Activision blocking Rock Band PS3 patch - Harmonix

By GamesIndustry International Published 13 December, 2007

To make GH guitars work.

Rock Band developer Harmonix is claiming that a patch designed to allow the use of PS3 Guitar Hero controllers with its new game is being blocked by Activision, GamesIndustry.biz reports.

When Harmonix announced the development of Rock Band, it said it would work to allow the game to support the guitar peripheral released for Guitar Hero - the Activision-published series that Harmonix originally developed for RedOctane.

However, when Rock Band was released, PS3 owners were unable to use the Les Paul guitar controller included with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Harmonix said that it had created a software patch to solve the problem, but now that patch is being blocked.

"The compatibility patch was submitted, approved and had been scheduled for release by Sony on Tuesday, December 4," Harmonix said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, Activision objected to the release of the compatibility patch. The patch remains with Sony, but we have been told that it will unfortunately not be released due to Activision's continued objection."

Harmonix went on to say that it hoped Activision would allow the use of Rock Band controllers with Guitar Hero III, and will provide any required support in order for them to do so.

Xbox 360 owners have no such compatibility issues and are able to use their Guitar Hero III controllers with Rock Band.

Neither Activision nor RedOctane had responded to a request for comment by the time we published this story.

Interestingly, Activision is no longer compatible with our Christmas card list.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Steroyd #1 5 years ago

    o_O

  • Metalfish #2 5 years ago

    Surely they knew that this'd end up with bad publicity?

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #3 5 years ago

    Dan who puts the screenshots up suggests they'll have a change of heart after Christmas.

  • DanWhitehead #4 5 years ago

    Dan who puts the screenshots up

    That's his Native American name, obviously.

  • Razz #5 5 years ago

    What a shit shower of cunting barsted fucks. >8(
    Edited by Razz at 13/12/07 @ 09:27

  • chicknstu #6 5 years ago

    It begins.

    You don't get rich from being nice to people. EA learned that many years ago.

  • MBar #7 5 years ago

    And because it has to be done:

    PS3lol

    Activision showing they value profit above customers. Shocker.

  • Bealsy #8 5 years ago

    Well this is hardly a surprise... Next Activision will be charging rip off prices for their download content..... no... oh wait.... already happened.

  • chicknstu #9 5 years ago

    Actually, this is a bad move on behalf of Harmonix too.

    Extorting customers for the sake of profit is a standard practice, which has benefits for the company.

    Bitching online about your publisher is generally considered a bad idea.

  • Slamhound #10 5 years ago

    "Dan who puts the screenshots up suggests they'll have a change of heart after Christmas."

    Translation: We want parents trying to buy this game for their kids for Christmas to pay full whack, that or force them to wait until the new year.

    Activision is trying to ruin Christmas. QED.

  • tonynibbles #11 5 years ago

    As I mentioned elsewhere, this isnt being received too well.
    Comments on the PS3fanboy.com news post:

    <em>
    balaam said...
    i was getting gh3 for christmas
    you can shove it up you and blizzards combined arses
    </em>


  • kangarootoo #12 5 years ago

    @DanWhitehead

    "Dan who puts the screenshots up

    That's his Native American name, obviously."

    Very good work. +2

  • Garulon #13 5 years ago

    It works just fine on the 360. I think it's some kind of Sony TSR that all PS3 titles bend you over in some way.

  • kangarootoo #14 5 years ago

    I'm surprised this can even happen. The RockBand devs make a patch for Rockband.... so what the hell has that got to do with Activision. Have I got my wires in an almighty twist here?

    My understanding was....

    Activision are publishing GH now, and they own Red Octane.
    Harmonix have developed RockBand, which is being published by EA.

    So which bit of is incorrect. Surely one part of it must be, or Activision would surely have to just bugger off and mind their own business. Can I object to patches that are none of my business too?

    Someone fill me in here, I have to be missing something.

  • JonFE #15 5 years ago

    So, does that mean that Activision has more power over Sony than EA? Surely, you jest...

  • MBar #16 5 years ago

    Bitching online about your former publisher is generally considered a bad idea.

  • asphaltcowboy #17 5 years ago

    "Bitching online about your publisher is generally considered a bad idea."

    Wrong. Activision are publishing GH3, not Rock Band, that's EA.

    @kangarootoo: I'm not sure... I suppose it might come down to licensing, but I agree, it's completely stupid.

  • reality_cheque #18 5 years ago

    chicknstu: They're not bitching about their own publisher, they're bitching about the GH3 publisher.

  • mikew1985 #19 5 years ago

    @Garulon

    What was the point of that post? this is nothing to do with Sony, AT ALL!

    Jesus, i don't even have a PS3(will join my wii and 360 at some stage tho) but this bs that Sony intentionally shit all over everything is just getting ridiculous.

  • Garulon #20 5 years ago

    "Jesus, i don't even have a PS3(will join my wii and 360 at some stage tho) but this bs that Sony intentionally shit all over everything is just getting ridiculous."

