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GH: World Tour priced for 360 at $190

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 7th 2008 at 12:15PM }

After spotting a rather pricey ($240) Guitar Hero: World Tour bundle on the Red Octanes website, Activision has clarified to Joystiq what the normal price of the World Tour bundle will actually be. For those looking for the standard package on the Xbox 360 (game, drums, guitar, and microphone), Guitar Hero: World Tour will cost $190, which seems fairly standard in the recently birthed full band rhythm genre. Should you desire to pick up the game with only the guitar, it will set you back $100.

So, what's up with the $240 bundle? This special bundle -- along with the game and all the instruments -- comes with a T-shirt, battery charger, key chain, and (cloth) guitar case. For an extra $50. Make of that what you will.

Guitar Hero World Tour's mystery instrument: a MIDI sequencer

by Jason Dobson { Sep 17th 2008 at 8:45AM }

That's right, a MIDI sequencer. While a far cry from our keytar-brandishing dreams, the addition will allow those savvy enough to wrap their heads around the process to compose music on the PC and then import their creations into Guitar Hero World Tour. The feature, however, doesn't sound like it's suited for the faint of heart, as Neversoft's Brian Bright tells Shacknews that "it's going to take an FAQ on the Guitar Hero site--it's not something that your average user is gonna do."

However, MIDI aficionados planning to compose their digital masterpieces on the Xbox 360 will likely find the experience lacking. While the PS3 sequencer will reportedly support a variety of instruments, including rhythm and lead guitars, bass, keyboards and drum tracks, the Xbox 360 alternative will be limited to drums alone due to "hardware issues." Then again, for those planning on channeling their inner John Bonham, what more do you need?

Warner Music wants more money for licensed songs

by Jason Dobson { Aug 7th 2008 at 4:00PM }

Developers vying for a slice of the rhythm game pie may soon find the cost to dig in to be increasing -- at least if they want players to nod along with music they know. According to Reuters, Warner Music's top exec Edgar Bronfman has come forward, stating that game companies should pay more to the music industry in order to include licensed tunes in their music-based games.

Says Bronfman, who compared the relationship to the likes of MTV or Apple's iPod, "The amount being paid to the music industry, even though their games are entirely dependent on the content we own and control, is far too small." Given Warner's interest in music currently flowing through both Guitar Hero III and Rock Band, not to mention the war that is about to unfold on living room stages later this year, it will be interesting to see who will 5-star this game of financial tug-of-war.

Stuff Magazine reveals new Guitar Hero World Tour tracks

by Ross Miller { Aug 5th 2008 at 1:30PM }

Ready to "beat it" with fire-lit butterfly wings? (Note to self: That came out wrong.) The latest issue of Stuff Magazine (via Guitar Hero Community) has a Guitar Hero World Tour preview, which lists nine confirmed tracks and five more confirmed artists. Although we already knew a few of those songs, five of them are new, including The Doors' "Light My Fire," Smashing Pumpkins' "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" and -- yes, really -- Michael Jackson's "Beat It."

Additionally, two of the listed artists with "unknown" track contributions already have confirmed songs (Foo Fighters' "Everlong" and Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher"). Newcomers include Muse, Beastie Boys and Nirvana. We've compiled a list of confirmed GHWT tracks after the break.

Continued →

Rumored GH World Tour set list is fake

by Richard Mitchell { Jul 25th 2008 at 1:30PM }

We hope you weren't excited by the supposed Guitar Hero World Tour set list that was 'leaked' yesterday. Activision and Red Octane have made it known that the list, which included artists like Tool and The Doors, is a fake. A representative informed Game Informer (see what we did there?) that while some of the songs on the list will make it into the game, namely Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher," the majority of the list is "wishful thinking and pure speculation."

But hey, we know it will have "Hot for Teacher," right? That counts for something. Now all we have to do is get Activision to confirm the rest of the set list ... one song at a time.

[Via Joystiq]

Intellisponse Survey Rumor Roundup

by Richard Mitchell { Jun 16th 2008 at 10:00AM }

'OMG Megaton' is a phrase often uttered by fanboys everywhere. Rarely, however, is it done with any sort of sincerity. After yesterday's massive leak of Intellisponse Survey info, we think it's safe to use the phrase with complete and utter confidence: OMG MEGATON!!!!111LOLZ1! Seriously, there is so much information being disseminated that people are actually starting to mock up fake survey pages in an attempt to grab the spotlight. Here we have gathered up all the rumors -- they are just that, by the way: rumors -- that we've posted so far as well as some that Joystiq posted while we foolishly slept.

Of particular interest, note the video above, which reportedly comes from an as yet unreleased Silicon Knights game entitled Crucible: The Evil Within. Looks like Too Human set in a more traditional fantasy realm, which is an idea we fully support.

Survey: Guitar Hero 4 priced, new touch-sensitive guitar

by Christopher Grant { Jun 15th 2008 at 7:30PM }

That Xbox marketing survey just keeps on giving: a slide on Guitar Hero 4 presents a $180 pricetag for now-gen consoles, $170 for PS2 including all instruments. Just the software? They're asking $60 for 360 and PS3 versions, and $50 for their lower-def cousins. A handful of artists are also name-dropped – Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, Muse ... "and dozens more" – but what we're really interested in is this bit about an "all new wireless guitar controller with the first-ever touch-sensitive neck slide." We snuck a peek at the brandless guitar in the game's trailer and, though touch-sensiitive reads to us like "no buttons" – a claim that's as worrisome as it is intriguing – it certainly appears to have buttons in the pic above. So maybe just something below the buttons then, y'know, for solos and whatnot?

