Harmonix unveils Rock Band 2

By Robert Purchese Published 30 June, 2008

DLC will carry over, new instruments.

Harmonix has unveiled Rock Band 2 and announced plans to release it as a timed exclusive on Xbox 360 this September - with other platforms to follow "later in the year".

Perhaps the biggest feature will be cross-compatible downloadable songs, lead designer Dan Teasdale told IGN. And this works both ways; Xbox 360 fans can carry-over downloadable tracks from Rock Band 1, while PS3 fans awaiting release can play Rock Band 2 downloadable songs in the original game.

We're promised some "cool new features" that let you play your DLC in "different ways", too.

The existing peripherals will work with the sequel and you would bloody hope so too, but Harmonix and MTV will be offering updated peripherals that are "more realistic and reliable".

Feedback from the first game has led to Harmonix to expand its online options and offer better party functionality, so your friends can hop in with much less hassle.

There's no word on what songs will feature just yet, but Teasdale called it the "strongest playlist we've ever assembled". He also mentioned the possibility of user-created content in a similar vein to Guitar Hero: World Tour, but suggested something like this would take time to do properly.

"Rock Band 2 takes all the lessons we've learned from making a multi-instrument music game, addresses them, then adds some amazing new ways for you to experience your music library that have never been seen in a music game before," said Teasdale.

"We've been scouring forums and parties everywhere for what people liked and didn't like, and I'm pretty confident we've addressed everything I've heard people ask for."

Rock Band is available on Xbox 360 in Europe, with PS3, PS2 and Wii versions yet to be dated.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (45) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Razz #1 4 years ago

    IGN said today that this is the US date. Are we to assume that it is a combined EU and US release?

    Ooooh. I wonder how Harmonix are looking to upstage Neversoft! :D

    I hope they make better instruments this time.
    Edited by 2 at 30/06/08 @ 10:23

  • Zomoniac #2 4 years ago

    Cross-compatible DLC is a big deal, well done them. Any pics of the new instruments out yet?

  • Dizzy #3 4 years ago

    "I'm pretty confident we've addressed everything I've heard people ask for."

    *cough*EU price*cough*

  • Der_tolle_Emil #4 4 years ago

    If the set list contains Black Sabbath cover versions again I will hurt someone.

  • DonnieDarko333 #5 4 years ago

    Europe won't see Rock band 2 this year right, cause Rock Band has barely been released on any platform here...


  • Rirekon #6 4 years ago

    Guess I won't bother buying Rock Band then...

  • Zomoniac #7 4 years ago

    If the set list contains The Hives songs again I will hurt someone.

  • stampax #8 4 years ago

    Really cant see many people buying rock band on the ps3 IF it ever gets released now. Why would people in Europe want to buy rock band 1, when rock band 2 is out in the states?

  • andywilkie35 #9 4 years ago

    so the question i want to ask is what about all the songs on Rock Band that were in the game as standard? Because I don't want to have to quit Rock Band 2, then put in the disc for Rock Band 1 just to play "Say It Aint So". thats the problem with "party games" like this in my opinion, fine they'll obviously bring in some new songs that are good as standard, but the good songs from the first game will become defunct

    still, as long as I don't have to play that Outlaws song again or get bored to tears with the monotonous and never ending Who song then thats fine by me

  • JonFE #10 4 years ago

    This is getting ridiculous... How many sets of plastic instruments do we need to buy for these games? I understand that the existing ones will be compatible, but if Harmonix's "more realistic and reliable" statement is anything to go by, the updated instruments will probably have something extra (to compete with the new GH instruments perhaps?) that the existing ones won't cover and we'll end up missing out...

  • Freelancepolice #11 4 years ago

    Excellent news for the DLC

  • Zomoniac #12 4 years ago

    @ andywilkie35: On the Singstar PS2 games if you are on the select song menu, eject the disc and put in another one, it refreshes the song list. Fingers crossed for the same thing here.

  • Toothball #13 4 years ago

    I'm still waiting for them to release the Wireless Guitars. I hope they don't go the same way as the GH2 solo guitars, which they didn't seem to bother releasing. Also, I wonder what the release dates will be like, since there shouldn't be so much of an issue getting peripherals out. But they'll probably wait until they get supplies of the new ones in anyway. Slow.

  • Max_Powers #14 4 years ago

    2 things:

    - Rockband one still isn't out in mainland Europe. At least, not the instrument pack.
    - Retailers in mainland Europe do not want to shelf the Rockband instrument pack because they think it won't shift at this ridiculous pricepoint. They assume correctly.

    I own all Guitar Hero's and would love to play Rockband but the price is the biggest issue.



  • MBar #15 4 years ago

    ... with PS3, PS3 and Wii versions yet to be dated.

    So good, they have to date it twice.

    Edit: Like your mum. (Obligatory joke insertion edit.)
    Edited by 2 at 30/06/08 @ 10:55

  • Bumhug360 #16 4 years ago

    Pay day today and I was planning to fork out on Band in a Box, so nice timing on the announcement think I will wait now

  • Zomoniac #17 4 years ago

    Me want some Reggae Reggae Sauce...

