More Rock Band 2 rumours emerge

By Robert Purchese Published 9 June, 2008

Could be out as early as November.

Numerous reports suggest MTV and Harmonix are hard at work on a sequel to Rock Band, with some retailer databases suggesting it could be out as early as November this year.

The first sightings were from online focus groups testing things such as price and features as well as box art choices, according to Joystiq.

Following this were obituaries for the late guitar hero Bo Diddley, claiming his cigar box-shaped guitar will be featured in Rock Band 2, presumably as an in-game unlockable rather than a peripheral.

Rock Band was released on Xbox 360 and PS3 in the US last November, with a PS3 version following in December and Wii version out this month.

Europe has so far only been treated to the Xbox 360 edition, with PS3 and other versions to follow later in the year.

It costs rather a lot at GBP 180 for the game plus instruments - guitar, microphone, drums, but is among the most fun you can have with four people in the same room. Head over to our Rock Band review to find out why.

Distributor EA has been contacted for comment.

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 (27) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • Dizzy #1 4 years ago

    Double the price!

  • Erinan #2 4 years ago

    Well, hopefully, with better* instruments and cheaper.

    * : not that they are bad - I love them - but they can be better
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/08 @ 09:45

  • Dr.Mott #3 4 years ago

    Make the drums quieter.

  • Saladin #4 4 years ago

    Make the instruments incompatable! Instant corporate bank account win!

  • syphaa #5 4 years ago

    I reckon they will release an update to the existing drums for Rockband 2. If you check the back of the drums for Rockband 1 there are some slots for what could be cymbals to be attached. Just a hunch...but I reckon Rockband 2 will have a drum set like Guitar hero 4.

    Bring it on!

  • jamespo #6 4 years ago

    chuck in some keyboards and a trombone and call it a round 500 quid

  • Monkey #7 4 years ago

    @ syphaa

    Slots on the back.
    You mean the ones that pull out and you can sit your drumsticks in?

  • Eraysor #8 4 years ago

    If they try to introduce new peripherals I will kill them. I'm not spending £180 on this admittedly awesome game only to have to fork out money for new peripherals and the software six months later.

    It does make sense for them to bring out Rock Band 2 this year though. Harmonix were pretty effective in producing Guitar Hero II in one year.

  • Raz76 #9 4 years ago

    Let's try to get Rock Band 1 out everywhere first, shall we?

  • jaxon58 #10 4 years ago

    I wish they'd stop saying 'later in the year' for a PS3 release. Are they so stupid that they cannot estimate a release date?

  • Wash #11 4 years ago

    Will the DLC work in it?

  • Iora #12 4 years ago

    November........ so August 2009 for us then. Guess that means importing again.......... at a discount again. moan moan gripe gripe. Still an awesome game though!

  • DSKUK #13 4 years ago

    I wouldn't be surprised if they release the sequel this year because

    a) It's EA publishing the game, and we all know how they like their iterations
    b) Guitar Hero 4 is coming out that is attempting to "outstage" Rock Band

  • Erinan #14 4 years ago

    It's EA publishing the game, and we all know how they like their iterations

    Wrong, EA are the distributor. MTV are the publisher.

    Plus, it's Harmonix behind RB, not Neversoft/Activision. I don't think anyone complained when they released GH2 a year after GH1? And making the new peripherals incompatible with RB1 would be suicidal, and I am sure that they know it.

    Wait (for E3, probably) and see.
    Edited by 2 at 09/06/08 @ 10:52

  • brooza #15 4 years ago

    So Rock Band 2 to be released in the US at around the same time as PS3 Rock band in the EU?

    Or is it a worldwide release of RB2 in November?

  • Colin8703 #16 4 years ago

    They are releasing the sequel this year. Not the UK though.

    That is confirmed by a personal friend on the inside so don't ask for links. Yes he is reliable.

  • sneetch #17 4 years ago

    @jaxon58
    "I wish they'd stop saying 'later in the year' for a PS3 release. Are they so stupid that they cannot estimate a release date?"

    They can estimate it, unfortunately the closest they can get is "later in the year". I personally cannot fathom how they hell they can operate a business without knowing when they're releasing it.

    Must be the "oracular visions" style of planning.

    "When Rome falls but does not burn, when leaves turn and the sun flees, Rock Band will unleash on the PS3 "
    "So erm... Autumn then?"

  • Andy247 #18 4 years ago

    Have they started defending the price of this one yet?

  • asphaltcowboy #19 4 years ago

    I don't think anyone complained when they released GH2 a year after GH1?

    But it's not a year for (pseudo-) Europe is it? It's 6 months. Unless we get another inexplicable delay.

  • Burkey #20 4 years ago

    Argh fudge. I was hoping for just a load of DLC for Rock Band. I guess once this comes out there'll be no more.

  • Erinan #21 4 years ago

    @asphaltcowboy: oops, was replying to someone on another thread that I was reading, and who was complaining about the fact that they were releasing another game, à la Singstar.

    Argh fudge. I was hoping for just a load of DLC for Rock Band. I guess once this comes out there'll be no more.

    Think Singstar PS3 :) New game, and DLC compatible with both. Although this still has to be confirmed by Harmonix/MTV, but it would be completely crazy not to do it.

  • kangarootoo #22 4 years ago

    Played RB for the first time last week. All good stuff, though I agree the drum pads need to be quieter. If you want to drown out the sound of you bashing plastic pads you have to crank your telly volume sky-high. Headphones are an option I suppose, but not an ideal one.

  • rhubarbandcustard #23 4 years ago

    After rallying against the price of Rock Star for so long, I finally purchased the solus edition today. Will be playing co-op bass and guitar tonight. I would love to play drums too, but at £70 I have reservations:
    1) Will Rock Band 1 drums work okay on Rock Band 2?
    2) Will Guitar Hero drums work on Rock Band, as I have done with guitars, and should I then wait for guitar hero drums to be released instead for better compatability?
    3) If I buy Rock Band drums is there anywhere or anyway to make them quieter? Vinyl pad coverings?
    4) If I buy any set of drums am I actually going to last the duration on any Metallica or other metal song?
    5) Why do men so enjoy list making?

  • Toothball #24 4 years ago

    I'd still like to know whether they'll be releasing the wireless guitars at all. I was after them at launch, but they're nowhere to be seen. Sure I've got my GH2 guitars, but I really like the Strats.

  • jellyhead #25 4 years ago

    Heh, this will help sales in Europe eh? Whole RB release has been bloody good fun to watch from the outside. :)

    / gets popcorn and waits for more laughs

  • wired009 #26 4 years ago

    This might be unprecedented for a console game, but I think they ought to release an expansion instead of a standalone game. At least allow people some way to utilize the entire song library and character progression that they've accumulated from Rock Band without switching disks. Also create a karaoke mode so that the singer can play without a rating. Playing on hard or expert modes as a band can be impossible when none of your friends can sing (or fake sing) like the stars.

  • oupe #27 4 years ago

    Now you can spend 180 quid on a yearly basis!