“Are you ready to rock?!”
That’s the question Activision and thousands of Guitar Hero enthusiasts hope will be answered this Sunday, October 28, when the long-anticipated Guitar Heo III: Legends of Rock goes on sale in a multi-platform blitz encompassing the PlayStation 3, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, and the PlayStation 2. More than 3,000 U.S. retailers are expected to host midnight launch events, enabling fans to tap into their inner rock star at the earliest possible moment.
“Where there is music this holiday season, there is Guitar Hero, and we’re excited to deliver Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock as the ultimate guitar-bending experience for our fans,” said Activision/RedOctane’s head of publishing Dusty Welch, in a statement. “With an amazing set list, added gameplay features, online functionality, and new wireless guitars, aspiring rock stars are going to shred harder than ever before.”
The follow-up to the monster hit Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II has been anticipated by many gamers in the same way music fans eagerly look forward to a new album from a favorite artist. And Guitar Hero III does not intend to disappoint. First, every supported platform gets a new wireless guitar controller, including a controller models on the famous Gibson Les Paul design for the Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3, and an 80s hair band-inducing PS2 controller based on the Kramer Striker guitar, complete with hockey stick-style headstock.
Guitar Hero III features a new set list featuring songs from Guns ‘n’ Roses, Alice Cooper, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, KISS, Moses, and other well-known rock artists, and features more original tracks rather than covers. Activision s promising a steady diet of new songs that can be downloaded to expand the repertoire of Guitar Hero III, and gamers will be able to challenge each other to online competitive guitar battles.
The success of the Guitar Hero franchise has sparked a new competitor in the form of Rock Band, a new title developed by Harmonix for mega-publsher Electronic Arts, scheduled to go on sale next month. Rock Band includes not just a guitar controller, but a microphone and a drum kit controller, enabling players to take on multiple roles in an onscreen band, and feature full-length albums rather than selected singles.
