In addition, there will three seperate pre-order offers from certain store chains:

• GameStop: Three free songs including “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads, “My Own Summer” by Deftones, and “Blue Monday” by New Order
• Amazon: An exclusive in-game guitar. For a limited time only, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners also get $10 off a future videogame purchase.
• Wal-Mart: For a limited time only, a $10 eGift card.

Let us know if you’re going to be picking Rock Band 3 up. Click “Read more…” for the press release.

NEW YORK, NY – July 19, 2010 – MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), and Harmonix Music Systems Inc. today announced consumer pre-order opportunities with major North American retailers GameStop, Wal-Mart and Amazon for the highly anticipated Rock Band™3.

With more than 30 awards and nominations following its impressive E3 2010 debut, including multiple Best Music and Best Casual/Social game accolades, Rock Band 3 will feature an incredible 83-song setlist and access to far more music than any other music game, as well as innovative new gameplay modes and instruments. The game will ship on October 26, 2010 in North America for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft (MSRP: $59.99), PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system (MSRP: $59.99), the Wii™ system from Nintendo (MSRP: $59.99), and Nintendo DS™ (MSRP: $29.99).

GameStop Pre-order* Opportunity:
GameStop shoppers who reserve Rock Band 3 for PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 in advance receive three downloadable Rock Band songs at launch:

• Burning Down the House by Talking Heads
• My Own Summer by Deftones
• Blue Monday by New Order

Amazon Pre-order* Opportunity:
Amazon shoppers who reserve Rock Band 3 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii in advance will receive access to an exclusive in-game guitar. Additionally, for a limited time only, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners who pre-order Rock Band 3 in advance on Amazon will receive $10 off a future videogame purchase.

Wal-Mart Pre-order* Opportunity:
Walmart.com shoppers who reserve Rock Band 3 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii in advance will receive a $10 eGift card for a limited time.

Developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music videogame company, published by MTV Games, and distributed by Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), Rock Band 3 will ship simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories. Rock Band 3 will be compatible with all Rock Band™ and The Beatles™: Rock Band™ peripherals, as well as most Guitar Hero® and third-party instrument and microphone controllers. Mad Catz is the official peripheral manufacturer and distributor for Rock Band 3 game controllers.

The Rock Band platform stands next to none in music content, with 2000 songs scheduled to be available at the launch of Rock Band 3, including Jimi Hendrix, The Who, AC/DC and Green Day – all exclusive to Rock Band. With more choices for fans than any other music-based videogame, Rock Band is, without question, the industry leader in providing the best selection of interactive musical content, songs and artists. Rock Band pioneered offering content in a variety of ways, through on-disc gameplay, game export, downloadable content and the Rock Band Network. The Rock Band platform allows fans to interact with their favorite music in a unique and hands-on way, as well as giving artists the ability to reach fans through a whole new channel.

For more information on Rock Band 3, art and video assets, please visit http://www.rockband.com/press.

*Conditions and restrictions apply. Please see retailer for details.

The popular concert series, Video Games Live, will be hitting PBS as a special; it will air sometime in July through August, depending on the PBS station.

An immersive event featuring the best game music performed by top-notch musicians and choirs combined with synchronized lighting, video, live action and audience interactivity, this performance was taped at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. The lineup consists of never-before-televised live musical performances from the Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Halo, Warcraft, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, God of War, Civilization, Chrono Cross, StarCraft and Guitar Hero franchises, including a musical journey through classic gaming.

Those of you who missed the actual concert will finally be able to enjoy such performances as “Baba Yet” for Civilization IV, as seen in the video above. To see when it will air on your local PBS station, check local listings, or buy the DVD/Blu-Ray video and CD that will be released as well.

Click “Read more…” for the full press release and information on the DVD and CD releases.

In VIDEO GAMES LIVE, a new PBS special, the world’s most beloved video game franchises come together to celebrate gaming culture and the incredible music surrounding it. An immersive event featuring the best game music performed by top-notch musicians and choirs combined with synchronized lighting, video, live action and audience interactivity, this performance was taped at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. The lineup consists of never-before-televised live musical performances from the Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Halo, Warcraft, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, God of War, Civilization, Chrono Cross, StarCraft and Guitar Hero franchises, including a musical journey through classic gaming. VIDEO GAMES LIVE is part of special programming airing in July-August 2010 (check local listings) on PBS stations.

