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Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy--The Beatles: Rock Band Priced and Dated

Posted by Joe Keiser

MTV Games and Harmonix have dropped a handful of details on The Beatles: Rock Band, which is the official name of that Beatles game that was announced last October. Key among those details was the fact that it would be called The Beatles: Rock Band. That certainly doesn’t sound like the “new, full-grown, custom game built from the ground up” that was mentioned back then, but I’ve spent the months since that announcement dreaming of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club RTS so it’s possible that my disappointment is not exactly, um, sane.

I’ll get my other crazy compliant out of the way now, too: the release is scheduled for 09/09/09, which is cute and all but totally conflicts with the Decade of Dreamcast blowout party I have been planning in my mind since, oh, January 1st 2009. But maybe that is just the ship date and everything will be fine!

Yeah, I’m actually pretty happy about this. All I really wanted was a Beatles Rock Band track pack (I was actually disappointed when there was a chance this wouldn’t be just that) so the fact that this is at least that is great news. If they throw in some Yellow Submarine-style animation in the background, well, who could complain, but it strikes me that there’s still going to be more to The Beatles: Rock Band than was announced today.

For the record, here’s the rest of what was announced today:

  1. It will be compatible with all Rock Band instruments certainly, and more than likely all Rock Band-compatible instruments as well
  2. It will be $60 on PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii—that’s pricey, for Wii
  3. If you really need new instrument controllers, you’ll be able to get them, and they’ll be modeled after real instruments used by The Fab Four. But be prepared to pay out the nose for them: standalone guitars will cost $100. That's really pricey, for everyone, but at least they're not necessary.
  4. There’s a premium bundle too, which will go for $250. It hasn’t been specified what that will get you.


Click here for the horse’s mouth.

Related Links:

Now That Harmonix Has The Beatles, What Should a Fab Four Game Even Be?

The Magical Mystery Tour is Coming to Take You Away
Rock Band Takes a Step in the Right Direction


Comments

AlexB said:

Rockin'. Funny they reintroduced "Rock Band" into the title. But oh well, I wasn't expecting it to stray too far from the formula, and I'm glad it probably won't. It would be nice to have dual mic support, though...a lot of the older songs have some keen harmonizing.

Well with name and a date, all I can fantasize about now is the track list...and wonder how some albums will work with the Rock Band formula. I would love to have the second half of Abbey Road as one long track, but I'm just dreaming. Especially given how many spots there are without extensive guitar.

Should be a great game. It's almost enough to tide me over while I wait (in vain) for some Zappa tracks.

March 5, 2009 4:11 PM

Roto13 said:

I could buy another Wii for $250. I'm going to do what I did with Guitar Hero Aerosmith and just give it a rental for the hell of it.

March 5, 2009 4:13 PM

corky said:

Personally Alex, I think that the second side of Abbey Road is the most glorious piece of music in creation.

March 5, 2009 5:27 PM

Sanagi said:

A harmony singer option would be the difference between good and best ever.

March 6, 2009 4:48 PM

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