    OH yeah? What's the differentiator between GH3 + Rock Band + 360 and GH3 + Rock Band + PS3 then? Cos one group has interchangable guitars and one group don't.

  • JonFE #21 5 years ago

    Mike, hold your horses :)

    In the article, Harmonix suggests that their patch is held up by Sony, because Activision objects to it, so clearly Sony has something to do with it. They could, for example, ignore Activision and give their customers what they want (it would probably hurt their relationship with Activision, but, hey, it's just business).

    What remains to be seen, however, is on what grounds can Activision force their objection.

  • AcidSnake #22 5 years ago

    @Kanga:
    The only thing I can think of is that in order to make Rock Band compatible with the GH guitars Harmonix have used code belonging to RedOctane...
    Code they once made, but which now belongs to Activision...

    Maybe a far fetched analogy but it'd be like making iTunes compatible with Zune, in the sense that Apple would have had to use some Zune code...

  • oreillymj #23 5 years ago

    Why don't Activision stop worrying about other people's patches and start getting their own house in order.

    IOW - where's my fucking COD4 patch that was promised a month ago?

  • Freek #24 5 years ago

    Wow, that's childish. Stupid too, as you can be pretty certain plenty of people want to play both GH and RB. Having a guitar that's compatible with both is just more incentive to buy both.

  • mikew1985 #25 5 years ago

    "OH yeah? What's the differentiator between GH3 + Rock Band + 360 and GH3 + Rock Band + PS3 then? Cos one group has interchangable guitars and one group don't."

    Yeah i know that, not disputing this in any way but this is nothing to do with Sony, its the fault of conflicting Developer and Publisher, Sony obviously aren't trying to intentionally cripple their version of the game.

    Although i think every PS3 owner has to feel kinda pissed off cos it does seem to happen a lot.
    Edited by mikew1985 at 13/12/07 @ 12:11

  • mikew1985 #26 5 years ago

    @JonFe

    The horses have been held.

    But you would have to assume there is an actual reason that they are holding up the patch. It must be a legal issue otherwise you would think activision haven't got a leg to stand on. I just can't imagine that this is Sony's fault... but stranger things i suppose

  • Garulon #27 5 years ago

    "its the Developer/Publisher's fault, Sony obviously aren't trying to intentionally cripple their version of the game."

    Not intentionally sure, but letting it all hang out causes these kinds of problems. Next time someone moans about MS's tight control of what you can use to control your 360 games well, guys here's what happens when you don't.

  • mikew1985 #28 5 years ago

    fair enough point I suppose, Microsoft do have ridiculously tight controls on their controller technology.

    Thanks to that there is very few (none perhaps?) shit 3rd party controllers
    Edited by mikew1985 at 13/12/07 @ 12:19

  • mkreku #29 5 years ago

    Yeah, and it's also why a 20GB Microsoft Xbox 360 harddrive costs $160 in Sweden. There are obviously both pros and cons.

  • BlueDot #30 5 years ago

    I heard on the last 1up podcast that there is a rumour that Activision is working on a patch that will break the 360 guitars compatibility. Bunch of gits if that's true.

  • moggsy #31 5 years ago

    @BlueDot

    How could that possibly work? They'd have to either change the firmware in the guitar (impossible I'd imagine) or patch the Rock Band software to have a chance of breaking the compatibility. Unless I'm missing something?

    I suspect that part of Activision's problem is that they sell the GHIII guitars at a subsidised price in the hope that you'll pay for lots of downloadable content. They won't make any money out of people using them to play Rock Band.

  • SharkVLion #32 5 years ago

    Backroom deal with some shitbag at Activision; Brown envelope from M$

    OR

    Activision forcing sales of the newer Guitar peripheral

    Either way theyre all a set of cunts

  • kangarootoo #33 5 years ago

    @Garulon

    Man, you have been holding your breath for too long. There is absolutely NO reason Sony would want this kind of conflict on their platform when the same conflict does not occur on the 360 (or even if it did for that matter).

    If you actually truly believe that Sony a) set out to annoy gamers and b) place doing so above making profit, you are bizarrely detached from reality.

  • kangarootoo #34 5 years ago

    "I suspect that part of Activision's problem is that they sell the GHIII guitars at a subsidised price in the hope that you'll pay for lots of downloadable content. They won't make any money out of people using them to play Rock Band."

    Most sensible comment on the thread thus far.

    It still doesn't explain how Activision managed to have a say in this though. Maybe it is just plain old "we are a big publisher, so do what we say Sony or we'll take our toys home".

  • Garulon #35 5 years ago

    "How could that possibly work? They'd have to either change the firmware in the guitar (impossible I'd imagine) or patch the Rock Band software to have a chance of breaking the compatibility. "

    That'd be hard because the controller support is provided by the 360 system firmware, not the software. The software sees "device==guitar" and doesn't know/care who it's from. "breaking the firmware" would require MS to smash up their controller support.

