonix and MTV Games owner Viacom has said sales of the Rock Band franchise are improving - though not at a pace that meets expectations. Rock Band hit margins at the company's Media Networks group during its third quarter ended September, although Viacom said that it expects the franchise to finally break even or become "slightly profitable" in Q4 if sales are good through Christmas.[18] I wrote up a piece covering the economics of Rock Band. Viacom is referring to the overall Rock Band series and how it's been a challenge trying to get it to profitability. They likely will be profitable by 2010, but so far, considering they generated over a billion dollars in retail sales, they still haven't made money yet. It's impossible that the franchise as a whole hasn't generated a profit. I think his comments are misquoted or misinterpreted. They've had 7+ mil in sales for the original two titles alone. Even if you count those as disc only sales, that's a lot of money on games that, realistically, probably don't have astronomical dev costs.[11]
The big problem is that making the plastic guitars, drums and microphones is expensive. The company's plan, it seems, revolves around getting those controllers as many into people's homes as possible, then selling them future games in the franchise that cost both the company and the consumer less. To that end, both Rock Band 2 and Beatles: Rock Band are compatible with older controllers on the same platform, but it seems to be a pretty long-term strategy.[29] The price for "The Beatles Rock Band: Special Value Edition" has dropped to only $99 at Amazon.com. Unlike the much more expensive limited edition bundle, this version has a Rock Band branded guitar and drum kit, as opposed to the Beatles instruments in the limited edition version. That limited edition bundle will also cost you $140 more.[27] Amazon has the 'The Beatles: Rock Band' for $159.99 $60 instant savings + free shipping = $99.99 shipped! It's available for the Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 and includes a Rock Band Guitar, Rock Band Drum Kit, Microphone, Guitar Strap and The Beatles: Rock Band software.''[30] '''Lego Rock Band''' just hit shelves for the XBOX 360, PS3, and Wii for $50.[31] LEGO Rock Band is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and various incarnations of the DS.[10]
The Beatles: Rock Band Xbox 360 SKU sold 254,000 units to rank No. 5 in overall game sales for the month.[32] The above theory comes into question since we don't exactly know what Harmonix spends in acquiring the rights for each song and what the returns are per each DLC sale (How much goes to HMX, the Labels, and even the bands themselves). I doubt Lego Rock Band is going to help sales. they've done shit to promote it.[11] Black Friday is fast approaching and the first stampede-inducing details are surfacing. Old Navy is really taking it to the next level this holiday season by bundling clothes with videogames. As part of their Gobblepalooza Black Friday sales event, if you spend $20 on clothes, you'll get a free copy of LEGO Rock Band, which was released on Nov 2.[33] In the Black Friday ad uncovered by blackfriday.info, it appears that Old Navy will give you a copy of LEGO Rock Band for free if you spend $20 in their store on the biggest shopping day of the year.[34] Dude, this is like buying LEGO Rock Band for $20 and getting some clothes for free.[34] According to the ad, the retailer will be offering free "Lego Rock Band video games" with purchases of $20 or greater on Friday, November 27.[26]
Playing the deceptively tricky song was a great opportunity to see Lego Rock Band's approach to failure: Songs don't end when you play poorly, you simply enter into a mini-game where you hit notes to collect Lego studs rather than score points.[15] While the mystery set list may set your kids up with one of Rock Band's more difficult downloadable songs, you won't catch your kids singing "Sir Psycho Sexy" while playing Lego Rock Band, to say nothing of "Gay Bar."[15] LEGO Rock Band includes some amazing, chart-topping songs and classic faves that are good for both adults and kids to rock out to.[5] Interactive has released LEGO Rock Band, much to the delight of kids and adults alike - assuming the game is good, of course.[10]
Even after Activision and Vicarious Visions attacked the portable with an innovative way of getting Guitar Hero on the handheld, Harmonix's design continued to avoid being seen on the Nintendo portable. Perhaps it was biding its time, but with LEGO Rock Band the rhythm design has finally strutted onto the dual screen system. It is good.[9] In the time it took Harmonix to release three major Rock Band titles (including Beatles Rock Band), Guitar Hero has released about 300 entries. Hell, in the five minutes you have been reading this, more Guitar Hero titles are littering your store shelves. It just never stops, but instead of growing in popularity, this oversaturation appears to be doing the exact opposite.[1]
Isn't the lack of sales due to market saturation? A lot of people already own Rock Band (or some version of Guitar Hero).[14] Viacom has previously described sales of The Beatles: Rock Band as ‘terrific’ - despite its resounding defeat at the hands of Guitar Hero 5 in the charts.[28]
Lee: I loved singing the James Bond Theme in one of the later Guitar Heroes. Really, playing those multiplayer Guitar Hero versions made me miss Rock Band. They tried so hard to copy the style, but they missed out.[1] If anything, Rock Band and Guitar Hero have contributed in a huge way to kids wanting to pick up and learn instruments.[1]
Two, the game now includes "Rock Power Challenges," in which the entire band shares one performance meter, and the different sections drop in and out, putting each player on the spot. It's an interesting feature but nothing terribly revolutionary; in comparison to the clever multiplayer modes in Guitar Hero 5, for example, it feels a bit lackluster.[35] Band Hero is, essentially, a modified version of Guitar Hero 5, fine-tuned to fit a younger demographic. Most of the games in the series have carried a Teen rating, but Band Hero is the first to dip into the E10+ category, which should please parents and younger players who couldn't get into harder songs such as "Through the Fire and Flames" and "Judith".[16] You'd also only be able to export 23% of the total library of songs to Guitar Hero 5. I find this idea worse than Band Hero. I find this game to be a response to Band Hero, but with Legos so it at least has SOME originality to it. That being I'll still buy since I am in fact, a sucker for Legos.[36] Almost. If those songs don't suffice, you have the option of adding more. Guitar Hero World Tour's downloadable content is compatible with Band Hero, along with select songs from that game, Smash Hits and Guitar Hero 5 (for a small fee). Several guest artists also appear in the game, including Taylor Swift (who performs two of her hit songs - she's pretty, but "Love Story" feels way out of place here) and No Doubt (who are currently suing Activision for unlicensed Avatar use). Their presence doesn't really leave a lasting effect like Johnny Cash and Carlos Santana do in Guitar Hero 5. (We will admit, though, Taylor is definitely hot in digital form.)[16]
At its core, the game is the same as '''Rock Band''' or '''Guitar Hero;''' gamers use authentic-looking peripherals to hits the right notes at the right times.[31]
Now, the note charts are as good as you'd expect from a Rock Band game; the tracks emphasize fun over challenge (which is just fine by me) and more often than not do a nice job of delivering the feel of pounding on big power chords or shuffling along on the drums, even at "medium" difficulty.[35] Then why the family version? Your family already owns a version of Rock Band. At its core, the game plays exactly like Rock Band.[8] The Old Navy/ Rock Band promotional goodness doesn't stop there. It looks like you'll be able to just head into the store on Thanksgiving (yes, they'll be open at noon on Thursday) and play the game if you want; no purchase necessary.[34]
