MTV Games "Expected More" From The Beatles: Rock Band

[Andy Chalk]

MTV Games "Expected More" From The Beatles: Rock Band

MTV Games General Manager Scott Guthrie says he's disappointed by the sales of The Beatles: Rock Band [http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=74158] in Europe but still believes that the music game genre is and will remain an important part of the industry.

It seems simple enough: Take the most famous rock band of all time, mash it together with the ridiculously popular music game genre, then get out of the way and let the millions pour in. But apparently there's a little more to it than that, according to Guthrie, who gave a rather blunt answer when asked if he was satisfied with sales of The Beatles: Rock Band in Europe.

"The honest answer is no," he said. "We were expecting higher sales."

What happened? "We got caught in a few things that happened last year. It was a tough economy, there was a lot of competitive products out there and I think Beatles probably had softer sales than it would have if some of those things weren't in play," he explained. "Overall we were pleased with the sales. I think that we underestimated the competition and they took mind share away from us."

I'm not exactly sure how he went from being dissatisfied with sales of the game to being pleased with them, although I'd guess it's one of those fine lines that separates what people really hope for and what's good enough to keep them from getting fired. Whatever the case, Guthrie believes that music games remain "significant in the marketplace" and that despite the underwhelming performance of The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV [http://www.mtv.com] can still take the lead in the genre.

"We have a long way to go, and we are playing catch-up - we were not the first people in the market and we're up against not just a formidable opponent in SingStar [http://www.activision.com] franchise," he said. "There are several things in play here - but we absolutely believe we can be the market leader."

Source: MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/39103/MTV-expected-more-from-Rock-Band-in-Europe]


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[Tartarga]

Well if MTV says it it must be true. After all they have such a vast knowledge of music (sarcasm). Seriously, how many of there shows are actually about music these days? Not a single one that I know of, they are to busy with all their reality shows the bastards.

 

[Deofuta]

Its too bad it did not sell as much as they hoped. I LOVE the Beatles, and got the game on the launch day, (as well as the new box set, the people at FYE love me forever now )

 

[Dorkmaster Flek]

The hell? How does sales numbers in the millions count as "disappointing"? That right there is the problem with the game industry these days. If you can sell over a million copies of your game and still not make enough money, you're doing something wrong. Or you're just an asshat who is never satisfied.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Oh shut up, MTV guy. Beatles Rockband had strong sales. I should eat you.

 

[Jared]

I think its because, although iconic, the people who are playing are not playing for the Beetles. Well, no one I know anyway

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Economy as a blame figure?
They just missed the bandwagon by being too late and the hype was already over IMHO.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

The trouble with The Beatles: Rock Band was.

A) It had a high price point during a time of low spending

B) The rampant saturation of the Genre with countless music games being released all of a sudden

C) The high cost of the license meaning a higher break even point for the developer

D) That The Beatles, while popular with older fans and music buffs everywhere, isn't as popular with the Guitar Hero/Rock Band demographic

It still sold well though, and was a good game. Be pleased with that. If only it had been released a couple of years earlier.

 

[Jaebird]

Really? The economy and competition excuses? I can use those exact excuses to reason why I'm not getting paid as much as I use to in my job (QSS at Ruby Tuesday), and it would mean more than the sale of a video game.

Dear MTV Games,

Life stinks. Deal with it.

Love and unicorns, Jbird

xoxo

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Well if MTV says it it must be true. After all they have such a vast knowledge of music (sarcasm). Seriously, how many of there shows are actually about music these days? Not a single one that I know of, they are to busy with all their reality shows the bastards.

They deal with music? Any time I turn to the channel they're always showing off some rapper's house.

All I can say is 'oh well.' I'm not too big on the console sets, personally finding them a waste of time and money. I favor portable music and rhythm games, as they serve to entertain me when I often can't be doing something else.

 

[GloatingSwine]

The trouble with The Beatles: Rock Band was.

