14 DAY TRIAL // Music simulators seem to be making the headlines lately. Yesterday, we reported how Gibson Guitar, the most famous guitar maker, extended its patent infringement law suit regarding "virtual music performances" to cover Harmonix and MTV, in addition to already sued Activision. But the original creators of the Guitar Hero concept and current developers of Rock Band don't seem to be impressed by the legal proceedings against them. Instead of keeping a low profile, they've just announced a very important move.
Harmonix, together with MTV and their distribution partner, games giant Electronic Arts, have announced a release date for Nintendo Wii version of their Rock Band game. They say they will release Rock Band for the Wii in the U.S. and Canada, on June 22, 2008. The initial offer is a bundle that pairs the game itself with the drum kit, a wireless guitar and a microphone. The bundle will cost $169.99. After the launch date, additional instruments will also be available for as yet undisclosed prices.
Steve Singer, who is Nintendo licensing vice-president, declared: "The social interaction and addictive nature of the Rock Band experience is a perfect fit for the Wii and will undoubtedly be fun for the entire family."
Harmonix and MTV are making a good move as the Wii is perfectly positioned to be a Rock Band platform. The easy connectivity that it offers and its positioning as a casual games platform with a family-oriented appeal will draw many players towards a title such as Rock Band, that can accommodate more than one player. Rock Band's direct competitor, Guitar Hero, already has a Wii version out which features some exclusive gameplay mechanics which take advantage of the Wii remote internal speaker and the rumble feature.
If the critical reception for the Wii version of Guitar Hero is anything to go by, then we're eagerly waiting for the June 22nd release date of Rock Band for the Wii.