Harmonix: Music Games Could Be Console Free

@drifter1717: why cause I dont like how the beatles sound?

I Listen to bands like Alkaline Trio, Hot Water Music, 65daysofstatic, The Lawrence Arms, Latterman do any of those sound remotely close to the Beatles... no. So whats your point, that because I have a different taste in music. They are muscians I respect most muscians and the Beatles I respect I still think they represent a very shitty a manipulated genre but I respect them. And there lucky they got as far as they did. But like most pop music people just listen to them cause everyone else is.

@Lucas from Electric Gorillas: "Even if you say all music now would be nothing without them... I dont care cause the music I listen to does not sound like that."

You don't really get.....anything, do you?

drifter1717

@WilletteEchidna: nope, PC only, you're correct.

@drifter1717: make that 2 people

people overreact to the beatles there pop music, i today do not listen to much pop or any really, it is not my style. And I do not like the Beatles to me there shitty, but I say shitty cause its my own opinion i dont really care what you say, call me a musical blasphemous whatever. Even if you say all music now would be nothing without them... I dont care cause the music I listen to does not sound like that.

@SacGamer: Shirley she's older than that! Look at those boots! Slutboots! She must be streetlegal.

@One Man Freak Show: The instruments are what make these games fun though. And besides that, you haven't needed to buy a new instrument for awhile now with all the compatibility work that's been done.

SacGamer

@uzivatel: Why not? They already have flash drives with 100+ gigs of memory. It won't be long before flash memory is cheaper and bigger than the hard drives in our consoles.

SacGamer

@Protector one: Considering she looks like she's about 8 years old, that's a pretty horrible comment.

SacGamer

@physalis925: Technology is getting smaller and smaller. By the time this actually comes to fruition, it may be possible to fit something capable of even better graphics than an Xbox 360 inside a plastic instrument.

SacGamer

@ReconToaster.: I play alone a lot of the time and it's still lots of fun. You need to be the type of person that really enjoys music and interacting with it. I honestly thought I would dislike it at first too...but then I played GH2 at a friend's house. Been hooked ever since.

SacGamer

@dajman311: That's not really any worse than the bands that make music that really want to be on the radio. In fact, it's probably better since music games seem less picky than the people that run the radio stations.

SacGamer

What's with all the music game hate in this topic? Geeze, I thought you guys liked Harmonix?

SacGamer

What, like those korean karaoke mics/machines? Maybe if Rock Band ever gets as popular as karaoke.

@jeezy103: Got the quote from The Boondocks, I assume?

BTW, that pic just makes me want to kill everyone involved in whatever product that abomination is. It looks that bad.

Tye-The-Czar

goodbye graphics

Not necessarily console-less, but just put it inside the instrument. That way DLC and new iterations of games are still an option to the consumer.

iFOREIGNi

@eviladrian: How the hell does that have Smells Like Teen Spirit yet that's not on RB or GH yet?

@HowardC: ...

You have very poor taste, sir.

@hazuki: Why, because the Beatles were the greatest band to ever grace the Earth? Catchy, sure. Britney Spears is catchy. They wrote a memorable tune? So did a billion others...Before them. I just never understood what made the Beatles so freakin' "amazing".

@HowardC: Fuck, this is some STAGGERING ignorance.

@Endless: I highly disagree. I've been playing guitar for over 8 years, and I happen to think that the music game genre is helping our cause. Going into Guitar Center (which I don't do often...damn WalMart of instrument stores), you see at least 5 kids an hour walking around, picking up instruments, and saying things like "Maybe I can learn that riff from ________! I 100% it in Rock Band"

If you ask me, anything that can make a kid pick up a guitar, drums, anything, is a good thing. A lot of others in the music industry feel the same way.

The problems are going to start in about 5-6 years when all these kids who picked up RB and GH at a young age will start making real music. That gets put into the games. That makes kids want to make music. To get put into the games.