In the past year and a half of DLC, Rock Band has avoided that almost entirely. Shaun: And question some of the downloadable content if you will, but the fact is that they are keeping up with it very frequently, like they promised. No other current generation game supports their titles after release like Rock Band.[1]
Shaun: Bash my head in with my old, incompatible Rock Band 2 guitar. Chris: Either way, RB (with some original help from GH) took music games into the mainstream unlike anything else we've seen to this point.[1] The game supports the use of Rock Band controllers as well as other music game controllers.[5]
The game's soundtrack comes stuffed with classic tunes that parents will dig, too: Iggy Pop, Queen, the Police and Elton John, for starters. More interesting is the fact that this game also gives kids an opportunity to rifle through their parents' previously downloaded Rock Band songs the squeaky-clean stuff, at least.[15] LEGO Rock Band features a similar scoring structure to the actual Rock Band, including the five-star system that grows as you play the song successfully.[9] In the old days, kids had to rifle through their parents' dusty record collection to discover new and dangerous music. Now, they've only got to play Lego Rock Band.[15] For Lego Rock Band, even when you log in with a different account, the approved DLC is available via quick play, during the build-your-own setlist and when playing a mystery setlist.[15] The opening cutscene plays off the Rock Band start, with a band playing on a bus, though, of course, everything and everyone is built from LEGO bricks.[21]
Thankfully you can export the tracklist from LEGO Rock Band and play it in Rock Band 2, though it'll cost you an additional $10.[8]
Interactive) have teamed up to blend the same entertaining LEGO bricks and studs with the similar video-game handling of the previous LEGO games, but also mix in a dose of the wildly popular music-game genre'specifically Rock Band 'to create the interesting LEGO Rock Band.[21] "I'm so sick of these corny games. LEGO Rock Band's very existence is something that both the Joystiq staff and community couldn't help but question.[36] LEGO Rock Band adds a Super Easy difficulty mode, which adds to the game's kid-friendly appeal.[21]
Combining two of the most popular videogame brands, LEGO Rock Band pairs the fun, customization and humor of LEGO videogames with the multiplayer music experience pioneered by Rock Band.[4] It'''s more fun to play for an hour or two and break up than try to learn how to play an instrument, form a band, write songs, etc. Not so much heartbreak and drama. Chris: It's just not as much fun. Rock Band emphasizes the co-op elements that really bring together a '''band,''' like saving someone when they fail or combining overdrive into a huge multiplier.[1] Like Rock Band, you play by hitting the notes in time to the rhythm of the song – each note is a button on the system: Left and Up on the D-pad, X and A on the buttons.[9]
The gameplay is familiar if you've played Rock Band before, with the ability to 'free play' any song; practice songs or song segments; and also get tutorials, if you're new or need a refresher.[21] Shaun: Yeah, with a bunch of solid songs and more achievements, Rock Band 3 will pretty much be a guaranteed purchase for me, especially now that I have the instruments. Lee: As long as they don't make the old instruments incompatible with new systems I think this series will be long-lived. Seriously, those things are expensive.[1]
Chris: Well, one of the main songs I wanted to see in Rock Band, even though the bass guitar is iffy, is The Final Countdown.[1] Not sure yet if that's 50 copies for each system, I just found out about it today. They'll also be selling the regular Rock Band 2 games, for all systems, with an exclusive guitar.[34] While it was a good game, it did not allow for a great multiplayer experience. That gameplay came about in Rock Band, which allowed for up to four players to pretend they were stars.[1] T hen there's the Lego aspect. Lego Rock Band is loaded with cute little mini-figures (many in the likeness of popular musicians, such as Blur) and lots of Lego vehicles--including vans, helicopters, planes, and hovercraft--to ferry them to their gigs. Players will also spend plenty of time buying bricks assembled to resemble drums, fire hydrants, and other items, then placing them around their customizable "rock den."[12] I'm left wondering who Lego Rock Band is really for. It seems to be trying to cater to everyone, but it ends up simply unfocused, and occasionally outright sloppy. It doesn't actively offend, but it's nowhere near a must-have, even for serious music-game fans.[35] "We expect it to break even or be slightly profitable in the fourth quarter from a margin point of view," added Dooley. "It really depends on how many units we sell in the holiday season." According to the report, Rock Band dragged down its division's operating margin from 40 percent to 36 percent. CEO Philippe Dauman said that soft sales of other products offset Beatles ' launch, which he described as "great" and said "the economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving" -- but added that improvements are not coming "as quickly as we'd like."[14] Having said that, Beatles Rock Band is apparently doing reasonably well - "the economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving, though not as quickly as we'd like", said Viacom's CEO, Philippe Daumann.[29] Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman told USA Today the "economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving, though not as quickly as we'd like." There's still hope that Rock Band could at least break even or show a small profit, though Viacom CFO Tom Dooley said that will depend entirely on the franchise's performance this holiday season.[11] "The economics of our Rock Band franchise are improving, though not as quickly as we'd like," admitted Philippe Daumann, CEO of Viacom in a conference call to investors.[18]
Gamespot.com has posted an article in which Viacom has called out MTV and Harmonix for not being profitable during a 3rd quarter earnings report. The early strong sales of The Beatles: Rock Band did manage to offset some of Viacom's shrinking revenue for other segments of it's Media Networks division, though as a whole the franchise has not been profitable for the corporation. Viacom did state that they expect the franchise to break even or become slightly profitable in the 4th quarter based on holiday sales.[19] Considering that The Beatles - Rock Band was the 2nd best-selling title in September, I don't know why everybody is poo-pooing the sales. Is only the number 1 selling title allowed to be considered a success? If it fell short of analysts predictions, well, that's why they are analysts. They are notoriously wrong.[14] The Beatles Rock Band may be selling well, but I think Viacom was hoping for a much bigger hit, based on the enduring popularity of the band.[11]
The game will also be supported by the Rock Band Store's regular release of weekly content as well, with some tunes already ready for purchase.[10] The kiosk with the playable Rock Band 2 game should be up on Black Friday along with Turkey Day, as I have volunteered myself to do that instead of ringing up tons of $5 fleece.[34] In the new offer, The Beatles: Rock Band Value Edition PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii SKU are price cut to $99.99, 38 percent off the $159.99 MSRP.[32] The only new customers that are going to be attracted to Beatles Rock Band are, frankly, older, and not a major game-buying demographic (with the exception of the Wii Fit).[14]