  • LazyDan #18 4 years ago

    Way too many of these games coming out at the moment. On Tour, World Tour, Aerosmith, Metallica... Now RB 2? Christ.

  • Peew971 #19 4 years ago

    I was thinking about buying Rock Band soon, I'm happy to wait now... That said, they should stop releasing these games every year (or several times a year for GH), it's ridiculous. They should be released every other year.

  • jambolio #20 4 years ago

    I actually bought Rock Band a couple of weeks back now, it really is great fun, had my Nan playing the bass over the weekend and my stepdad playing drums. Split the price with a few of my mates as they all wanted it, so yeah so long as there isn't a massive problem on release of RB2 i'll get the solus edition and I'll wait until more details about the instruments emerge.

  • CARL05 #21 4 years ago

    bend over Europe, here comes Rock Band again!

  • paulf #22 4 years ago

    if you have a guitar hero guitar and an xbox 360 its worth getting rockband solus, it's easier than gh3 and the note charts are much better

  • Erinan #23 4 years ago

    What ToonMonkey said.

  • NegativeZero #24 4 years ago

    Meanwhile the first one doesn't even have a tentative release date in Australia / NZ.

    I want to like your product, Harmonix. I really do. I wish you'd let me. :(

  • StevilKnevil #25 4 years ago

    Rock band is the most fun I`ve had with a game in years. Just playing using a couple of GH guitars, did buy the drum kit too but wasnt for me. Looking forward to this.

  • nufcfan123 #26 4 years ago

    Song for the Dead
    Song for the DEAD!

  • Moz #27 4 years ago

    "more realistic and reliable"

    If that's an actual quote then Harmonix could have screwed themselfs in Europe and UK, as that would suggest that the current kit is flawed which in the UK at least gives you something silly like a 7 year period that you can ask for a fix or replacement if the item stops working or brakes you to a design flaw.

  • zippie151 #28 4 years ago

    This is just getting bloody ridiculous now! Firstly timed exclusive again and secondly arent they basically going to rip everyone who bought rockband 1 here off! Its like in4mths what a joke! And then itll be close to £200 again EA and Harmonix really need to pull their cocks out of each others arses and fast!

  • MrChuckles #29 4 years ago

    After moaning about the price of RB, i finally managed to pick up the drums and base game a couple of weeks ago for 20 quid via some clever in-industry trading. (Still have 2 x GH2 controllers and MS headset mic)

    It is great fun, but would i pay 140 quid? nope....

    Saying that, i own GH2, GH3, and RB now, and GH3 will never get a look in, compared to the other two, it is plain awful.

    Still haven't had my mates over to play yet (too busy at work) but single player drums and guitar are both excellent even if i am only excellent on guitar...Having trouble on medium drums at the mo, damn bass pedal!!

  • Ignatius_Cheese #30 4 years ago

    Assuming the drums are better, I'll definitely be upgrading them! Seriously, Rock Band FTW!!

  • asphaltcowboy #31 4 years ago

    LOL! Apparently Europe's release date is the same as the US! LINK

    Who is going to buy RB1 on one of the platforms that it hasn't been released for yet?! In fact, who is going to buy RB1 on 360 now? What. A. Cock-up.

  • Nithron #32 4 years ago

    Add an extra guitar difficulty that aint just the same two notes over and over for five minutes and I might buy it.

  • InsoFox #33 4 years ago

    @JonFE
    "if Harmonix's "more realistic and reliable" statement is anything to go by, the updated instruments will probably have something extra (to compete with the new GH instruments perhaps?) that the existing ones won't cover and we'll end up missing out... "

    Not at all. For example, with the drums, it'll probably be more like the 3rd party MadCatz drums which, if you don't know, have cymbals which double up in functionality to 2 of the pads, so that if you want to be flashy you can use the cymbals, but also you can just use the 4 pads as usual. If it wasn't something like that, how would you be able to use RB1 instruments in RB2?

    @everyone else

    I'm way excited, because it means I can get ready for RB2 without feeling I've just wasted a load of money on what I already have. Of -course- they are going to update the new instruments, but I think it's very cool that they're doing it in a way that doesn't make the old ones useless, and I think it's VERY cool that the songs will continue to be cross-compatible for the long term.

  • JonFE #34 4 years ago

    @InsoFox:
    When I said that Rock Band's new instruments could have something extra that the existing ones wouldn't cover, I had in mind something like the leaked Guitar Hero World Tour's touch-sensitive guitar Neck Slide, which presumably doesn't turn the existing GH guitars obsolete for GH: WT, yet denies them that extra fine detail.

    Of course, with the little available info, it's still early to judge and at E3 we'll learn more about RB2's new and improved instruments.

    However, if the -reported by videogaming247- EU September release date is true, some of us Europeans that bought the original plus instruments only last month will be pissed and rightfully so.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/08 @ 15:34

  • sanctusmortis #35 4 years ago

    @ asphaltcowboy; DLC carries over, NOT standard tracks. I reckon the solus will sell fine!

