• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Harmonix: Activision Blocked Rock Band PS3 Guitar Compatibility Patch

B

BuddyC

Member
The rumors, they are true.

"Two weeks ago, Harmonix created a software patch for the Sony PLAYSTATION 3 version of Rock Band that allowed for guitar compatibility and support for third party peripherals, including enabling use of Activision's Guitar Hero III controller with Rock Band," the company told Shacknews.

"Unfortunately, Activision objected to the release of the compatibility patch," the statement continues. "The patch remains with Sony, but we have been told that it will unfortunately not be released due to Activision's continued objection."
Click to expand...
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50354
 
The Innocent X said:
Why the hell would sony bow down to them.There is surely no legal case here?
Click to expand...

That's what I want to know. Why would Sony care what Activision says? I hope 1up answers that when the story is updated later today.
 
Yeah, this would be enough to make me not get GHIV. This and the fact that RB is the better, more fun, game, and will certainly be leagues better by the next iteration if the Tony Hawk series is any indication.
 
I'm really stunned. There's literally no way to play the stand alone version of the game until next year for the PS3. This could cost EA like hundreds of thousands of dollars.
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
Wow. Rock Band PS3 Stand Alone.

The first video game at retail to ever sell zero copies?
Click to expand...

Sad thing is that I'm sure some poor souls bought it thinking the guitar patch would come through. Although I guess you could just use the Karaoke prt with a Logitech USB mic from say Karaoke Revolution PS2.
 
Gigglepoo said:
That's what I want to know. Why would Sony care what Activision says? I hope 1up answers that when the story is updated later today.
Click to expand...
It's their game, isn't it? There's nothing Sony can do even if they already have the patch because then Activision would raise all hell. A.K.A no more games from them and pulling all support or whatever!
 
Bububu RB guitar doesn't work with GH!!!1!

I've gotta agree with Activision though, business is business. Why help the competitor?

Before anyone says it makes Activision money, the GH3 guitars aren't on sale separately until January anyway so they don't profit from it, unless people where willing to spend $100 for a bass guitar.
 
bryehn said:
Sad thing is that I'm sure some poor souls bought it thinking the guitar patch would come through. Although I guess you could just use the Karaoke prt with a Logitech USB mic from say Karaoke Revolution PS2.
Click to expand...

Undoubtedly. How awful.

What a boneheaded move.

A) Alienate the entire PS3 audience forever.
B) All to try and stave off a competitor that's barely above ground anyway.

So dumb.
 
CrushDance said:
It's their game, isn't it? There's nothing Sony can do even if they already have the patch because then Activision would raise all hell. A.K.A no more games from them and pulling all support or whatever!
Click to expand...

Activision isn't going to pull PS3 support over this, any more than EA will pull support for witholding the patch.
 
Link316 said:
Red Octane doesn't really call the shots anymore
Click to expand...
I noticed. At first I was defending Activision when Red Octane was suing The Ant *********. Now it looks like I had it backwards.

God Damn it.

Someone on the Rock Band forums said this:
I know this screws all of us with the PS3 but don't think you 360 owners are in the clear. The new patch coming for Rock Band on the 360 will disable the use of Guitar Hero controllers as stated by Activision.
Click to expand...

I don't know if this is true, but it sounds scary enough to be.
 
Link316 said:
FU Activsion! I'm boycotting all your games from now on
Click to expand...

You do know that that means you'll be giving up Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, Call Of Duty, Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, World of Warcraft, Crash Bandicoot, Spryo. Not to mention new game unnamed IP's from Bizarre Creations, Infinity Ward, Neversoft, Blizzard Entertainment, Massive Entertainment, Radical Entertainment, Sierra Entertainment.

Sad times for you :(
 
FILTER ACTIVISION FROM GAF!!!
FILTER SONY TOO

and also filter guitar hero

and the numbers 3 and 4
 
So not only they were able to make a Guitar Hero game that was quite unfun to play, screwed up the stereo sound system for Wii version, they also did this bullshit?

Oh wow, Activision, looks like you're doing a good job in making people hate Guitar Hero.

I don't think I can think of anyone who will hate Guitar Hero - but you sure showed me, Activision.
 
Business is business. EA/Harmonix certainly shouldn't have banked on the competition to provide the necessary accessory to make standalone copies of Rock Band playable.
 
usea said:
This only makes sense for Activision. Sony is really the one we should be saying "fuck you" to.
Click to expand...
Well what is Sony supposed to do? Go against what Activision says?
The Innocent X said:
Activision isn't going to pull PS3 support over this, any more than EA will pull support for witholding the patch.
Click to expand...
To EA it won't matter. They supplied the patch in good will and held up their side of the bargain, Activision is the one who got up in arms about it and said "You guys can't release that!".

Sonys caught in the crossfire.
 
usea said:
This only makes sense for Activision. Sony is really the one we should be saying "fuck you" to.
Click to expand...

Why, because the PS3 wasn't released in time for a version of GHII?

That's the ONLY reason an Xplorer or Les Paul works on Rock Band right now. Activision certainly didn't help but I'm sure Harmonix still had the code needed to make it work and RO didn't bother to modify it for the Les Paul.
 
So let me get this straight.

Guitar Hero 3 owners that own the 360 version can use that guitar to play Rockband for the 360.

But Guitar Hero 3 owners that have the PS3 version are now more or less fucked if they want to use that guitar with PS3 Rockband because Activison is being a bunch of fucking pricks...

So Activison hates Sony now all of a sudden?
 
I guess I haven't been paying attention---why wasn't it compatible out of the box, I know the scuttlebutt at one time was the RB would support GH guitars, but not vice versa? Why does this apply specifically to the PS3 version but not the 360 version?
 
Shins said:
Business is business. EA/Harmonix certainly shouldn't have banked on the competition to provide the necessary accessory to make standalone copies of Rock Band playable.
Click to expand...
don't forget the other peripheral manufacturers. The Activision/Red Octaint guitars would have been a bonus
 
How come I can use GH peripherals seamlessly on the X360 version of Rock Band? My friends and I never use the standard Rock Band guitar because it sucks pretty hard.
 
Shins said:
Business is business. EA/Harmonix certainly shouldn't have banked on the competition to provide the necessary accessory to make standalone copies of Rock Band playable.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

People are made at Activision because they don't want their controller to work with a rival game?
 
This doesn't make sense.

Surely allowing old guitars to work with new ones would block out people BUYING ROCK BAND GUITARS, not GH3 guitars, as they don't need to purchase new ones. Thus the ball being in Activisions court, odd...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

AC Shadows PSSR2 TOGGLE vs PATCH
25
522
Bojji replied
Is the Activision-Blizzard acquisition the biggest backfire in gaming history?
2 3
140
510
WhiteWaterM00se replied
Xbox asks for backward compatibility suggestions
Opinion Retro Game Dev  2 3 4
193
1K
RedC replied
Kowloon's Gate English Patch - June 9th
Retro Trailer Indie 
10
143
German Shocks replied
Latest Rocket League patch ups performance for Nintendo Switch 2
0
183
Banjo64 replied
Top Bottom