Apart from the lucky few that have received their pre-orders early, 360 owners have yet to get their mitts on Guitar Hero II. It may come as a surprise then, that Harmonix, developer of the GH series, has announced its next project, Rock Band. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. According to USA Today, players will interact with one of four different devices this time: guitar, bass, drums, or microphone. Not only that, but the game will support online play, allowing different "members" of the band to play with one another across unfathomable distances. What is more, thanks to Harmonix's new owner, MTV, you can expect more original recordings and fewer cover bands this time around. The game will be published by EA and should debut by the end of the year.

While we love us some Guitar Hero, we do have our questions. First of all, given the absolute timing necessary for a game of this nature, we have to wonder about the quality of online play. Second, if you manage to get your whole band into one room, you'd best hope you have one huge television. We're not sure the gang will love the idea of squinting the night away as they try to decipher the correct set of rapidly moving colors. And, of course, what happens if you and your friends reach some "creative differences?" What if you have to audition a new drummer? Drummers come and go, you know.

Still, the concept is grand, and we can only hope that Harmonix pulls it off. In the meantime, we've got some practicing to do.

[Via Joystiq]