For those of you who are just jumping into the Rock Band experience with the purchase of Rock Band 2, yet still want to jam to some of the original tracks on Rock Band 1, then you best purchase the disc.
Variety just confirmed with MTV Games that none of the Rock Band 1 setlist tracks will be released as purchasable hunks of DLC. Ever. So, your best bet would be to buy Rock Band used (or borrow it from a friend) and do the 400 MS point song export. Cheap and efficient!
If you only listen to one gaming podcast it should be the Xbox 360 Fancast. If you were going to listen to another we recommend the Big Download podcast. Have some extra time? The third best podcast on the internet is the Xbox 360 Fancast Friends Defense Force Podcast. Sure the name is ridiculously long but the podcast spawned out of the love of our own deserves your respect. They also need your help.
The X3FFDF (wow) team has a big interview with Sean Baptiste, manager of community development at Harmonix and need your questions for the momentous occasion. Have a question for the team behind Rock Band 2? Add your inquires to the comments of this post and the X3FFDF team will credit you during the episode. So, what do you want to ask Harmonix?!
As with every Friday, over on the official Rock Band forums, hmxsean posted next week's Rock Band DLC and it's Chili Peppers'tastic!
Available for purchase next Tuesday, September 30th is the entire Red Hot Chili Peppers album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The album will be comprised of 16 master tracks (excluding "Give it Away", because it's available in Rock Band 2's setlist) and can be purchased for either 160 Microsoft points each or as an album for 1600 points. Complete listing of DLC goodness below.
As part of Microsoft's global "Live Your Moment" ad campaign, a curious text descriptor appears at the bottom of one of their European ads promoting Rock Band 2, hinting at a possible November retail release.
The commercial (embedded after the break) depicts gamers rocking out to Rock Band 2 inside a person's head (weird, don't ask) and at the bottom of the screen the phrase "Rock Band 2 out November. Rock Band out now." is flashed for a few seconds. Confirmation of Rock Band 2's release to Europe in November? Close, but we're not going down the official route just yet.
Available for purchase off the XBLM is super new Rock Band downloadable content including Rush's long awaitedMoving Pictures album in its entirety. But it isn't only Rush music this week (though, we don't think anyone would complain if it was), because there are also a few other random tracks that'll wet your Rock Band whistle with refreshing melodies. All tracks are individually priced for 160 Microsoft points and if you're up for it, you can grab the Moving Pictures album in one value fueled fell swoop for 880 MS point. Complete DLC listing after the break.
Thanks to a camera phone wielding Walmart employee, we've been graced with the photo you see above which is a shot of an internal Walmart promotion flier that ultimately jump starts a new (and exciting) Rock Band 2 rumor.
According to Mr. Walmart employee and his photo of proof, we'll be seeing a Rock Band 2 AC/DC "Live at Donington" expansion that's set to release to retail (and maybe online) sometime this October. The RB2 information was supposedly listed as part of an internal document that detailed Walmart's promotional efforts for the retailer exclusive AC/DC album Black Ice. Can you say "rumor'rific!"
Posted Sep 22nd 2008 12:15PM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: News
Australia, congratulations! EA and Harmonix just confirmed that Rock Band will FINALLY be available at retailers in the land down under on November 7th for $250 AUD. No, not Rock Band 2, just classic Rock Band.
Previously, it was rumored that Rock Band would never release in Australia due retailers showing support for the Guitar Hero franchise and having limited shelf space for product. But, it just isn't so and our Aussie friends will get to rock out later this Fall, a full year later than everyone else and while North Americans are jamming to the game's sequel. Uhhh ... just be happy!
In what could be described as the awesomest (it's a word, believe) promotion Rock Band 2 related, Amazon is offering a free 1600MS point card with the purchase of the rhythm title. Those who purchase the standalone software will also be treated to a free points card which could be used to purchase even more "Rock."
The offer is available until October 4 but Amazon warns the promotion is only kicking around until supplies last. Make sure to take them up on the offer if you were a Rock Band 2 fence-sitter when it shipped last week. Jump to the rocking side, already! It's the fun side with long hair and leather pants.
