The folks at Harmonix might want to change their E3 plans. Instead of debuting Rock Band 2
in Los Angeles, they might want to set up a live feed from their
offices and simply confirm, or deny a recent slew of rumors that have
lit up Internet blogs and message boards.
These rumors have primarily focused on a handful of leaked song
lists provided by a few play testers that supposedly got their hands on
the game early. However, today produced some potentially blockbuster
news that could set the Internet ablaze.
When Harmonix officially announced Rock Band 2, the
company’s representatives provided only vague release dates for the
multiple versions of the title. In an interview with IGN, lead designer
Dan Teasdale said the Xbox 360 version would be available in September,
while the Playstation 3, Wii and Playstation 2 versions would follow
sometime later in the year.
At first, I was simply excited to hear that Rock Band 2 was
on its way this year. However, as the initial excitement passed, I
found myself craving a concrete release date. I thought I would have to
wait until E3 to learn more. I was dead wrong.
Amazon, the popular online retailer, is not known for the accuracy
of its release dates. I often assume that any date provided on the
site, in the absence of an official announcement, is merely an attempt
to attract pre-orders from anxious gamers. However, this time, I really
want to believe the company.
According to Amazon, the Rock Band 2 special edition, which
comes complete with game and peripherals, will release for the 360 on
Sept. 14 for $199.99. The standalone game is listed to ship on Sept. 30
and will set you back $59.99.
This is certainly in line with the September release date provided by Harmonix.
The PS3 version, which up until now was slated for a release later
this year, is listed to release on Nov. 30. This version does not
include the peripherals and will cost the same as its 360 counterpart.
The site does not provide any information on the Wii and PS2 versions of the game.
If these dates prove to be accurate, then Microsoft will have two
months of timed exclusivity for the upcoming sequel to the 2007
smash-hit. This will no doubt impact sales, as owners of a 360 and PS3
will obviously choose the the former version.
Those inclined to do so can also pre-order standalone peripherals
for the different versions of the game. The standalone guitars will
cost $69.99 each and the wireless drum kit for the 360 will set you
back $89.99. The peripherals for the 360, which will both be wireless,
are listed to release day and date with the special edition of the
game. It was not immediately clear if the PS3, PS2 and Wii instruments
will be wireless as well.
The development of wireless instruments is no doubt one of the
improvements made to the original wired peripherals. Personally, I
favor wired controllers because I hate paying for batteries. However, I
am willing to bet that quite a few people complained that the wires
were a hindrance to their ability to rock.
The move to wireless instruments might also be a response to the upcoming release of Guitar Hero: World Tour,
which will also feature peripherals without cumbersome black chords.
However, offering instruments sans wires seems like a no-brainer, so I
imagine it was always part of Harmonix’s plan.
This latest batch of news is certainly intriguing, but information
provided by Amazon is far from gospel. Make a mental note, but wait for
the official word from Harmonix. Expect to hear something from our E3
coverage when Doc and Dave head to Los Angeles.
Source: amazon.com & SarcasticGamer.com
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