Of course, pricing information is always subject to change (read: let's wait to see what Rock Band 2 costs) and this survey doesn't include the game's "World Tour" subtitle so we're not entirely sold on the veracity of this information. Again, all eyes towards E3 where all will be revealed (we assume).

Gallery: Guitar Hero: World Tour

Rumor: GH4 costs $179.99 w/upgraded instruments

by Terrence Stasse { Jun 15th 2008 at 6:30PM }

Continuing the flow of rumors from the aforementioned survey site, there's now the rumor that Guitar Hero 4 is still searching for a final subtitle and that it's going to try to make you buy even more fake plastic instruments, with the full version (including instruments) running for $179.99. The guitar is going to be wireless and have a touch sensitive neck slide, the drums are also wireless and have raised cymbals, plus the mic is also rumored to be wireless.

As for the music itself the site lists a whole host of different artists, including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, Muse and more. Additionally, the game has tons of customizable stuff, with custom tracks, album art, characters and logos.

How about it readers? Can GH4 truly take on Rock Band now?

Guitar Hero: World Tour on stage debut

by Xav de Matos { May 29th 2008 at 11:00AM }

At Wall Street Journal's D6 All Things Digital event yesterday, Activision CEO Robert Kotick took the opprotunity to showoff Guitar Hero: World Tour. In the midst of introducing the upcoming game Kotick started to describe World Tour as, "the first time you'll have multiple instruments," before D6 co-host Kara Swisher quickly shot back "it's called Rock Band I think," which sent the crowd into a frenzy of laughter.

Whether Kotick meant it was the first time Guitar Hero would have the peripherals or if he was trying to pull a fast one on an audience he expected to have limited gaming knowledge is unknown. What we do know is the people playing the game for the demo, including skateboarder Tony Hawk, could not look more bored.

Come on people. You're rocking out! A little passion please.

Video: The drums of Guitar Hero World Tour [update]

by Dustin Burg { May 23rd 2008 at 1:45PM }

Update: Thanks to X3F reader Josh, we embedded the drum'tacular World Tour video after the break. You're welcome ...

The not at all English website InsiderGamer posted a new Guitar Hero World Tour video that gives us a better look at the game's drum set, the design process behind it and a first look at Blink 182's Travis Barker in a mo-cap suit. For realz! You can view the video after the jump and take in all the World Tour drumming that it has to offer including velocity sensitive drum pads, which we admit are so very next gen. And would it be wrong for us to think that these drums may possibly be better then what Rock Band has to offer? If it is, forget we ever posed such question.

[Thanks, L1B3RATION]

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First Guitar Hero: World Tour shots rock faces off

by Richard Mitchell { May 22nd 2008 at 3:00PM }

Our sinister taskmasters over at Joystiq managed to nab the very first screens of Guitar Hero: World Tour, and now, dear fanboys and fangirls, we bring them to you. Glancing through the images, we get the first look at the game's create-a-track mode (which honestly looks a little intimidating) as well as the character creation mode and some in-game performance shots. As Joystiq notes, it appears that World Tour will abandon the over-the-top cartoon style of previous iterations (as well as the upcoming Aerosmith version) in favor of a more realistic, though still stylized look. Check out all the shots in the gallery below.

Will Guitar Hero: World Tour find a home in your collection, or are you waiting to see what Harmonix cooks up for the next Rock Band?

Gallery: Guitar Hero: World Tour

Guitar Hero World Tour is officially official

by Dustin Burg { May 21st 2008 at 12:30PM }

Finally, after what seems like months of magazine scans confirming its existence, Activision just officially announced the next true installment in the Guitar Hero franchise (you don't count Aerosmith), originally dubbed Guitar Hero IV, will now officially be known as Guitar Hero World Tour.

As expected, World Tour will add singing and drum playing to the mix, featuring what they call the best drum set peripheral EVAR, a reworked guitar peripheral and Acti promising that all peripherals will be wireless as well. With features like a Band Career Mode, online integration and the ability to record and share music, Activision is also touting World Tour's track list which they admit will be the largest list of any GH game featuring bands like Van Halen, Linkin Park, The Eagles and Sublime.

So, now that it's official and we have some concrete deets, do you think World Tour will give Rock Band some competition and will you be checking out World Tour later this year?

First look at Guitar Hero IV drum set

by Dustin Burg { May 14th 2008 at 11:45AM }

Thanks to the Game Informer article that broke all the Guitar Hero IV news recently, comes the first photograph of the game's drum set. And after a quick look over, the biggest difference between it and the Rock Band drum set is the addition of the yellow and orange pie wedged "symbols" and use of three other drum pads. Interesting, different and ... well, interesting. We're also informed that the set's durability is top notch as they point out that "this thing is not going to crack". We'll see how durable their drum creation really is after it feels the abusive drumming madness that SuperDunners brings everytime he takes stage. As plastic peripherals shake in fear, we warn you GHIV drums ... be afraid.

Game Informer reveals Guitar Hero IV drum kit [update]

by David Hinkle { May 14th 2008 at 11:00AM }

Well now, it looks like the June 2008 issue of Game Informer has a little surprise up its sleeve. You got it, this is none other than the drum kit that will be utilized in Guitar Hero IV. Looks kind of weird, if you ask us. But, hey, maybe the thing looks goofy, yet has a great feel to it? We'll have to wait and see.

As you can tell, it's different from the Rock Band drum kit in several ways. For one, it would appear the kit only has 3 face drums, with two weird high hat-looking things above the main drums, along with the requisite bass pedal. Will this be an easier drum kit to manage than the one bundled with Rock Band?

Update: Whoops, fixed some oversight on our part. Sorry for the mistake.

[Via Joystiq]