@uzivatel: My thoughts exactly. The whole music game genre (at least RB) thrives on DLC sales. Take that away, and people will be pissed. Not to mention Harmonix will lose a lot of money.

Now my biggest concern is this...If every one of those games has FOUR THINGS TO PLUG IN, doesn't that kind of defeat the Plug n Play purpose? How do they expect you to hook up drums, geetar, bass, and a mic?

And if they were to do just one instrument, they'd be going back to GH. And no one wants that.

@drifter1717: Yep. Shitty pop band. Be them influential or not, they were just a shitty pop band. Millions of people like Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco, My Chemical Romance, and all the other shitty pop bands. Millions of people liked the Beatles as well.

And yes, I did just compare The Beatles to Fall Out Boy. Deal with it! MWAHAHA!

@WarlockSoL: I think people have a misconception of time. Guitar Hero comes out every few months, but it isn't a bad thing by far. It's casual base and fans of certain bands will eat it up- which is why they make them as they do. With not everyone being able to buy DLC, and buying a lot of DLC becomes pricey- coming out with a new game works and is cheaper for the consumer. No one is forcing anyone to buy it, so I don't see how it's annoying. "Oh, another Guitar Hero game- I have to buy this one too." Is that what everyone is thinking?

Besides, with the investment put into the band kit- people want their money's worth. And being able to buy a $50-60 expansion with songs they like is a good thing. Sadly, gamers don't realize that and decide to attack the game itself while still buying it anyways because "this one song I like is on it." Yep. Great consumers we are.

@Betman: It's the market saturation. Seeing a new Guitar Hero every other week is a bit annoying. Harmonix has been relatively restrained up till now, though no telling if it will stay that way (here's hoping Beatles and Lego Rock Band are the end of it)

WarlockSoL

@drifter1717: Yeah, I am one of those "just not that into them" people, but even I think calling them a "shitty pop band" is idiotic.

WarlockSoL

@Dangeresque the Observer:

You just blew my mind, man.

Kazaam_McFresh

This is actually a great idea from a marketing standpoint, however I hope it doesn't happen.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: yes it would

@HowardC: You're an idiot. Do us all a favor and shoot yourself.

And yes, I agree with the original comment. After Beatles Rock Band, I couldn't care less about any other game released in this genre. I'm done with them.

Matt0505

@HowardC: Shitty pop band?

SHITTY POP BAND?

SHITTY POP BAND?!?!?!!

... wut?

"and Guitar Praise work like that" Guitar Praise was for PC, packed in with a USB guitar, unless they made Guitar Praise II and it was plug-n-play.

WilletteEchidna

@Betman: Umm... So why can't you play drums because of fibromyalgia? My wife has this condition, too, but it doesn't prevent her from doing anything. She mostly just gets sore back, neck, and leg muscles. I'm constantly giving her massages. Seriously. Like 2 hrs a day sometimes. Sometimes she'll get orange patches around her eyes and headaches when it's really bad, but I've never seen anything that she couldn't physically do due to the condition. She exercises, goes to dance practice once a week, and works on her feet for 40 hrs/week at Home Depot.

Vipre77

@HowardC: I might go as far as to say that you could very well be the only person in existence to label The Beatles as a "shitty pop band". I know some people who "just aren't that into them", but to say that makes me seriously doubt your taste in music.

drifter1717

This actually sounds like a good idea..

I just can't see Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo letting this cash cow go away so easily..

@NeoAkira: That would imply people have the time to spend several years becoming proficient at a real musical instrument. Sadly many people don't.

Music games are designed for people that don't have the time, skill or drive to learn a real instrument; but would dare to dream of being able to play one. Real musicians will obviously, and continuously, have disdain for music games because it's perceived they somewhat cheapen the many hours they've put in to get to where they are now.

My question would be: Do music games discourage people from picking up real instruments? Not if what we're led to believe it true, quite the opposite. it's a good thing in moderation, just like everything else.

tldr version: Musicians play real instruments because they can. Gamers that can't, for whatever reason, but dream of playing an instrument play music games and are potentially inspired to learn a real instrument.