“We are introducing a whole new generation to the music of a symphony orchestra,” said veteran video game composer and VIDEO GAMES LIVE CEO/executive producer and host Tommy Tallarico. “Never before in history have kids been dragging their parents to watch a symphony.”

The VIDEO GAMES LIVE CD and DVD/Blu-Ray release will coincide with the nationally televised special and will be available in North America exclusively through PBS until November 1, 2010. The CD features 16 musical performances, and the DVD/Blu-Ray includes more than three hours of bonus material, including additional and extended music segments, composer and game developer interviews, exclusive game trailers, “making the game” documentaries, behind-the-scenes footage and composer commentary.

“I’m hoping that this project will have a positive impact on the perception of video games by the non-gaming world,” said Tallarico. “We created VIDEO GAMES LIVE over eight years ago to prove to the world how culturally significant and artistic video games have become. The goal was to create a show for everyone whether they play games or not. The fact that all of the game publishers have come on board with this project to help our mission says a lot about the future of gaming and how much they believe in VIDEO GAMES LIVE.”

Filmed in New Orleans this past April in high definition with 5.1 audio surround sound, the concert features the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by VGL’s co-founder, Jack Wall; a 34-person chorus; a number of soloists including pianist Martin Leung, flautist Laura Intravia and singers Vangie Gunn, Kendrew Heriveaux, Ron Ragin and Cindy Shapiro; plus a rock band featuring Tallarico on guitar; and a full complement of state-of-the-art lighting, lasers and special effects.

There are also interview bites with actress and video game fan Jamie Lee Curtis and video game composers including Tallarico, Jack Wall, Russell Brower, Christopher Tin and Gerard Marino.

The video game music performed includes:

•    Super Mario Bros.™
•    The Legend of Zelda™
•    Sonic the Hedgehog™
•    World of Warcraft®
•    StarCraft® II
•    Halo®
•    Final Fantasy®
•    Chrono Cross®
•    Castlevania®
•    God of War™
•    Civilization IV®
•    Classic Arcade Medley
•    Guitar Hero®: Aerosmith

PBS special programming invites viewers to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. Viewer contributions are an important source of funding, making PBS programs possible. PBS and public television stations offer all Americans from every walk of life the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.

For Video Games Live images visit PBS PressRoom at http://pressroom.pbs.org/programs/video_games_live/gallery.

Don’t miss selected PBS programs streaming free online, the day after broadcast, on the PBS Video Portal (pbs.org/video/).

Underwriters: Public Television Viewers and PBS
Producers: Tommy Tallarico/Mystical Stone Entertainment, LLC in association with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
Executive producer: Jeff Rowland
Director: Allen Newman
Program Producer: Tom Case
Format: CC 5.1 Surround Sound HD

Well, if there were any question if Kinect would sell, you can fuhgeddabout it now, as Justin Bieber is promoting the Xbox 360 device at his concert to tens of thousands of screaming tween girls.

In simple math: Justin Bieber + Dance Central = Microsoft Kinect bonanza sales.

Sony probably has Robert Pattinson on the line by now.

(Thanks, Destructoid.)

The game could quite possibly be made to work with competing motion control scheme PlayStation Move, according to studio co-founder Alex Rigopulos.

It’s being looked into, he’s told Kotaku.

Don’t expect a Wii version however. Apparently, it can’t collect enough data nor can it track things in a way Harmonix would prefer. This means there’s “no chance” of a Wiimote-controlled Dance Central.

(Thanks, TVGB.)

On the last day of E3 ‘10, the booth babe who manned the Rift display enjoyed her lunch break with two other babes from a different game display by dancing to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”. They were playing Dance Central, Harmonix’s fantastic Kinect title in which you must match the real-life dance moves the game tells you to make.

This is probably the best application of Kinect so far, and could be a system seller if Microsoft promotes it.

USA Today has revealed the new instrument in Rock Band 3 in action – and it ain’t no keytar. No, this is a true-blooded keyboard, with two whole octaves worth of 25 keys.

During the game, green, red, blue, yellow or orange keys flow on a “stream” representing the notes to be played on five corresponding keyboard keys. In a new authentic Pro mode meant to help players segue to actual instruments, all 25 keys are used; the streams shifts left and right to cover the correct keys. The keyboard also works as a MIDI keyboard that can be connected to a computer. “This is a real instrument and a real device,” says senior designer Sylvain Dubrofsky.

They also have carried over the vocal harmonies feature from The Beatles: Rock Band as well.

Let us know what you think.