    "If you actually truly believe that Sony a) set out to annoy gamers "

    I'm getting a little frightened now...

  • Garulon #36 5 years ago

    "It still doesn't explain how Activision managed to have a say in this though. "

    It's their dongle and their API, so their copyright.

  • kangarootoo #37 5 years ago

    "I'm getting a little frightened now..."

    Paranoid delequents frequently do ;)


    "It's their dongle and their API, so their copyright"

    Dongle? I thought this was the PS3 we were on about, in which case its all done with bluetooth surely? Have you got a link for that, or are you just winging it?

    Has anyone got a link for the basis of Activision's complaint, 'cos thus far I just feel like a blind man being led by a herd of cats (fanboy cats at that).
    Edited by kangarootoo at 13/12/07 @ 14:40

  • JonFE #38 5 years ago

    The only legal stance Activision could possibly have -if they use some kind of proprietary code to get guitar input on the PS3- is that Harmonix got hold of it and used it in the Rock Band patch without licensing or owning it...

    Other than that, your guess is as good as mine :-|

  • Garulon #39 5 years ago

    "Dongle? I thought this was the PS3 we were on about, in which case its all done with bluetooth surely? Have you got a link for that, or are you just winging it?"

    Both GHIII and RB wireless guitars on the PS3 use specialised dongles hanging out of the PS3, whereas the 360 versions use the native 360 packet radio thingy. I thought this was common knowledge?

  • kangarootoo #40 5 years ago

    "I thought this was common knowledge?"

    Well THAT, would be the missing link in the chain as far as I'm concerned. And don't go all superior with your "I thought this was common knowledge" nonsense. An adult would have said that in the first place and furthered the discussion.... so somehow I still win ;)

    If proprietary tech was involved then it would seemingly be open and shut infringement, but I'd still be surprised if it were that straight forward. I can't imagine for a second that an experienced publisher like EA would attempt to publish a patch that they knew infringed someone elses tech IP. So I still need more details about the exact complaint, though we are getting closer :)

  • kangarootoo #41 5 years ago

    @frod

    They could have lost money on the guitar, but made money on the games themselves. DLC isn't the only thin to turn profit, whereas the hardware may well have been sold at an individual loss. If someone buys your guitar for use with someone elses game, you lose money == bad.

  • drxym #42 5 years ago

    Sony should smack these people around a bit. The TRC for games that use peripherals should be modified so that certain kinds of devices - drums, guitars, keyboards, mice, lightguns etc. must meet certain compatibility requirements. Preferably those requirements would include using bluetooth for wireless functionality rather than crappy dongles.

  • kangarootoo #43 5 years ago

    I don't understand why they would bother using their own dongle. Bluetooth is cheaper all round. In fact, I thought it was only the PS2 that was using a dongle, 'cos it had to, and that the 360 version was wired (as GH was at one point right?) because of the costs of licensing MS's wireless tech.

  • BlueDot #44 5 years ago

    @moggsy

    "How could that possibly work? They'd have to either change the firmware in the guitar (impossible I'd imagine) or patch the Rock Band software to have a chance of breaking the compatibility. Unless I'm missing something? "

    I don't know how that would work, maybe the next revision of the GHIII guitars+software combo will be different ?

  • daz_john_smith #45 5 years ago

    I guess this means that the chances of a Activision releasing a patch for GH (360 or PS3) that allows compatibility with the RB Fender are slim-to-none.

    Since I'd like to have guitars that are interchangable with both games on 360 I guess I'm going to have to do exactly what Activision want. Forego the RB Fender and buy another GH Controller.

    I feel dirty and used.
    Edited by daz_john_smith at 14/12/07 @ 19:56

  • smelly #46 5 years ago

    STOP PRESS!

    Microsoft stops Bungie from releasing a patch which allows halo 3 to run on a ps3

  • William #47 5 years ago

    Just in from Activision:
    ( https://activision.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/... )

    "To Music Gaming Fans:

    The recent announcement by MTV Games/Viacom's Harmonix division that Activision is blocking Sony from releasing a patch and their plea to enable Rock Band software to work with Guitar Hero hardware paints a very misleading picture.

    In fact, Harmonix and its parent company MTV Games/Viacom recently declined Activision's offer to reach an agreement that would allow the use of Guitar Hero guitar controllers with Rock Band. We have been and remain open to discussions with Harmonix and MTV Games/Viacom about the use of our technology in Rock Band. Unfortunately for Rock Band users, in this case Harmonix and MTV Games/Viacom are unwilling to discuss an agreement with Activision.

    Activision's top priority is to provide consumers with a seamless marriage of best-in-class hardware and software. We are focusing our efforts on innovating hardware and software that are designed to work together, work flawlessly and provide an enjoyable gaming experience.

    Best regards,

    Activision"

  • kangarootoo #48 5 years ago

    So it sounds like Harmonix/EA were using Activision tech, and Acti wanted a fee (which is not unreasonable), and H/EA didn't want to pay.

    :(