@Protector one: No. Just No.

Go Plug n'Play and you'll loose a large percentage of your fanbase. Because you see peripheral-only Guitar Hero-clones everywhere and you don't hear people singing their praise.

They'd be stupid if they haven't noticed.

@Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky:

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion
I was soaring ever high-yaaaaa, but I flew too high...

SansSanity

I've already seen this like hanna montana and other kiddie stuff like that so this isn't nothing new, hell I saw disney DDR and it was plug-n-play hate to tell Harmonix this isn't news.

KuroKruiser

@ReconToaster.: The Konami music games all have very competitive communities because the games are all extremely hard and high level play is very impressive and rewarding.

@lordargent:

You think Beatles Rock Band will be the best thing ever? Really?

While I understand their historical significance, let's remember that they were a shitty pop band responsible for making other shitty pop bands accepted by the masses. It's kind of like being proud of the first band to go into rehab. ;)

HowardC

Yeah because my Hi-def TV has 50 HDMI inputs for all my little self-contained video games. Sounds real convenient. At least no pesky licensing costs to Microsoft and SONY and no silly acheivement programming, amirite? Plus no already existing network for song download services. Also, my existing guitars are useless. Probably still will cost the same as a guitar with game disk but Harmonix would get all the moolah. Wii-tards rejoice! Fuck, this sounds awesome! (I better go get a job at Harmonix so that I can be on the upside of that deal.)

I'd plug my instrument into her! Ammirite! Ammirite!

@Betman: It's not hate so much as I think everyone has gotten annoyed as you said. I used to love Guitar Hero but I'm so bored with all the expansions and DLC and the large number of releases. Now they want to do away with console dependence, probably making the experience more expensive and just lining their own pockets with money.

DocBacca

@Dangeresque the Observer: Actually it isn't that heavy. Things have been reclassified easily. Digital novels for example. Those mobile cell novels in Japan are classified as digital novels instead of books.

Black-Dog-Howls

I really wouldn't mind this. That way we don't have 5 new faux-guitar games released for consoles every year for the rest of eternity.

@ReconToaster.: because people like music. and games. and doing things in time to music.

i think it taps a similar thing to dancing. it's just reacting to music and finding ways of enjoying it.

also the guitar games have a certain... satisfying feeling when you nail a good riff.

@Dangeresque the Observer: They're totally the next douglas bubbletrousers.

@ReconToaster.:

Looks like you answered your own question there buddy

@One Man Freak Show:

They need an Iron Maiden game containing all of their longest songs, then they can stop.

/all 13 minutes of rhyme of the ancient mariner, it would have to be about 3000 notes I guess

@Dangeresque the Observer: ah man, firefly reference on a music game article...god i love kotaku

jinxman

I really don't understand the huge following behind these sorts of games. I suppose they're fun to play at a group setting... but really, I don't see how they've become so wildly popular and beloved.

ReconToaster.

@landonkun: land of the rising sun

landonkun

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: They would not be able to sell DLC...

uzivatel

What about the DLC? Would I have to buy a pickup shaped HDD to store my songs?

Dandy Warhols NOW!!!!

God fucking damnit.

Juan José Méndez Gallardo

@Dangeresque the Observer: I think it's classified, as such, by what form of media by what it was released on first but now days "Television Program" and "Book" have become umbrella terms for such ways of entertainment.

yeah...

Mr. Mattican (Puts on Monicle)

@[img516.imageshack.us]

Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky

Well, if Barrett Strong, the Beatles, and Boys II Men can attest to:

"The best things in life are free,
but you can keep them for the birds and bees,
I need the money (That's. What I Want!)
I need it now (That's. What I Want!)
That's what I want! (That's. What I Want!)
That's what I want."
^__^

Harmonix: "We're geniuses! Rock Band without having to worry about getting a console! Music games without consoles! Why has no one ever thought of this before?"

@Some Guy: "Uhm... dude?"

