To no one's surprise, Harmonix, MTV and EA are preparing an encore for Rock Band later this year. Rock Band 2 is now official -- and it's coming to Xbox 360 this September, with "other platforms" releasing later in the year.
Before you start deleting the dozens of tracks you've downloaded for the first Rock Band, know that RB2 features ground-breaking cross-title compatibility. There is no distinction between Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2 DLC. Any DLC you've previously downloaded will instantly work with Rock Band 2 and all DLC will continue to work with the original game from here and into eternity. While Harmonix has yet to reveal the number of tracks included on the RB2 disc, with the inclusion of all the previously released DLC, the set list at launch may top 300 songs.
"As successful as the original Rock Band continues to be, we've now had the benefit of the last eight months to listen to our fans' requests and to build upon that foundation," said Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO of Harmonix. "Rock Band 2 is a second-generation band game that will elevate the music game experience to the next level."
As with Activision's recently announced Guitar Hero World Tour, Rock Band 2 features all master recordings on disc. You can also expect major improvements to online functionality and a more "party friendly" set-up so it's easy to get guests rocking out faster.
While all RB1 peripherals will work with the sequel, upgraded versions will be available in a bundle pack. Harmonix isn't revealing what these upgrades are just yet
I didn't see this coming. I wonder how many bajillions MS had to pay to secure the timed exclusive.
Awesome! The crappiness of the Rockband Guitar is the only thing that held me back from actually buying the first game myself. Now I'll buy RB2 with the instruments, and gnab RB1 on disc. Sa-weet.
Awesome! The crappiness of the Rockband Guitar is the only thing that held me back from actually buying the first game myself. Now I'll buy RB2 with the instruments, and gnab RB1 on disc. Sa-weet.
You don't have to use the RB guitar, the GH guitars are compatible.
Airswoop on
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ZephosClimbin in yo ski lifts, snatchin your people up.MichiganRegistered Userregular
edited June 2008
From the interview on IGN.
IGN lady offers these 10 bands saying she wants them in rock band.
Agent Orange
The Beatles
Built to Spill
The Buzzcocks
Journey
Led Zeppelin
Modest Mouse
Pavement
The Replacements
Tool
And HMX's reply
"Not only have you named some of my favorite bands, but you've also named some of the bands that are on the Rock Band 2 disc. "
so, woot? Speculate on.
Edit: I'm just a smidge surprised that we didn't even get 1 band or a tease of an artist thats going to be on it.
Zephos on
Xbox One/360: Penguin McCool
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EvilBadmanDO NOT TRUST THIS MANRegistered Userregular
Awesome! The crappiness of the Rockband Guitar is the only thing that held me back from actually buying the first game myself. Now I'll buy RB2 with the instruments, and gnab RB1 on disc. Sa-weet.
You don't have to use the RB guitar, the GH guitars are compatible.
Hooray, finally confirmation that the game exists, even though we all knew it was coming eventually. However I certainly did not expect it to launch on 360 only first, in September no less. Nothing better than a new game announcement thats less than 3 months away, as opposed to a certain other big name sequel that was announced this weekend.
Awesome! The crappiness of the Rockband Guitar is the only thing that held me back from actually buying the first game myself. Now I'll buy RB2 with the instruments, and gnab RB1 on disc. Sa-weet.
You don't have to use the RB guitar, the GH guitars are compatible.
Only on 360.
I think I'll probably wait before picking this up, then.
I wonder with all their cross-platform stuff if RB1 players will be able to play with RB2 players.
Willeth on
@vgreminders - Don't miss out on timed events in gaming! @gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
I think it depends on how Live is setup, if different 'games' are allowed to cross-communicate.
If they don't change how Score Duel and Tug of War work, then I could see it being possible to do (although unless that 120 possible tracks includes Rock Band's 54 tracks, it'd be a weird split of songs). I really hope they come up with another competing mode, though.
Score Duel only works across the same difficulty, and I'm the only person around that plays on Expert, and if I drop down to Hard or Medium I'll easily win, everytime.
Tug of War favors the lower difficulty too much. I think out of the 50 games I've played of it against my youngest brother (me on expert or hard, him on medium), I've won once or twice because once you mess up, it's impossible to get the arrow back over to your side, even if you FC the rest of the song.
The only idea I have for revamping Tug of War is that there is no multiplier, and you are graded on how well you complete your segment. I'm pretty sure they could make it so they don't have to retweak RB1 dlc to do that.
FyreWulff on
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Ramen Noodlewhoa, god has a picture of me!Registered Userregular
It'll be pretty ironic if this get's released in Australia before the first one.
Whoop-de-fucking-doo.
Antihippy on
PSN: Antiwhippy
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spookymuffin( ° ʖ ° )Puyallup WA Registered Userregular
edited June 2008
If I were a PAL gamer, I'd just get a region 1 console and import everything. You guys get fucked a whole lot, on prices and on releases. I really don't see how you just let this happen, I wouldn't stand for it.
spookymuffin on
PSN: MegaSpooky // 3DS: 3797-6276-7138 Wii U NNID: MegaSpooky
I was actually going to buy rock band this afternoon; I already rented a car to get to the closest big city to where I live in order to get it.... They've just ruined the rest of my summer by forcing me not to get rock band 1 now because 2 will be out in just 2 effin months..... Anyway... I'm pissed
Oh god, Agent Orange? Modest Mouse? Built to Spill? Led Zeppelin?!?!
So awesome.
Now I'm only left wondering what happens to the songs on my RB1 disc. Will we somehow be able to rip them to the HD or are we going to have to swap discs to play those songs?