Anything that gets non-musical people interested in music is wonderful." Of course, that sparked some media attention, and one Rock Band spokesperson came out and released this statement: '''We'''re working closely with The Who on what'''s next, but don'''t have anything new to announce at this time.'''[25] In my opinion, music is our last true great freedom. They can burn our books, they can burn our paintings, but they can't stop us singing and making music." After the interview had been published and word had spread a bit more, an official Rock Band spokesperson was forced to announce the following:'' "We're working closely with The Who on what's next, but don't have anything new to announce at this time."[37]
BURBANK, Calif.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Get ready to build a band and rock the universe with LEGO Rock Band, the multiplayer music videogame that will have the entire family drumming, strumming and rocking to the beat.[4] With LEGO Rock Band, the companies are offering a 'family-friendly' version of Rock Band with some twists.[21] LEGO Rock Band is also a full-band experience, so you can literally band together with friends to play as a quartet comprised of a drummer, guitarist, bass guitarist and vocalist.[21] Get ready to become a rocker in your very own home with LEGO Rock Band and play your way to musical stardom as you work through local venues, stadiums and fantasy locations around the world and beyond.[5]
On a final note, the name of my LEGO Rock Band band is "Unicorn Brick Foetus," a take on our Rock Band band, "Unicorn Death Foetus" (only with more umlauts).[23] The obvious difference in '''Lego Rock Band''' is the colored notes are actually little legos, as are the on screen musicians.[31]
Lego Rock Band is taking care of that for me, so I'd have to pick something new.[1] If you already have Rock Band 2 DLC some of it works for LEGO Rock Band, which definitely helps keep the repetitiveness down.[8] LEGO Rock Band is compatible with most third party instrument controllers and microphones.[3] A pair of jeans and a graphic t-shirt? Free LEGO Rock Band ! While supplies last, of course, and with Old Navy opening up at a ridiculous 3 o'clock in the morning, you should psych yourself up accordingly.[34] If you like it, you can buy a copy of Rock Band 2 right there in the store and get a guitar for free.[34] If you buy Rock Band 2 you'll get a free Rock Band guitar, though the ad states "supplies are very limited."[33]
While "Hard" and "Expert" are still aptly named, playing on "Easy" or "Medium" feels even easier and, uh, medium-er than regular Rock Band. Which, if you've ever compared Rock Band to Guitar Her o, is saying something.[13] Why? Because we already posted it last week. It goes on for awhile, and it's pretty great, an interesting homage and take on the intros to both Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2. That's Korn's cover of Cameo's "Word Up!" playing at the title screen.[23] Harmonix, Rock Band and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., an MTV Networks company.[4] Although, given the number of massive titles being released between now and the end of the year, bringing the Rock Band franchise into the black isn't going to be an easy task.[24] Rock Band is QUITE successful, especially when you factor in DLC, but it hasn't quite been half a billion dollars successful. At least not yet. Considering that the bulk of the article is about RB:Beatles, I'd assume that is what he actually means, not the franchise as a whole (rb1/2/beatles/mobile/etc). THey paid The Beatles a HUGE sum of money for the rights to their music/likenesses.[11] Sales figures for The Beatles: Rock Band look healthy, and more DLC should come out.[24] I'll wait until I can pick it up for ''20, export the tracks to Rock Band 2 then never play it. I guess it can still be over priced for you but logically it's more of a Half off track pack sale.[36] I guess you have to have a kid at home who really loves to watch Rock Band, but isn't quite coordinated enough to PLAY Rock Band, to really appreciate the idea.[36]
There are also the usual music game modes: Free Play, Story Mode (in which you, having just seen Queen on TV, decide to start your own band), and Rock Power Challenges that'll test your skills. It's just that the game has been thoroughly LEGOized for your pleasure.[13] A free play mode lets you play all of the songs in different venues either by yourself or with friends. This is a music game that families of teens and tweens can enjoy together. It is purposely easy to play and creates a no-fail environment by offering a recovery mode when you mess up. While seasoned players can rock out on the Expert level, newbies playing with them will like the thoughtful options of making a song shorter and choosing to have the kick drum play automatically.[2]
What'll really help bring the youngest members of the family on stage is the new '''super easy mode,''' where players just have to hit any button in sync with the colors to make music. There are also more traditional video game features to help hold on to those with short attention spans ''' challenges like needing to wreck a lego building by completing a song. Completing a song will also earn gamers new lego pieces in order to better customize their characters.[31] Game Description: This family-friendly installment of the massively popular music franchise delivers all of the rock stardom goodness that has come to define the series with the added style and humor of a LEGO video game. New additions include over-the-top music challenges that require players to harness their inner rock for maximum destruction.[13]
LEGO ROCK BANDvideo game (excluding LEGO assets) 2009 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Nintendo DS sku developed by Backbone Entertainment.[4]
I really want the brand to live on. I think Harmonix has done something amazing in their approach to interactive music. Given the amount of money I've spent on DLC over the past couple years, I assumed they were raking in the dough. As the rhythm game popularity seemed to crest, and stories like this one started popping up, it made grim sense. They may well be raking in the dough, but they just might not be raking in enough. Mr. Bungo hit a key point as to why profits may not be exactly what Viacom had been expecting, but I'm pretty sure there are other aspects that go into it as well, and they falls under the DLC catagory. While DLC sales have been, for the most part, better than I believe most people expected, they still come at a cost.[11] Factor in all the track packs, which are just pressing DLC onto a disc and now all the mobile versions, which are just ports. They would have shut that shit down by now otherwise. Mr. Bungo hit a key point as to why profits may not be exactly what Viacom had been expecting, but I'm pretty sure there are other aspects that go into it as well, and they falls under the DLC catagory. While DLC sales have been, for the most part, better than I believe most people expected, they still come at a cost.[11]