Harmonix: "Quiet! I can just sue those people into oblivion, it is no matter. I will not be stopped. I will not be contained by console sales and petty fanboyism!"

*Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft walk in. They are moving slowly, and all of them carry instruments of pain.*

Sony: (In an eeriely calm voice) "You're not... leaving, are you? You know we couldn't let you just... walk away like this. Not after all the sales you've given us...."

@D Mitsuki : Gotta have guts kid!: I hear that. I'm happy with how Konami doesn't change much with their music games.

I still play Drummania and IIDX here in the land of the sun nearly every day. Just give me a new version with a shiny new layout and new songs every few months, and I'm a happy guy :)

landonkun

@eviladrian: Oooh! and a Bratz one!

[www.amazon.com]

I don't understand all the hate against music games. I find them to be a great concept, though taken to a very annoying point now, with them coming out very often. However, I love my DLC from Harmonix for Rock Band every week, and I download the songs I like. I personally can't play guitar to save my life (the real one), but I can take the plastic one quite well. While I can't play the drums on Rock Band due to fibromyalgia, I still think that the music game is a fresh way for people to get together and have fun.

That Hanna Montana Guitar Hero and Guitar Praise work like that. I wouldn't call that a quality game though in more ways than one. You can't really expand on that. I just don't think the technology is there to really be bringing Rock Band to its own platform exclusively via its own console. Plus I need DLC and I am not buying any more instruments forever.

@Mr. Mattican (Raises Monicle): Ah... but you bring up an interesting point, abet inadvertantly. Is it still a television program if it's not on TV? Is it still a book if there is no cover, no pages, no paper, no substance?

Is it the information these things contain that defines them as what they are, or the medium that delivers them, the form they take?

Heavy stuff.

@Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky: Gorilla! It's happening! You're gunna get your star!!

TaylorEatWorld

A quick google search found two plug and play "guitar NOT hero" games

[www.videogameaction.com]

[www.handhelditems.com]

Hurry up Harmonix, they is steelin your market sharez!

@Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky: Touche sir.

@Mr. Mattican (Raises Monicle): I believe in reading about as much as I believe in socks.

@undefined: Would require you to pick up an actual instrument, and we all know how uncool that is.

@BubbleF**kingBuddy: "All of them... better worlds...."

What about a music game franchise that doesn't come out every 6-18 months.

Mr. Mattican (Puts on Monicle)

@NeoAkira: It would be a better world...

better world...

@Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky: How could I possibly watch TV without a Television
How could I read a book that's not on the Internet...

Mr. Mattican (Puts on Monicle)

Before long they'll just have plastic instruments where the necessary button combination lights up and built-in speakers play the sounds.

Oh wait.

@Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky: LoL +1 Sir!!

SansSanity

@NeoAkira: Dare to dream, my son.

Dare to dream.

cmon harmonix dont milk rock band like activision did to poor guitar hero

SarakshiPrice

"A future in which music games could abandon consoles altogether."

Hey I have another fun thought for Harmonix:

A future in which consumers could abandon music games altogether.

And then they would become battery operated with little screens made on the instrument itself, and I would have to take the Tube with people playing it while sitting next to me... Oh, boy!! future I can't wait for thee

SansSanity

This actually makes a lot of sense.

Ubersoldat19

This is already easily possible.

Although, consoles make it more piratical providing a means to combine hardware, and makes actually running the game cheaper then to package a guitar/pc thing that can actually run the game.

At any rate, I really hate what music games have become anyway, so I honestly don't care.

I want developers to stop with all of these stupid peripherals and start making more unique music games. Parappa didn't need a peripheral. Gitaroo Man didn't need a peripheral. Amplitude didn't need a peripheral.

Bottom line: After Beatles Rock Band, which will be the greatest music game ever created, please stop this nonsense; you're cluttering peoples' homes.

Oh wow, they're geniuses! How could I ever play music without a console?

Gorilla Snow is Maximum Risky

Aww Hell NAw..