They did the main thing I wanted: BC with RB1. They stuck by their line, which is: RockBand is a platform. My faith in them remains strong. If I choose, I can just kep RB and continue to get plenty of regular DLC, or I can get RB2, get more songs and more functionality. It's win win. At worst, everything stays the same for me. At best I get more songs, more play options, and more instruments!
They did the main thing I wanted: BC with RB1. They stuck by their line, which is: RockBand is a platform. My faith in them remains strong. If I choose, I can just kep RB and continue to get plenty of regular DLC, or I can get RB2, get more songs and more functionality. It's win win. At worst, everything stays the same for me. At best I get more songs, more play options, and more instruments!
100 percent agreed. The fact that they didn't add new instruments or change up the gameplay mechanics enough to warrant purchasing new equipment (...at least based on what we know so far) is what I expected, but I'm still glad to see it affirmed. Despite all of the goofy people saying they wanted a fifth instrument like keyboard or such.
As of this point I have two SG's, an Xplorer, a Les Paul, a Strat and the RB drums and mic; I'm not really interested in picking up new instruments, so I'm glad I'll be able to hook straight into RB2 and hopefully play everything but drums on GH World Tour if I end up getting the latter. The only way I'd buy a newer drumset is if my old one kicks the bucket, but it's doing solid right now. (Guess I should start saving money now )
I'm quite surprised that they're releasing RB2 in the West ahead of GH World Tour, but I guess that means HMX has been working on the new featurelist this entire time while also streaming out DLC. To me, anyway, the DLC has been coming at an awesome rate, so the bar is set pretty high for the RB2 disc setlist.
It is my belief that it is actually a matter of having the 360 version further completed. As a PS3 person I am a bit disappointed, but waiting 1-2 months won't kill me. Especially since I will still be getting DLC for RB1
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Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
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So... maybe on-disc tracks AND lots of DLC?
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Improvements to the instruments I expected.
Timed exclusive to the xbox 360 however.... I did not.
You don't have to use the RB guitar, the GH guitars are compatible.
IGN lady offers these 10 bands saying she wants them in rock band.
Agent Orange
The Beatles
Built to Spill
The Buzzcocks
Journey
Led Zeppelin
Modest Mouse
Pavement
The Replacements
Tool
And HMX's reply
"Not only have you named some of my favorite bands, but you've also named some of the bands that are on the Rock Band 2 disc. "
so, woot? Speculate on.
Edit: I'm just a smidge surprised that we didn't even get 1 band or a tease of an artist thats going to be on it.
I think I'll just get the full package of this one and pick up the Rock Band 1 disc
Wii: 5024 6786 2934 2806 | Steam/XBL: Arcibi | FFXI: Arcibi / Bahamut
Both sides are being quiet now on tracklists....
True, but they don't have the sweet effects.
Online is still not that prevalent.
As an example on 360's flagship game, Halo 3. About 10 million copies sold, only 1.3 million went/are online.
While they've had great DLC sales, releasing a sequel on disc will still bring in a majority of their money.
And hey, people new to RB by buying RB2 will already have the sizable store to buy songs from.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Only on 360.
I think I'll probably wait before picking this up, then.
I wonder with all their cross-platform stuff if RB1 players will be able to play with RB2 players.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
If they don't change how Score Duel and Tug of War work, then I could see it being possible to do (although unless that 120 possible tracks includes Rock Band's 54 tracks, it'd be a weird split of songs). I really hope they come up with another competing mode, though.
Score Duel only works across the same difficulty, and I'm the only person around that plays on Expert, and if I drop down to Hard or Medium I'll easily win, everytime.
Tug of War favors the lower difficulty too much. I think out of the 50 games I've played of it against my youngest brother (me on expert or hard, him on medium), I've won once or twice because once you mess up, it's impossible to get the arrow back over to your side, even if you FC the rest of the song.
The only idea I have for revamping Tug of War is that there is no multiplier, and you are graded on how well you complete your segment. I'm pretty sure they could make it so they don't have to retweak RB1 dlc to do that.
WHAT THE HELL?
Seriously, and what about the rest of Europe?
What? It was only certain parts of Europe?
That's weird.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
Whoop-de-fucking-doo.
Wii U NNID: MegaSpooky
It's out only in England, France and Germany for the 360.
Or is xbox region locking in europe just that crazy?
..oh and language...yeah
So awesome.
Now I'm only left wondering what happens to the songs on my RB1 disc. Will we somehow be able to rip them to the HD or are we going to have to swap discs to play those songs?
100 percent agreed. The fact that they didn't add new instruments or change up the gameplay mechanics enough to warrant purchasing new equipment (...at least based on what we know so far) is what I expected, but I'm still glad to see it affirmed. Despite all of the goofy people saying they wanted a fifth instrument like keyboard or such.
As of this point I have two SG's, an Xplorer, a Les Paul, a Strat and the RB drums and mic; I'm not really interested in picking up new instruments, so I'm glad I'll be able to hook straight into RB2 and hopefully play everything but drums on GH World Tour if I end up getting the latter. The only way I'd buy a newer drumset is if my old one kicks the bucket, but it's doing solid right now. (Guess I should start saving money now )
I'm quite surprised that they're releasing RB2 in the West ahead of GH World Tour, but I guess that means HMX has been working on the new featurelist this entire time while also streaming out DLC. To me, anyway, the DLC has been coming at an awesome rate, so the bar is set pretty high for the RB2 disc setlist.
It looks like they're doing most things right (BC DLC and peripherals, online BWT) but I'm still a bit wary. I'll have to see what they add.
And the 360 timed exclusivity is weird.