Disappointed and depressed Rush fanboys can officially turn their frowns upside down (with reservation), because the previously broken and long delayedRock BandRush Moving Pictures album DLC will be releasing next week. Celebratory high five! All seven album tracks will be available for 880 MS points or individually for 160. But that isn't all, because a few random 160 MS point tracks from bands like Bad Religion, The Cult, Kasabian and Stone Roses will also be available. Complete listing of next week's RB DLC posted after the break.
For those who need to know, the video above is NSFW. After all, it is South Park.
We love a developer who can make fun of themselves and heated situations, just as Harmonix has done in Rock Band 2 by offering up a crazy expensive "UK Bandana" in the Rock Shop. You know, because anything RB in Europe is way overpriced.
As the story goes, after releasingRock Band to Europe (which was about a year after its North American release), the gaming community slammed Harmonix with criticism regarding the unnaturally high price of the game bundle. Some felt Harmonix was being greedy, a label they admittedly denied by blaming the high bundle cost on European import taxes and distribution. We guess those same taxes and distribution fees affect bandanas from the UK. Who knew?
Just as was announced last week, earlier this morning Harmonix released a bunch of new Rock Band DLC (which is also Rock Band 2 DLC, because DLC works for both games don'tcha know) onto the XBLM featuring an entire album from Megadeth and a few select songs from the artists of the Rock Band Tour. Note too that the 880 Microsoft point Megadeth album Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? is the entire album EXCEPT for the title track "Peace Sells" because it is a part of the Rock Band 2 setlist. View all the DLC goodness after the break.
The Joystiq post talks about "phonemes" and how Rock Band 2 recognizes them in a different way than Rock Band 1 thanks to a different "detection system." This "detection system" is what recognizes the spoken word sections of any given song. It seems that making any sound during spoken word section in Rock Band 2 is read as good.
But forget all of that. The point is that it's possible to five star and gold "So Whatcha Want" by the Beastie Boys -- on expert -- by reading the Declaration of Independence. Joystiq put together a video to prove this and the results are staggering and, frankly, strangly beautiful. The video takes on the aspect of performance art and gives us pause to consider the broader meaning of our existence. Either that or we've been staring at a computer monitor for just a bit too long. Either way, it's something that must be seen and, more importantly, iterated over and over again. We'd love to see someone five star "So Watcha Want" with, oh, let's say an episode of the A-Team. Get to it, internets.
After making your Rock Band 2 purchase, you may be wondering exactly how you can experience the entire rockin' setlist without having to actually do all the "work". Because, as you're well aware, having to play the game through completion in order to unlock all songs is so 2007.
Thankfully, Harmonix included a "game modifier" option where, with a few presses of the colorful guitar buttons, players can alter the game including a modifier that unlocks the entire setlist. Simply make your way to the RB2 game modifier screen and enter the sequence - Red, Yellow, Blue, Red, Red, Blue, Blue, Red, Yellow, Blue. Tada! Instant setlist unlock! You rebel.
If you're in the pre-order market for the Rock Band 2 bundle (which releases next month), then look no further than Circuit City. They're selling the entire Rock Band 2 bundle for the astonishingly low price of $189, which is $9810 off the game's regular $9999 price tag! With savings like this, you just can't go wrong.
The big releases are starting to drip out as the industry steadily ramps up for yet another packed holiday season. This week, the Xbox 360 plays host to some decent titles including the likes of Rock Band 2, Pure, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. On top of those, we've also got Armored Core: For Answer and ... um ... Battle Fantasia. To our disappointment, we have learned that Battle Fantasia is not a fighting game about the Disney movie Fantasia. It's a shame, really, because we were ready to throw down with some tutu-wearing hippos.
For those of you who are just jumping into the Rock Band experience with the purchase of Rock Band 2, yet still want to jam to some of the original tracks on Rock Band 1, then you best purchase the disc.
Australia, congratulations! EA and Harmonix just confirmed that Rock Band will FINALLY be available at retailers in the land down under on November 7th for $250 AUD. No, not Rock Band 2, just classic Rock Band.
After making your Rock Band 2 purchase, you may be wondering exactly how you can experience the entire rockin' setlist without having to actually do all the "work". Because, as you're well aware, having to play the game through completion in order to unlock all songs is so 2007.