In deference to the impatience of youngsters, you can now play short versions of all the songs in most modes. These shortened versions aren't artfully edited down; instead, the songs hit a certain point and then just fade out awkwardly. These games are made with multi-track master recordings of the original songs; surgically shortening them would have been both possible and worth the effort. Of course, the important part of any music game is the actual play-along gameplay -- both the track list and how well the tunes are adapted for plastic instruments. [35] All of the familiar gameplay features from Guitar Hero 5 are carried over. You can still drop in and out of a song at any time, use any instrument you please (even if this means going at it with four drummers at once), and take part in co-op and versus multiplayer sessions, both off-line and through Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. The same party games are included, and they still work very well, although Activision sorely missed an opportunity to add family-specific ones exclusively to this game.[16] The blockheads from Checkpoint take a look back on the first two iterations of the game, as well as what the RB series has done better than Guitar Hero in the past three years. This time around, the One-Uppers mostly agree on everything, but one of them may be a casualty by next week. Read on, and don't mourn the missing links they'll be back next week.[1]
Stupid comment system, for a reply to Crayfish's comment strand. They need to slow down with these games before they kill the genre completely. I mean seriously, how many GH and RB games were released in the last 3 years? They're over-saturating the market. If EA/HMX would put more effort into the european market or anything besides U.S. they'd be doing better. - We got Rockband like what? A year later? - We get Beatles DLC a week later. - EU Beatles servers are down for a week now with no response from HMX. If you constantly keep screwing your overseas stuff up, no wonder you'll never win over those Guitar Hero fans.[11]
Chris: Right. Both GH and RB have had that element the guitar sends out feedback when you miss notes, the drums sound like frame hits and the singer well, you can just hear how awful the singer is on his or her own. Shaun: Well, for me, the Guitar Hero series started its downhill descent with Guitar Hero III (which, coincidentally, is the first GH that Harmonix did not work on).[1] As you perform, you'll notice that Band Hero is a little more lenient in note hitting than Guitar Hero was. This is good for younger players who might've gotten frustrated keeping up with the tempo of a song. On the flip side, however, veterans will wonder just how they managed to get through "In a Big Country" on expert, outside of sheer luck.[16] We aren't dismissing Band Hero completely. If you haven't played the latest Guitar Hero or are looking for something that all ages of players can get into, it's a respectable choice. Its mostly flat song list and almost complete lack of anything significantly new may have you feeling a sense of deja vu that can't be shaken.[16]
Shaun: As a fan, I want to see the inevitable Rock Band 3 release with triple the songs the first two installments did. [1] Here's what I'm saying -- Cameo's "Word Up!" is an awesome freakin' song, and if it takes Korn's relatively faithful cover of the track to get it into Rock Band, so be it.[23] I might actually start using it more than Rock Band 2 if I could have the full library (including the RB2 songs themselves).[23]
The company has lost money on the Rock Band games, largely due to the costs involved in manufacturing the game controllers.[20] Backbone was the team responsible for Rock Band Unplugged, a game that IGN editor Greg Miller reviewed and gave it an impressive 8.2 out of 10 score.[9]
Lego Rock Band is a bit of an odd experiment. At its core, it's exactly Rock Band, with only two notable additions.[35] Rock Band heads into a strange dimension with this week's release of Lego Rock Band for a variety of systems.[1] Singing is done by using a special microphone that records pitch and vocals. Lego Rock Band follows this popular method of musical gaming.[2] Queen axe-man Brian May has revealed that he demanded that his Lego Rock Band avatar get his permed hair just right.[38] Most recent contributions for LEGO Rock Band : Loading contributions.[9] No word on whether you'll just be getting a voucher or if there will actually be stacks of LEGO Rock Band sitting in each store, but the fine print reads "while supplies last" and "your preferred platform may not be available."[33]
The owner of MTV and developer Harmonix has stated that the financial outlook for its Rock Band series is rosier than it once was - though Viacom does admit that progress has been slower than it might have hoped.[28] The next 4-6 weeks will be crucial in making that determination, as Viacom plans to heavily push The Beatles: Rock Band through out the holiday season.[19] During a conference call, Viacom chief financial officer, Tom Dooley, said, " Rock Band was a negative contributor to margins in the third quarter.[24] Viacom has admitted that its Rock Band series is still not making any cash - on the contrary, it's losing the company money.[29]
Even though John, Paul, George and Ringo have been rocking the disc tray of your favorite console with The Beatles: Rock Band, its expectation-exceeding sales haven't helped boost overall Rock Band sales.[11] The company chose to release two The Beatles: Rock Band packages -- one instrument bundle and one software-only.[14] My gf got me the Beatles Rock Band LE for my b-day and I went out and bought RB 1 & 2 because of it.[11] Seriously, as much as I would like to believe that they would have countless amounts of Rock Band for everyone at Old Navy, highly recommend that everyone either get there VERY early. Guessing they're only have 10 copies at the most per store.[34] You're only saying that because the rest of the gang won't let you and Kwame play Rock Band.[36] No-fail gameplay easier for kids and newbies; more humor than in Rock Band; "The Final Countdown."[35] I loved the first three GH's, but World Tour was a mess and I won't even touch 5. It is a little surprising on the numbers when they say Rock Band isn't profitable.[19] Shaun: Our Stalin4Gary logo is pretty great as wella panda riding a bicycle. I also think it's important to point out that Rock Band seems to have the better business strategy.[1] As you can see, setting up a band/character is more or less the same as Rock Band 2.[23] Players get it: We're not actually in a rock band. That's not the damn point.[1]
You can form a band with up to three other players using a drum controller, two guitar controllers and a compatible USB microphone. The instruments don't come bundled with this game; you will need to buy the peripherals separately.[2] You even get to meet rock legends David Bowie, Blur and others, all depicted as Lego characters. In the story mode, your playing well earns star ratings and Lego studs (the currency in this game).[2] The game also features blocky versions of some rock stars, most notably the aforementioned Queen. While none of this seems inappropriate for little kids, we doubt most six-year-olds will find LEGO versions of Iggy Pop or David Bowie as hilariously odd as adults will.[13] Using the power of rock to bring down a Lego building scheduled for destruction or drum up a rain cloud for a farmer's field of bright yellow Lego corn--just a couple of the game's dozen or so rock challenges; a new feature for the series--is a blast.[12]
The game features "Rock Power Challenges," music video-like song instances that have you using the power of rock to do things like demolish a building or rid a haunted house of ghosts.[23] The Story mode also offers you Rock Power Challenges, which are like the normal song play, but with the potential for more studs and fans earned. They're also an opportunity to get a bigger taste of the LEGO presentation, because each challenge has a little story built in, such as helping construction workers demolish a condemned building (with the power of rock) or defeating a giant octopus that threatens that particular gig.[21]
