Harmonix: Activision Blocking Guitar Hero/Rock Band Compatibility Patch
Harmonix has posted a letter on its website, explaining that they have created a patch for Rock Band that allows the use of the Guitar Hero III guitar controller with Rock Band on the PlayStation 3. The patch had been submitted to Sony and approved for release on December 4, until Activision, publisher of Guitar Hero III, objected. Sony respected Activision’s decision and left the patch unreleased, and the patch will sit on the shelf as long as Activision insists on it.
The short: PS3 gamers who bought Rock Band and Guitar Hero III will not be able to use their GHIII guitars in Rock Band as a second guitar (and since Rock Band guitars aren’t on sale, you now have absolutely no way of playing two guitars).
What’s the motivation behind this? Obviously, the two companies hate each other (Harmonix created Guitar Hero for Activision, then left to create Rock Band at MTV), and this could be Activision’s way of sticking it to Harmonix.
On the other hand, Activision is really shooting itself in the foot. The dirty secret of the guitar games is that they are a peripheral delivery system; that is that the company produces the somewhat profitable game in order to sell the hugely profitable plastic fake guitar. It is in Activision’s best interest to sell a ton of guitars, not just a ton of games, and by preventing their guitars from working with all the games, they discourage Rock Band users from sending some cash their way. Smart.
By the way, huge thanks to the five readers who bought Rock Band for the Xbox 360 and the one who bought the wired Guitar Hero III Xbox 360 bundle in the last few days using my referral links. That’s going to translate to sixty dollars in referrals when it all comes through, bringing me over ten bundles sold, and within a few more of getting Rock Band for myself. I really appreciate the help.
If you already plan on buying the game, and would like to help out, please order it through one of my links to help me afford a copy, too. Let me know if you did, and we can meet up on Live and compete.
no kidding . . . very short-sighted . . . i’d buy GHIII in a heartbeat if it were compatible with RB on the PS3 . . . but not a chance until it is . . .
Comment by jda | April 14, 2008