Gamertell

It turns out that Guitar Hero: World Tour isn’t shaping up to be a sensational seller, like the other entries in the series. The New York Times is reporting that World Tour sold roughly 534,000 copies in the week after it was released, while Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock managed to sell around 1.4 million copies in the week after it launched. So, based on those early figures, one could reason that World Tour is only a third as successful as Legends of Rock. Perhaps this means that Rock Band is having an incredibly visible impact on Guitar Hero‘s sales. Or, it could be an indication that people are cutting back on extravagant video game purchases.

Guitar Hero: World Tour, which is the fourth entry in the series and the first to incorporate instruments other than guitars into the game, was launched on October 26, 2008…

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In November 2005, RedOctane launched the first Guitar Hero game which was an instant hit and changed the music game genre forever.  It is to music games, what Wii is to video gaming in general – a breath of fresh, innovative air. In the 26 months the Guitar Hero series has been around it has grossed more than $1 billion in North America.

Activision, the game’s publisher, announced on Monday (January 21, 2008) that the Guitar Hero franchise has set a new industry record by crossing the $1 billion-sales mark in just 26 months. However, the company has not taken into account the revenue generated by song downloads. The franchise’ lifetime North American sales stand at 14 million copies, according to NPD.

The publisher also announced that Guitar Hero III - the latest title in the franchise - was s the best title in 2007 in terms of “units and dollars.”  Activision has also claimed that GTIII is the best video game of all time in a single calendar year.

The franchise has pioneered a revolution within the music game genre and has had a deep cultural impact. The tales of karaoke nights being replaced by Guitar Hero-playing sessions are now part of gaming folklore, and a testament to its cultural impact.

Read [Kotaku]  Also Read [Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

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Activision isn’t content to have one massive Guitar Hero release out for the holidays. The company has just released a second dose of Guitar Hero for fans who may just have joined the bandwagon. Activision began shipping a new dual pack that contains Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II on November 7, 2007, for Playstation 2. The dual pack is rated Teen, does not contain a guitar controller and costs $59.99.

As we all remember, Guitar Hero is where the whole series began. The initial entry featured more than 40 songs, different guitar options, and unlockable characters. Some of the more recognizable tunes were “I Love Rock and Roll,” “Iron Man” and “I Wanna Be Sedated”. Guitar Hero II expanded on the original, as it contained over 60 songs, new characters, more guitars, and multiplayer modes. A few of the tracks from Guitar Hero II are “Sweet Child of Mine”, “Free Bird”, and “You Really Got Me”.

I kind of feel behind in all the Guitar Hero hype. The only entry I own is the original Guitar Hero. I’m a little surprised at the price of the bundle. I would have thought $49.99 would be more fair. I’ve seen the original Guitar Hero in used stores for around $19.99 after all. The price will probably drop after Christmas.

Read [Destructoid] Site [Guitar Hero]

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Good news for PS2-playing Guitar Hero fans – Target, Activision, and RedOctane have teamed up to create an exclusive bundle for the PS2 version of Guitar Hero 3. Available only at Target, the bundle includes a copy of GH3, two specially designed guitar controllers, and a “customization kit” with stickers and guitar straps. The package will be released on the game’s official launch day (October 28, 2007), and will retail for $109.99.

Still not sold on the merits of Guitar Hero 3? Check out some details from the press release:

“Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will include explosive new content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. The third installment of the franchise is the biggest yet, including songs from such artists as Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses, The Killers, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, The Who and KISS.”

So why is the bundle only available for the PS2? After all, the title is also going to hit the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3. Some have speculated it has to do with the fact that the PS2 version won’t be sold online like the others.

It’s going to be fun to see who wins the virtual battle of the bands this holiday season: GH 3 or Rock Band. Both titles are shaping up quite nicely, so it’s safe to assume that whichever title you pick, you’ll be able to rock out admirably this fall.

Read [Joystiq] Also Read [Kotaku]

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