This game looks alright; however, I feel like it could have easily become a track pack for users who don't want to spend 60+ dollars to get songs with dancing lego characters.[13] An excellent track list, and excellent sound quality for DS streaming audio that's segmented into four different tracks. You won't feel like you're playing in a band, but this is still one hell of a fun button-based rhythm game.[9] For Steve Landes, a member of the touring Beatles tribute band Rain, being John Lennon is more than picking up a guitar and playing the band's songs. It is, he said, an act of transformation. "It's challenging, because we are musicians," he said in a recent telephone interview from College Station, Texas. "Replicating those records, that's our focus, and is, in itself, a feat." Mr. Landes said that donning suits and moptops helps but that subtle mannerisms must be mastered because they affect the audience's perception and, quite often, the songs. "It's important to remember that these are real-life characters, people the audience knows like the back of their hand," he said. "It also is important to the songs.[39] Most bands, Mr. Landes said, were writing simple love songs, trite and to the point. The Beatles, he said, wrote pop songs about yearning for the past, mortality and leaving home. He said he often refers to the band as a musical Trojan horse. "They sucked you in with those tunes and the occasional simple love song," he said. "Then, once you were hooked, they gave you all the sex, drugs and philosophy." He said it's that dichotomy, the idea of abstract ideas delivered in pretty, three-minute boxes, that makes playing Beatles tunes so appealing. He said there's immediacy in delivering the songs live, in watching people respond, that makes the time, effort and wearing of wigs all worthwhile. "I mean, the records are still all out there," he said.[39]
My parents. "I was up in boarding school when they were playing one time. I didn'''t actually see them live. I would absolutely love to have seen them." His girlfriend, however did see The Beatles. "She saw them in Denmark. She'''s Danish and she saw them when she was very, very young, 12 I think. She said it was all screaming. She wanted everybody to shut up, she couldn'''t hear the songs." Hearing the songs is not a problem these days as fans young and old will discover when The Bootleg Beatles stop off at Birmingham NIA on Wednesday, December 16, on their annual Christmas tour.[40]
The Beatles suck! I'm an "older" gamer - yes I remember Pong being new, and yes I did get an atari2600 in 1979 for xmas, and I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and Megadeth. Beatles fans are really old - like even older than me - and I can't see the 50something crowd running to Gamestop to get their Fab Four Fix. The little success the game had even shocked me as I predicted this to flop.[24]
Here you can make your band out of collected LEGO body parts. You'll also build your venues as you unlock them – they're automatically constructed by the on-screen LEGO dude in nearly the exact same way that objects are built in the LEGO action games like Batman, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars.[9] I don't see the big deal about this being aimed for kids, wasn't the first LEGO Star Wars game aimed for kids? This just seems like a game that the whole family can enjoy, and the game designers obviously knew this and catered to their audience. In your cons you mentioned that "not all kids want to play kiddie games" that is in no way a con to this particular game. If that is the case then for every game you would have include this; Call of Duty cons "not all gamers like shooters." Granted that is exaggerated but still its the same premise. It just seems that you are blaming the game for being something that it is trying to be, and it brings up a bigger issues of when reviewing games how much should the reviewer compare it to other games.[13]
After creating a band, the game launches into a pretty cute cut-scene showing some band try-outs with various LEGO figures.[23] In it, you design your own band members using Lego blocks and then rock out throughout the universe. You can explore this mode alone or with friends.[2] Band Hero is an entertaining all-ages rock machine, but it definitely feels like a repeat performer.[16] Earlier today, I gave you a taste of Band Hero, and proceeded to bare my soul to the Internet as I tried to convince everyone (and myself) that it's okay to like Maroon 5 songs.[23] Most of Band Hero's selections consist of radio hits and pop songs, although there are a few 80's gems worth uncovering.[16] When you perform a successful string of notes, you'll be rewarded with a purple colored note – hit that note and you'll make that band member happy. That's when you change instruments to work on the next band member. When all members are happy, it's all about maintaining their happiness; switch to the band member that's flashing, because if he fails out, the happiness indicator resets and you'll have to start fresh during the song to make them happy again.[9]
The above theory comes into question since we don't exactly know what Harmonix spends in acquiring the rights for each song and what the returns are per each DLC sale (How much goes to HMX, the Labels, and even the bands themselves).[11] No way the original games haven't turned a profit by now though. I'm curious if they will ever reveal what the average people have spent on DLC. I know I'm over $150 spent on DLC and I'm certain there's many of you who have spent more. As stated by Strike Man, the costs in acquiring Harmonix, and the bonuses paid to them after RB1's strong sales go a long way to offsetting profits.[11]
I believe in my case which may be the case in others is boosting RB sales. I think others that get this game first wil go back and get at least RB 2 for obvious reasons but unlike me will probably just rent RB 1 for the song transfer not purchase it.[11]
There was no reason to make a band kit for it either. One pro to this game is that it has the potential to bring in a new, mainly older, group of people into the party game genre.[24] There's something awfully familiar about Band Hero. This isn't an entirely new game in the series, despite the name and jazzed-up presentation.[16] There's something awfully familiar about Band Hero. That leads us to the game's 65-song set list, and here's where the line will be drawn between fans and the intended "tween" crowd.[16]
Guitar Hero started it all, and the first two games were fun, but Activision made a huge mistake splitting apart from Harmonix.[1] There's been too many Guitar Hero and Rockband games and track packs all over the place.[14]
You're performing on a concert stage in the middle of a park, or following Avril Lavigne's path of success by rocking out in a mall. They're not bad, but long-time Guitar Hero players may snicker at the thought of taking part in a Live Aid-style benefit concert. They just want to rock, man.[16] Lego Ghost Busters of course would be the same as Lego: Guitar Hero but you get to play as the original cast of Ghost Busters and Bono.[36] Big questions have been asked about the music genre in recent times, with the boom experienced upon the rise in popularity of Guitar Hero having been offset by falling sales as customers think harder about paying out big money for expensive peripherals.[28] Viacom heads also stated how the relationship between Activision and Harmonix could garner royalties should the Guitar Hero franchise have a strong showing.[19]
Harmonix had some success before with other music/rhythm games, like Frequency and Amplitude. This was different because it had something tangible. I really feel like that works against these ideas like Project Natal, where there's nothing connecting you to the interface in a game. Holding that plastic guitar or hammering away on drums is a huge part of this experience.[1] Mike Snider began covering the video game industry during the Super Nintendo-Sega Genesis clash in 1992. An original pinball wizard, he eventually was seduced by Robotron: 2084 and Tempest. These days he is a fan of action/shooters and lives out his Keith Moon fantasies playing a mean drum kit on music games.[17] Don't play a college football video game go tryout, you lazy ass. Lee: I can get behind that playing this game is not the same as playing an instrument (except maybe the drums). It is not supposed to be.[1]
