So Guitar Hero started it all off. Then Rock Band kicked it up several notches. Now they both have all the same technology involved. Although for some stupid reason Guitar Hero won’t be compatable with all the Rock Band equipment, but Rock Band will work with Guitar Hero instruments. Doesn’t seem like a good way to get existing Rock Band players to buy your game.
I will admit that I like the marketing approach Guitar Hero is taking. The ads are pretty cool and make good use of star power. I think the ads would still be effective without the celebrities, but they do help garner a lot of attention.
The other interesting quirk is that while the Guitar Hero team went out and got Aerosmith, the Rock Band team trumped them by going out and getting a deal with the Beatles. You don’t get any bigger than the Beatles.
As for sales, I think Guitar Hero will do very well for the holiday season. And will be opposite Rock Band for quite a while. At least until someone makes a game that allows you to upload any music you want, in which case both franchises are dead.
Personally, I like Rock Band better, but will end up playing both. (And most likely getting schooled by my little cousins.) Which do you prefer?
1:15 pm on November 20th, 2008
Guitar Hero and Rock Band may be just video games, but they are making leaps and bounds to educate the youth of America on the classics. Now that the Beatles have joined the fight, it will only grow from there. This is a contribution to society that often goes unappreciated and the game developers should be applauded. Way to make video games timeless!!!!