Actually, the most significant trouble with TB:RB was that they held out on a lot of the really stellar Beatles tunes from the early era so that they could shoehorn in later experimental stuff which, whilst perfectly good Beatles music, is generally using weird instruments like sitars, which means that you don't get the same feel of "playing" the track as you do if it's nominally the instrument you have a small plastic replica of.

If they'd stacked the song list with all the classics from the early albums, it would have been a different matter.

 

[the_tramp]

I've always seen Beatles fans as the kind of music purists who would refuse to play these kinds of games, blaming them for destroying music in the same way that most people who can 5* Through The Fire And The Flames claim to be able to play the guitar.

That being said, I realise I'm stereotyping and therefore don't bother quoting me and saying that you're a die-hard Beatles fans and own all of the Guitar Hero's because I'm already aware that you're out there. DAMIEN!

 

[thenumberthirteen]

The trouble with The Beatles: Rock Band was.

Actually, the most significant trouble with TB:RB was that they held out on a lot of the really stellar Beatles tunes from the early era so that they could shoehorn in later experimental stuff which, whilst perfectly good Beatles music, is generally using weird instruments like sitars, which means that you don't get the same feel of "playing" the track as you do if it's nominally the instrument you have a small plastic replica of.

If they'd stacked the song list with all the classics from the early albums, it would have been a different matter.

I knew there was something else, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Thank you.

 

[RvLeshrac]

The trouble with The Beatles: Rock Band was.

A) It had a high price point during a time of low spending

B) The rampant saturation of the Genre with countless music games being released all of a sudden

C) The high cost of the license meaning a higher break even point for the developer

D) That The Beatles, while popular with older fans and music buffs everywhere, isn't as popular with the Guitar Hero/Rock Band demographic

E) Not compatible with the $400 worth of Rock Band tracks you'd already purchased.

F)

Actually, the most significant trouble with TB:RB was that they held out on a lot of the really stellar Beatles tunes from the early era so that they could shoehorn in later experimental stuff which, whilst perfectly good Beatles music, is generally using weird instruments like sitars, which means that you don't get the same feel of "playing" the track as you do if it's nominally the instrument you have a small plastic replica of.

If they'd stacked the song list with all the classics from the early albums, it would have been a different matter.

G) Another implication of F, Beatles songs are great to listen to, but not much fun to play.

H) Especially if you don't actually have four people,

I) Three of whom need to be capable of, and interested in, singing.

 

[brunothepig]

Well if MTV says it it must be true. After all they have such a vast knowledge of music (sarcasm). Seriously, how many of there shows are actually about music these days? Not a single one that I know of, they are to busy with all their reality shows the bastards.

Headbangers Ball. That's seriously the only one I know of. That could have something to do with the fact that it's one of the only music shows that would interest me, but I honestly don't think they have anything else.
Still, Headbangers Ball is a gooooood show.
This is the first Guitar Hero/Rock Band game that I don't even want, because I don't care about the Beatles.

 

[poet_lawreate]

Beatles Rock Band was really more about enjoying the music if you were already a die-hard fan, but die-hard fans of the Beatles aren't the type to rush out and buy a GH/RB game.

My own 'sperience- I love the games and have most of them, and like the Beatles. Game was great for me because I like the fiddly bits and there's plenty of those. My mother, a Beatles fan since the beginning, in her fifties, absolutely adored being able to sing along to the songs and now asks to play it. However, she always hated Guitar Hero, saying it was confusing, complicated, loud, and the music was terrible. She would not have gone out and bought Beatles, even though she ended up loving it, because she was not a fan of the franchise.

 

[Kingjackl]

The Beatles Rock Band was one of my favourite games of last year, but I don't know if Beatles fans and gamers really overlap that often. Most gamers probably weren't even alive when the Beatles were big. I know I probably wouldn't have gotten into it if my dad hadn't been around to share the experience with me.

 

[Giest4life]

I'm kinda glad that this game didn't sell well-enough, and while I have nothing against the Beatles, I would much rather spend my bucks on a Rock Band: Queen edition.