The game is developed by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix for the Xbox 360'' video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION''3 computer entertainment system and Wii''' home videogame console.[22] The new family-friendly rhythm action game from Traveller's Tales and Harmonix came out Tuesday for the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3.[15]
"I don'''t think The Beatles maybe would even have thought that. They'''re as popular as ever and every year there'''s new material, with the box sets and the Beatles video game." In a classic British understatement he says: "It doesn'''t harm the Bootleg Beatles at all because it brings this stuff to a young audience. [40] MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry.[28] Chad Sapieha has been covering the video game industry in print and broadcast since 1997. He began writing about games for The Globe and Mail in 2004.[12]
Brett Molina has been writing about video games for USA TODAY since 2005. He is well-versed in Madden NFL, the fighting genre and first-person shooters. The first video game he played was Asteroids at a local arcade. He has been hooked ever since.[17]
Most of the cost is licensing. The Beatles cost them 50mil for music rights alone. I would say that easily more than the first two games combined and probably more than all that plus all the DLC. I think they said they were putting 50mil into advertising for the Beatles and considering how little advertising there was for the first two games, it's safe to assume that also dwarfs the other games combined.[11] Same with "Let's Dance" and "Free Fallin'." In most cases the note charts are as accurate as they could be -- it's the actual music that's boring to play. The game definitely includes some standouts: Sum 41's "In Too Deep" is surprisingly entertaining, as is "The Final Countdown." (Really!) Even "Summer of '69" is fun in its simplicity.[35] MTV: Music Television, MTV Games and all related titles and logos are trademarks of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and the Knob configurations and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. 2009 The LEGO Group.[4] LEGO has teamed with Traveller's Tales to create a bunch of LEGO-centric games focusing on prominent film heroes (such as Indiana Jones and Batman). The titles have been fun for their creative license with the movie properties, but also build in a lot of satire and comedy from a bunch of familiar characters that mumble unintelligibly, though with strong emotion and reaction in their gibberish and movements. And, of course, there's the fact that all of the characters and world terrain are constructed with LEGO bricks and'studs,' and they very often blast apart into individual parts when in combat.[21] TT Games ( www.ttgames.com ) is the combined publishing and development group behind the hit games LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Batman: The Videogame, LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and BIONICLE Heroes. Incorporating renowned UK developer Traveller's Tales, TT Games has a distinctive focus on console, handheld, mobile and PC games of the highest quality, aimed at young gamers and their families.[4]
In what's undoubtedly an odd partnership on paper, four groups (LEGO, Traveller's Tales, Harmonix, MTV Games and Warner Bros.[21]
"I think my Lego character is wonderful. I want one," he said, according to BangShowBiz.com "We had discussions about the hair, there were a few emails. They had to negotiate to use my likeness, but it's a nice thing." That's May's plasticy perm above, depicted with Lego Freddy Mercury in the game. May said a jealous Joe Elliott, the Def Leppard singer, called him up to complain that he didn't get a minifig version. "Joe Elliott rang me up and said he was pissed off because they didn't make one of him," May said.[41] I'm looking for something for my young niece and she loves the Lego bands. but that "terrorist band" comment makes me think that even the DS version might not be rated E.[23] From the LEGO version of the snarling tiger on the main menu screen, to the animated cut scenes showing the misadventures of your band and roadies, to the little LEGO versions of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. It's all so damn cute.[8]
As for Lego RB it really doesn't appeal to me but I am not a child or have any so I do not know which would be more appealing to that audience Lego RB or Band hero.[11] Viacom's chief financial officer, Tom Dooley, admitted in a quarterly earnings report that "Rock Band was a negative contributor to margins in the third quarter". He added: "We expect it to break even or be slightly profitable in the fourth quarter from a margin point of view. It really depends on how many units we sell in the holiday season".[29]
As easily predicted, the product continues to be a great success. That's not hard to do when the entire game is fully packed with The Beatles's extensive catalog. Who's up next? Word on the street says it's the band, The Who. "The game, yeah, yeah, they're going to be doing a Who one next year. [37] In the past 30 years the show has grown into a two-hour, multi-media experience, with the band, supported by a small orchestra and a plethora of video screens telling the Beatles story from the Cavern, via Sergeant Pepper and on to the famous rooftop mini-concert on the roof of the Apple building in London. It's had the critics falling over themselves to heap praise on the fake four, with the Liverpool Echo insisting "this is make-believe land where four characters actually become The Beatles". It's a feeling that, even after 30 years, Harrison can sometimes share.[40]
The challenges can be played again for another big payoff'and to see the fun LEGO-based story again. They're fun as solo gigs, but the best experience comes when players get together as a band, and each player gets separate portions of the song in which to perform.[21]
Some of the game's songs will allow you to choose a shortened version of the track in case you're short on time or have a short attention span.[23] I've bought a few extra tracks, but honestly I'd rather pay for a new version of the game with new tracks already on it.[24]
All of the game's tracks have a "super easy" mode that allows players to strum any note or tap any drum to register a successful hit.[12] What are you waiting for? Watch the video to see what you'd be getting yourself into, and hit the jump for a bullet-point list of notes about the game, because I'm feeling particularly lazy right now.[23]
The Lego theme has even been worked into the game's interface, with flat two-studed bricks used for the notes that scroll down screen.[12] "I'd say about 50 percent of our studio were for the idea, and about 50 percent were against it." Considering the game actually came out ( this week !), it's apparent that the team eventually banded together to finish the project. Why the change of heart, though? "Many of us started realizing that we weren't just skinning one franchise on another," Palmer explained, noting the need to hand animate the blocky Lego celebrity characters to capture their various "signature styles." That's. something.[36] There's just something oddly endearing about the Lego people, and the venues in the game are just awesome.[23] Chris: People will continue to buy games in the GH series (and proclaim it as the better title, which is really a matter of personal preference at best), but having six new GH titles in the past 12 months is flat-out embarrassing. It takes away any potential interest I might have.[1] Trump up the graphics a bit, toss some more songs on the disc, give me a couple new game modes to try out and make me suffer with an even longer Endless Setlist, and I'm good to go.[1] Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games have released a new trailer, featuring the song '''Grace''' by Supergrass, one of the 45 songs included in the game.[22]
