Toys, pack-ins, gimmicks, add-ons and peripherals are all words that are not unknown or unheard of to Nintendo Wii owners’ ears.  Since the console’s launch in 2006, a great many guns zappers, dance pads, microphones, etc., have been bundled with Wii games filling living rooms to capacity -- especially with the onset of rhythm games.  Even Nintendo’s best-selling game, WiiPlay is merely a controller with a $10 tech demo, and there has always been a premium attached to the bundles that have exceeded the normal price point for a Wii game at $49.99. Read More...

At Gamescon in Cologne, Harmonix announced which full albums will be available as DLC for Beatles: Rock Band in 2009. They also revealed the pricing structure and some extras you'll receive. This on the heels of yesterday's reveal of 19 of the last 20 songs on the disc. I would normally say that the 1360 Microsoft points (roughly $17) for an entire album and the typical 160 Microsoft points ($2) per song may turn off the owners of this game, but I would be wrong. I know how wrong by the fact that upon reading the press release, I balked at the number then quickly followed up with, "yeah, I'll probably buy it anyway." Beatles fans have been waiting for something like this since plastic guitars began filling up living rooms. Read More...

As I correctly speculated in my last Beatles: Rock Band article, there was yet another teaser for the fans as today MTV Games and Harmonix announced 19 of the 20 songs yet be revealed. With only one song remaining to be divulged, it looks as if it will be either a widely popular tune or a special "not-previously-released" track that's been hidden in the vaults and purposely kept from public view so that it can be released live with the remastered recordings set to release on the same day as the game. Considering the track list so far, there are some big Beatles songs on there indicating they are not afraid to show their hand, so the latter does seem more likely. Looking at the breakdown by studio album* it appears that they've set up a few albums to be big DLC money makers. Read More...

Rock Band: Country Pack Rock Band is well known for the DLC updates they do every week. Very well known, for it. But one thing that the franchise is not well known for is having a good selection of music that falls in line with the controls and set up. In this case I am talking Country. A genre that isn't normally popular amongst the more hardcore gamers and fans of rhythm games. Well that was up until just recently with the expansion to Rock Band with the Country Pack. I use the word expansion here because this is really what the whole pack is. Read More...

As you may have been able to tell from my E3 Impressions of The Beatles: Rock Band, I am a little excited for this game to arrive on September 9th.  Today, MTV Games and Harmonix gassed up the hype machine and took it for a drive around the neighborhood, releasing the next 15 songs that will be found on-disc whether the game releases.  With 25 of the 45 songs released, I'm sure that means at least 1 more teaser announcement before a full track listing will be issued.  I am definitely excited by the additions of And Your Bird Can Sing, With a Little Help from My Friends and Revolution, but will continue to hold out hope for Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) or really anything from Rubber Soul. Read More...

The Rock Band Network is Coming Something that was talked about way back when the Original Rock Band came to market has just been previewed online. What is this I speak of? Well the ability for users to make their own songs and get them into Rock Band to help promote underground bands using the game. Also to make a little scratch for the struggling artists as well. Only a few years later than teased, but this could change the future of the game and tracks for the game. Read More...

Harmonix: Music Games Could Abandon Consoles If you had to only buy a fake instrument to plug into your TV to play Rock Band or Guitar Hero, would you? Just to be able to plug and play with out the worry have having to get a specific console or said console purchasing early rights to said game. Would that sale better than what the current generation is now? Josh Randall from Harmonix thinks that may be the way the music genre may head in the not to far off future. In an interview with Videogamer. Read More...

Rock Band DLC for 7/7/09 So with great tracks from Sponge Bob, iCarly, and The Naked Brothers rocking out the DLC for Rock Band, it makes me wonder how Harmonix is going to out rock that. Maybe some Hanna Montana. Maybe a little more Earth Wind and Fire. Somehow work in Flo Rida. But then then go and out and make it so my bank account will get sapped again with some awesomeness. They are slapping all those down with the addition of Green Day to the selection of music to download for the game. Not only Green Day, but Manson, Canibal Corpse, and Slayer to punt kick all those earlier mentioned artists in the Game Box. Read More...

Rock Band Presents The Warped Tour Pack With the Warped Tour about to get fully underway for this summer, it would make sense for the good people at Harmonix to do something for this tour. By either having an event at some of the locations or at least give some good tracks to be added to the ever growing collection of songs in their database. At least it makes sense to me. Well looks like that was part of their plan, the DLC at least. Read More...

Standing outside of the famous Abbey Road, I thought about all the artists that have passed through into stardom. The doors opened to a vintage theater seating, a stage and curtain and giant LCD monitors. The curtains drew revealing Studio 2 made famous by the Beatles. The instruments were cardboard cutouts and we were still in the Los Angeles Convention Center, but as Harmonix began to demonstrate their newest Rock Band offering, it was difficult to not be swept up in the melodies and harmonies of a band as influential as The Beatles. Releasing on September 9th, the disc will have 45 tracks with plenty of DLC to follow, beginning with "All You Need is Love" (time-released exclusive) on Xbox 360 and the entire album, Abbey Road. All proceeds from purchases of All You Need is Love will benefit Doctors without Borders. Read More...

12 More Iron Maiden Songs for Rock Band Just announced via their online 'zine, Harmonix just released their next wave of downloadable for Rock Band/Rock Band 2. Something which generally isn't that big of news. Generally. Except this time it is a full set of 12 Iron Maiden songs. Including one of my favorites, which was covered by Cradle of Filth, Hallowed Be Thy Name. Below is the full list as well as part of the 'zine just sent out. The only thing that kind of upsets me about this whole thing is there is no word on how it will be handled for the two tracks that have already been released. Read More...

Track listing for Rock Band: Unplugged Well for those of you who are looking forward for a way to bring your Rock Band with you when you go out traveling and don't have an easy way to carry all of you equipment, it looks like Unplugged will help you out greatly with that. Not the tacking the game, but pretty much being able to enjoy all the tracks you do on the big console version with the game. With a few exclusives, for a short time at least. Below is the full track list for the Rock Band: Unplugged. Read More...

New Beatles Rock Band Controllers With pre-orders starting to fly in for this new Rock Band game, The Beatles, the people over at Harmonix and MTV have decided to hook those pre-order people with a few little extras for shelling out a few bucks before the game comes out. Well hook them up somewhat. By giving them a site they can go to where they can place in a code given when pre-order. This will apparently give access to a few things that will hit the internet hours after it is placed in there. Read More...

Rock Band Unplugged Does anyone else remember a little game Harmonix made oh so long ago called Amplitude? Where you flew a space craft around on different tracks and shot down "notes" to keep the beat, vocals, etc. going on a song playing in the background. You could upgrade and change your avatars and ships based on your scores. Also had some kick ass music that has yet to be fully seen on any of Harmonix's current projects. Ring a bell? Read More...

THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND WORLDWIDE RELEASE SET FOR 9/9/09 I guess all of the talks have finalized and all of the licensing is settled for today they announced when we can all look forward to playing the collective works of The Beatles in a Rock Band type arena. That would be the 9th of September this year. Oh, and get this, it will be available worldwide and on all three of the major next gen consoles all at the same time. Let that set in for a second because I know that is some shocking news given the staggered releases from before, both location-wise and platform-wise. Read More...