Activision and MTV competing for a Beatles game

[Dusty Ayres]

The Financial Times reports that Apple Corp., which represents the Beatles catalog, has been holding talks with both Activision and MTV about making a Beatles-themed "Guitar Hero" or "Rock Band" game.
It's a bit surprising given that Apple Corp. still hasn't reached a deal with Apple Inc. (or anyone else) to sell Beatles tracks online. But it would also be a big step forward for either of the major music games and for videogaming in general into the mainstream.

Activision and MTV competing for a Beatles game

 

[Delsaber]

Here's an idea: make Beatles tracks downloadable for one or both of the existing Guitar Hero and Rock Band platforms rather than introducing yet another SKU or separate title. This shit it getting ridiculous.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

I hear you, and I agree with you.

 

[firehawk12]

Yes, but Activision is evil and is perfectly fine locking up rights to bands. Thankfully, I don't care about Aerosmith or Metallica enough that I would be pissed off that they are locked up.

I doubt that MTV would release a Rock Band: Beatles disc. Most likely, they'd incorporate songs into Rock Band 2 or DLC... and that might be the deal breaker, since there's probably more money to be made in Guitar Hero: Beatles.

 

[TheBrew]

Yes, but Activision is evil and is perfectly fine locking up rights to bands. Thankfully, I don't care about Aerosmith or Metallica enough that I would be pissed off that they are locked up.

I doubt that MTV would release a Rock Band: Beatles disc. Most likely, they'd incorporate songs into Rock Band 2 or DLC... and that might be the deal breaker, since there's probably more money to be made in Guitar Hero: Beatles.

Or maybe some custom Beatle controllers - like a McCartney Beatle Bass.

 

[Aragorn]

Doesn't Michael Jackson own a bunch of Beatles songs? Maybe we can have Michael Jackson Hero, which combines Guitar Hero with Dance Dance Revolution.

I was going to get Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, but the Aerosmith songs were rather slim. In fact, the total number of songs was very slim for a full-priced title.

 

[firehawk12]

Ugh. No more controllers.. I have too much plastic already!

 

[Arrqh]

Yes, but Activision is evil and is perfectly fine locking up rights to bands. Thankfully, I don't care about Aerosmith or Metallica enough that I would be pissed off that they are locked up.

Activision is just offering up a deal and cash... ultimately its whoever is the owner of the rights to the songs who is choosing to be exclusive.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

Honestly, I would but Guitar Hero: The Beatles in a heartbeat. I've never understood holding the rights to the songs. It just seems so silly to me. Isn't it better to accept some money off of them than no money?

 

[Seven of Five]

I think I'd buy a Beatles version of Guitar Hero, but it'd be the only one. All this seperate Aerosmith version shit is beginning to take the piss. Surely downloadable songs should be the way to go? I suppose whatever makes more money I guess.

 

[firehawk12]

Yes, but Activision is evil and is perfectly fine locking up rights to bands. Thankfully, I don't care about Aerosmith or Metallica enough that I would be pissed off that they are locked up.

Activision is just offering up a deal and cash... ultimately its whoever is the owner of the rights to the songs who is choosing to be exclusive.

I know. They have every right to do what they want. But flooding the market with product is going to kill the genre and I wish there wasn't this stupid big dick complex.

For example, CoD4 could probably last a long time since it has legs. While I think selling maps is a horrible idea, they could probably monetize CoD4 for several years if they want. But once CoD5 comes out, it's going to kill their user base and something like Gears 2 will take over the Live play rankings again.

And let's not get started on the whole fact that they decided to make a new, incompatible drum set for their game. Ugh.

 

[Aragorn]

I think I'd buy a Beatles version of Guitar Hero, but it'd be the only one. All this seperate Aerosmith version shit is beginning to take the piss. Surely downloadable songs should be the way to go? I suppose whatever makes more money I guess.

Downloadable content really only works for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Nintendo isn't big on hard drive space and they really don't like the idea of making customers pay extra for a game (they believe what you buy should be the complete package). Something like Guitar Hero: Aerosmith being more songs isn't necessarily bad in and of itself. If you already pay $2 per song that you download, you're getting a lot more than 30 songs for the $60 you're putting down for Aerosmith.

 

[firehawk12]

The problem with disc based games is that if you have one song on one game that you like, you basically have to switch discs. There are a lot of songs in GH2 I like, but I honestly don't want to go through the trouble of quiting a game, loading the game, play for a song or two and then switch back.

Now, Frets on Fire kind of fixes that problem... illegally... but still...