A sprinkling of classics from Elton John, The Jackson 5 and Queen round out the setlist, with room for novelty songs like "Kung Fu Fighting" and the theme from "Ghostbusters". Having such a varied setlist is both a blessing and a curse. Everyone is sure to find a couple songs they love in the group (Holy crap, Ghostbusters!), but it's doubtful anyone is going to like all of this (Lostprophets, seriously?). With only 45 songs in the game you'll be playing these tunes over and over and over.[8] Kids, kids, kids. They like games too. It's an okay game but when i'm able to rip it (ps3 owners have to wait til Nov. 12th) i'm trading it in to put the money towards another game. If ALL their songs can be exported, and has a KICKASS set list.[36]
You'll hear the goof-ups, but you'll barely get any sort of sense of accomplishment when everyone's doing well. The game offers a good challenge, but it's not insanely difficult until you crank up the knob to the Expert setting. It's nearly impossible to fail out of a song, but that could be attributed to the fact that this is meant as a younger skewing game.[9] You can no longer fail out of a song: Play badly and you lose your accumulated points, but you just need to play another passage correctly to get back in the game.[35] While you play the songs, background music videos appear featuring Lego musicians of your design.[2] Economic conditions play a role, but other forces are at work that better explain the recent decline in music sub-genre games.[14] In addition to the story mode, the game offers an excellent set of tutorials, voiced by rocker Iggy Pop, that teach you how to play guitar, drums and use a mic.[2] As music plays, the object is to tap colored spots on your controller (a guitar or a drum) to match the ones scrolling down the screen.[2]
Why would you promote us playing your guitar peripheral game without a guitar? Stupid. [1] Without the score, it would just be playing instruments without the game telling you how bad you were. Shaun: Well, the scoring, and earning money for clothes and such.[1] Chris: I agree. That's one thing that's been a big-time benefit so far: Harmonix and Activision, despite their split, have made the games compatible with old instruments as well as ones from the opposite series. A smart move for such a costly piece of plastic.[1]
With the studs you can buy nine cool Lego vehicles to take your band to bigger and better venues, as well as hire staff to help you. [2] Here you get a new "Rock Den," a central hub for all your tour-related needs that can be decorated with cute bits of Lego scenery. Unfortunately this new HQ is more of a pain than anything else.[35] Instead of just jumping into a new gig for your tour, you now have to first load the Rock Den, then load the Tour area, then select your vehicle, then choose your venue.[35]
"We never thought of it being an industry like it is. "It was only when we got this influx of Australian bands like Bjorn Again and The Australian Pink Floyd coming in that it started turning into a whole new genre. [40] We spent a large amount of time on that, and it had nothing to do with our band at all. Vampire rabbit vomiting and shooting fire out of its anus? Sucking the juice out of a carrot? Yep, sounds like the logo for Body Massage Machine.[1]
"George was at the party. He was very natural, very normal, no airs and graces about being a rock star. Actually he was interested in us. That was remarkable to have a guy like George interested in us as people. "We spent a couple of hours on and off chatting to him. He came up with some very funny lines, like '''Which one is the Bootleg Brian Epstein because he'''s got all the money?''' and '''You probably know the chords better than I do, I only played them once'." "It was totally a fluke," insists Harrison.[40] The way you stand, the way you sing, it all becomes a part of it. You are learning who this person is and in doing that, learning why they played the way they did." Mr. Landes said audiences are attracted to groups like Rain because tribute acts remind fans of the relevance and musical invention that make The Beatles an enduring act nearly 40 years after their final release. "You are talking about pop songs, sure, but amazingly well-crafted pop songs," he said. "You are talking about lyrics that mattered, mattered in a way that they hadn't before."[39] The game is rated E10+ for everyone 10 years old and older. Or if the youngest members of the family somehow figure out a way to wrestle full control of the console away from their parents, there is the latest '''Spongebob''' game, '''Spongebob Truth or Square.''' In this version, Spongebob can morph into weapons like a squishy spatula, in order to defeat his enemies. Spongebob has been entrusted with the sacred recipe for Kraby Patties but loses it, and needs to relive the 10 happiest days of his life to help figure out where he left it.[31] The above is actually the second play-through after some technical difficulties, and what you don't see is the game finding and loading all of my DLC. I have a lot. and it took what seemed like forever.[23] Russian chicks put out. The entire existence of this game seems like a grab for shelf space during the holiday rush. Something tells me this had very little to do with the studio WANTING to do it, and more on the hands of the publisher looking for some easy money.[36] The production's a little rough around the edges, but it seems that there's a little more LEGO in this game than the console editions: you can watch your venues being clipped together. Definitely not visually amazing on the surface, but the game's doing a lot on both screens during the action.[9] Eventually. Oddly, one aspect of this game might make things tougher for adults: the funny background videos.[13] Dance Dance Revolution got some cult support, but I've had family members who won't touch video games want to come sing Jimmy Buffett or flail away madly on the drums.[1] And, Follow We Love Hot Deals for blazing hot video game deals.[32] Keep up-to-date with all the latest video game releases! Kidzworld has all the latest games to keep watch for.[5] USA TODAY's blog covers the best in video games and interactive awesomeness.[2]
The Beatles RB is a really great game and thats coming from someone who wasn't even a fan before buying the game. [24] Considering that Beatles fans are primarily one generation behind even the "Pong" generation of gamers I am not shocked. Hopefully this will not dissuade publishers from putting out future band-centric games that will appeal more to gamers.[14]
In fact people are now coming to actually see how it was." While he never saw the Beatles perform, he did once sing with one Beatle and perform for another. "I met Paul back in '68," he says. "I was about 17 and I went and sang carols outside his Dad'''s place in the Wirral, which is where I'''m from, and we knew Paul was staying there. Paul came out with his guitar and he invited everybody in and we sang Beatles songs in his hallway for about 45 minutes. "And then he showed me the chords for a Beatles song called I'''ve Got A Feeling which he'''d just written, which obviously wasn'''t even recorded. I was party to this Beatles song before the world, which was absolutely fantastic for me. "I went back and told all my mates that I'''d met Paul McCartney and he'''d taught me this song and, of course, nobody believed me.[40] Then I'''ve Got A Feeling came out on record and that was my vindication. He crossed paths with McCartney again when The Bootleg Beatles played the Queen'''s Jubilee in 2002. "Paul was there because he was on last, we were on first, and we got a note saying '''Don'''t play Hey Jude'''! And then I met him with Andre who is George Harrison in the Bootleg Beatles, and I was relating this story about having met him when I was a kid.[40]