    I'll be getting the RB2 solus for sure. RB1 is miles better than GH3, and I don't think GHWT is even going to compete. Harmonix FTW! Oh, and well done MS; it's a good game to get a timed exclusive on.

    Oh, and I think it was Kotaku who rumoured a possible 120 tracks on the disk... That'd be good, eh? So long as they don't Endless Setlist them all!

  • InsoFox #36 4 years ago

    @JonFE

    Eh. I bought them last WEEK, and I don't mind. After all, I don't really need a new mic, even if the new one has buttons. And I don't really use the guitar, so I doubt I'll get one of those, certainly not straight away. I might be tempted by an improved drumkit, but I could live without one until christmas, I think.

    I think it's great to have the CHOICE for a change, instead of this story of 'new game, new bunch of plastic instruments you can't possibly live without' that seemed to be becoming the trend.

  • InsoFox #37 4 years ago

    @sanctusmortis

    has anyone actually SAID the on-disc songs won't carry over? Maybe they have, but I'd be surprised if they didn't figure some sort of solution for this, such as offering RB1 songs as free DLC for those who bought RB1, or just including RB1 songs on the RB2 disc and unlocking it for RB1 owners, or something.

  • ROCE1977 #38 4 years ago

    I just traded in my wireless Wheel and RB6 vegas 2 for the seperate drums on Friday. Still had to back it 23 euro. Wireless Wheel and RB6V2 combined credit of 57 euro. Paid 150 euro for the wheel when it came out and used it 3 times.
    Now I find out RB2 is coming out. Happy and sad at the same time. No doubt the euro release will be 9 months from now. I can't see RB2 in europe when RB1 only arrived a few weeks ago.
    We want Zeplin, Guns and Roses, and maybe a few pop songs too. My 7 year old daughter loves GH and Rockband but she not really into metal etc lol. A couple of hip hop/R'nB tracks would be cool for the drums and bass.

    As for the release of RB1 instuments in "main" land europe, here in Ireland you can get the drums on their own, the instrument pack (without the game) and the game seperate. Most of the toy/game shops are selling the dums for 80euro. The whole set including game for 200euro. Which is about 40 euro cheaper than RRP. Still no seperate Wifi Guitar though.

    I've got for my 360 GH2, GH3, Rockband, then I have 3 custom GH2 discs. One has all the GH1 and GH80's tracks and the other 2 have tracks from Micheal Jackson( beat it) to Led Zeplin. I went and got a RROD 360 off ebay for 40 euros a few months ago, fixed flashed the firmware so just so I could get the modded (homebrew) games to work.

  • Feanor #39 4 years ago

    A sequel to Rock Band only 10 months after the first game came out? Really?

  • InsoFox #40 4 years ago

    @Feanor

    it's obviously a strategic release given the competition, but the most important part of this is the cross compatibility.

    Don't think of it like buying a new game, as such. Think of it more like a Nintendo DS lite. After a little time, Nintendo find ways to improve on the original design and get rid of some problems the original had. Some people will want to upgrade to the latest version, and newcomers will surely prefer the Lite, but those who already have an original DS can carry on using it without any compatibility problems.

    Well, that's what Rock Band 2 is like. Everything still works on both, but version 2 offers lots of little improvements. Doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Same analogy goes for the instrument controllers.

  • Vandrius #41 4 years ago

    They really buggered up in releasing Rock Band as a 360 timed exclusive. The 360 demographic is, quite likely, their worst target audience since they are generally the more avid gamers.

    Wii Rock Band will sell like crazy cakes. PS3 a bit better than 360 (because you have to be rich to have a ps3). PS2 might sell better than them all.

  • Feanor #42 4 years ago

    Reasonable arguments, InsoFox. I guess the fact that you could fit a hundred DS lites in one Rock Band box is what makes me have a hard time with a sequel appearing in less than a year.

  • messiahtj #43 4 years ago

    zomg!! PS3 Rock Band 2 not in September?? Then screw that game. I just have PS3 and no shit im goin to buy a 360. Ill purchase Guitar Hero IV for ps3 instead and just pass about gettin Rock Band 2.
    Edited by 1 at 01/07/08 @ 04:37

  • actionfitz #44 4 years ago

    "We've been scouring forums and parties everywhere for what people liked and didn't like, and I'm pretty confident we've addressed everything I've heard people ask for."

    - so... they do read EG and are still quite sore over the ferocious Verbal ass raping they got over the release date, price point - not to mention lack of peripheral support for other games...

    Not bloody likely.
    Harmonix are Dead to me. Until they start treating Europeans with more respect, I wont be encouraging them by buying their products 6 months later than the US at twice the price...

  • Balfa #45 4 years ago

    My biggest problem is the compatibility issues between games and hardware. If they don't get things standardised so you can use any guitar/drumkit on any game without lacking considerable gameplay (lacking a useless effects switch, i don't mind. lacking a fifth drum, I do), I may never buy a game from either series.