Guess I know where I'm going. Is this for my system of choice? Not that I play RB, but if it's free who the hell cares? I can't resist a free game.[34] Lee: The ability to get four people into a room and play a game is difficult.[1]
Far more than the other games cost for licensing combined. It's impossible that they haven't broken even on those. They're right at 1.2 mil units sold. If you count all those as disc only sales that puts them right at 75 mil. Good 4th qtr sounds about right for them to break even on that investment.[11] I'd say the reason why it was the 2nd best selling title in September is precisely because it is The Beatles. They are the biggest selling act of the 21st century, 40 years after they broke up. It's not really a surprise it was the 2nd best selling title. If there are any lost sales, it's not because it's The Beatles.[14]
According to NPD results, the bundle and the stand-alone collectively sold 595,000 software-only and instrument-bundled units across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii, a solid launch number, but short of some analysts' million-unit expectations. Those analysts now see an underperforming music genre as an ominous bellwether for holiday sales and as possible evidence of a highly cash-strapped consumer.[14]
When the second best selling title is deemed "disappointing" by some, it most likely has to do with the current economic conditions and the drop-off in music games in general.[14] Minors playing the game still have the chance to stumble upon awesome, ancient music by everyone from Roy Orbison to Mission of Burma.[15]
Backbone Entertainment is a leading developer of downloadable titles for XBLA and PSN, and specializes in clever games based on original and popular gaming franchises.[4] Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.[4]
The game itself is compatible with almost every existing instrument peripheral, a move aimed at selling more software copies at $60 that might otherwise be prohibited by the $100 bundle cost. [14] Shaun: On a quick side note, DJ Hero seems cool, but I already own too many plastic instruments to maintain any sort of dignity, so I will have to pass. Let's hope they keep future releases under control (cough Guitar Hero's 9 million installments cough).[1] Shaun: Oh man, what about in Guitar Hero III, where the campaign took you to places like Hell? Where you got to fight the devil! In Hell!what a horrible excuse for a campaign.[1]
I understand the inclusion of pop tunes like Pink's "So What" and Rascal Flatts' insipid rendition of "Life is a Highway," and I have no problem with the desire to appeal to a wider audience. Many of these songs are simply boring to play. [35] There are plenty of songs for kids to enjoy like Rascal Flatt's version of "Life is a Highway" or "Accidentally in Love" by the Counting Crows: songs that were featured in Disney's Cars, and Dreamworks' Shrek 2, respectively.[8]
You also don't risk failing out or losing studs, as you do at the higher difficulties (though studs lost can be quickly retrieved after successfully playing through a subsequent section). Many songs also offer a shorter version for those with lower attention spans to play.[21] Plus, young ADDers are looked after via a heaping helping of single song set lists as well as the ability to play shortened versions of each song.[12]
As the song plays, you can, at any time, switch to any of the instruments to play any of the parts.[9]
The Balled of Gay Tony has some rhythm based mini games and when you nail it you get to have a very fun time with your rhythm partner in the ladies bathroom.[36] With that in mind, the first time you boot up the game, you might want to bring a book or a handheld along for the ride.[23]
Everyone will enjoy the music and the hilarious Lego guys' antics. This is family fun at its best. [2] Miss too many notes and you lose some LEGO studs, but if you hit the recovery notes, you'll get many of your studs back.[13] All the characters are LEGO people, the notes coming down the fret board are LEGO blocks, and instead of paying you in dollars, you're paid in LEGO studs. Of course, there's a character creation section, though befitting the license, it's a simplified one--you only modify your characters' shirts, pants, heads, and hair--with some rather silly options (two words: "anime buns").[13]
I really like the video effects and it has some interesting challenges. The songs are not complex, but they do present challenges particularly on the higher difficulties. [24] Beatles are quite timeless. Even myself who doesn't listen to much music from previous generations really like this.[14]
SOURCES
1. Checkpoint: Rock Band JackCentral.com - Your online Northern Arizona (and Flagstaff) news source
2. 'Lego Rock Band' lets families find their inner rock star - USATODAY.com
3. Xbox: LEGO Rock Band Launches with Exportable Songs - 7thSpace Interactive
4. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games Announce the Launch of LEGO'' Rock Band'''
5. LEGO Rock Band Game Review
6. Free LEGO Rock Band With Your Performance Fleece - Black Friday - Kotaku
7. Black Friday 2009: Old Navy Ad
8. IGN: LEGO Rock Band Review
9. IGN: LEGO Rock Band Review
10. Rocking your blocks off: LEGO Rock Band released > Video Game News | Crispy Gamer
11. Viacom: The Beatles: Rock Band sales strong, overall RB growth slow
12. Lego Rock Band may be more fun for adults than kids - The Globe and Mail
13. LEGO Rock Band for Wii - Reviews - G4tv.com
14. Gamasutra - News - Rock Band Drags On Viacom Margins, May Break Even At Holiday?
15. How Lego Rock Band Can Turn Kids On to Parents' Music | GameLife | Wired.com
16. Band Hero on Xbox 360 Reviews - GameDaily
17. Viacom says 'Beatles' strong, but 'Rock Band' growth is slow - Game Hunters: In search of video games and interactive awesomeness - USATODAY.com
18. Viacom: Rock Band sales improving, "though not as quickly as we'd like" // News
19. 411mania.com: Games - Rock Band Not Profitable For Viacom In The 3rd Quarter
20. Rock Band Still Not Profitable News Item | IncGamers
21. LEGO Rock Band Review (Xbox 360)
22. LEGO: Rock Band Final Launch Trailer - Releases Tomorrow
23. Destructoid - Ten Minute Taste: LEGO Rock Band
24. The Beatles: Rock Band Not Yet Profitable For Viacom - G4tv.com
25. The Who: Rock Band happening "next year"?
26. Rock Band on PlayStation 2 Features - GameDaily
27. 'Beatles Rock Band: Special Value Edition' price drops to $99 on Amazon
28. Economics of Rock Band are 'improving' | Games Industry | MCV
29. Gadget Reviews, Product News, Electronic Gadgets - Pocket-lint
30. Deal of the Day: 'The Beatles: Rock Band' For $100 Shipped | GadgetReview
31. NY1 | 24 Hour Local News | NY1 Living | Kid-Friendly Titles "Spongebob," "Lego Rock Band" Hit The Stores
32. Punch Jump :// News - The Beatles PS3, Xbox 360, Wii Value Bundle under $100 - Wii / Xbox 360 / PS3
33. News: Spend $20 at Old Navy, Get LEGO Rock Band Free - Kombo.com
34. Destructoid - Black Friday: Get free LEGO Rock Band at Old Navy
35. GameSpy: The Consensus: LEGO Rock Band Review - Page 1
36. 'About 50%' of Lego Rock Band team was against the game concept
37. Next Rock Band: The Who Is Possibly Next Year
38. Boomtown - www
39. Rain's John Lennon immerses himself in The Beatles' mystique 110509 - The Augusta Chronicle
40. Bootleg Beatles interview - NIA Birmingham : Express & Star
41. Queen Guitarist Demanded Perfectly Moulded Lego Hair | Kotaku Australia
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