Activision has announced yet another Guitar Hero title, but this one holds more promise than your standard full-sized song pack. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock adds an RPG-lite “Quest” mode, narrated by legendary KISS bandmember Gene Simmons.

In Quest Mode, using any combination of instruments, players will embark on a larger-than-life, epic rock journey from the stage of CBGBs, the infamous punk-rock club in New York City, to the molten lava fields of rock treachery as eight Guitar Hero characters transform into rock warriors that must join together to use their unique, game-changing powers to help the Demi-God of Rock take down “The Beast” and save rock n’ roll.

If that weren’t enough, the single disc has over 500 hundred songs stuffed on it, with songs ranging from “Bohemian Rhapsody” to “Sharp Dressed Man”, and will be released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. This might be the first Guitar Hero in a long while worth getting.

Click “Read more…” for the full presser.

ACTIVISION UNVEILS GUITAR HERO®: WARRIORS OF ROCK – THE ULTIMATE ROCK & ROLL MUSIC VIDEOGAMING EXPERIENCE

All-New Story-Based Quest Mode Voiced By KISS Front Man, Gene Simmons

Biggest On-Disc Selection of Rock Music Ever In A Guitar Hero® Game

New Challenges to Every Song in the 500+ Track Guitar Hero Music Library

Finger-Fretting, Rock-Inspired Wireless Guitar Controller

Reveal Trailer to Debut on Gametrailers.com at 10:00 AM PST on June 4, 2010

Santa Monica, CA – June 4, 2010 – This fall, living room legends and their friends will join together and embark on an epic rock journey to save rock n’ roll with Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock. The latest installment in the world’s most popular music game series, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, will once again redefine music gaming with an all-new, story-driven Quest Mode, a completely redesigned rock-inspired guitar controller, the biggest on-disc selection of rock music ever in a Guitar Hero® game and Quickplay+, which invites challenge-starved fanatics to test their rock skills in any of the on-disc or over 500 songs in the Guitar Hero Music Library.

Running on the powerful Guitar Hero engine that has been expanded and refined, coupled with the return of the critically-acclaimed and fan favorite features like Party Play’s jump in/jump out gameplay, a host of Competitive modes and the ability to play any combination of guitar, bass, drums and vocals, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock offers the complete interactive and connected experience bringing friends and foes to the stage in the ultimate rock music adventure.

“Guitar Hero has set the standard for music based gaming and with Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock’s all-new Quest Mode, robust and authentic set list, over-the-top challenges and rock-inspired new hardware, we are once again bringing the soul and energy of rock n’ roll to fans around the world,” said David Haddad, Chief Operating Officer, Guitar Hero.

In Quest Mode, using any combination of instruments, players will embark on a larger-than-life, epic rock journey from the stage of CBGBs, the infamous punk-rock club in New York City, to the molten lava fields of rock treachery as eight Guitar Hero characters transform into rock warriors that must join together to use their unique, game-changing powers to help the Demi-God of Rock take down “The Beast” and save rock n’ roll.

“The world is a boring place.  Come with me, and enter a world populated of Demi-Gods and Beasts.  Transform from an everyday person and become the savior of rock and roll,” said Gene Simmons of KISS.  “It was an honor and privilege to narrate Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, even more so, to voice the Demi God. From the God of Thunder to the Demi-God, how cool is that…”

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock breathes new life into gamers’ current Guitar Hero music libraries providing literally hundreds of hours of replayability with the introduction of Quickplay+, which features 13 totally unique gameplay challenges for every on-disc track as well as most downloadable and importable songs from Guitar Hero® World Tour forward. Gamers will complete challenges such as Band Streak, High Score and Power Challenge, which allows players to choose any two warrior powers they have unlocked to try and earn ridiculously high scores, to rank up and unlock more rewards and content than ever before.  All-new Challenge Leaderboards have been created in order to capture the outrageous scores that are capable with Quickplay+.

Delivering the largest on-disc rock music set list to-date, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock features more than 90 tracks that include guitar shredding hits from bands such as Black Sabbath, Megadeth and Slipknot and larger than life anthems from Queen, Muse and KISS.  Additionally, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth wrote and recorded “Sudden Death,” an original track for the game, which was inspired by Quest Mode’s storyline.  Along with original songs, the set list also includes special re-records by famous artists and tracks from bands that are making their music video game debut.  The first songs off of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock’s set list to be revealed are:

• AFI – “Dancing Through Sunday”
• Avenged Sevenfold – “Bat Country”
• Black Sabbath – “Children Of The Grave”
• Buzzcocks – “What Do I Get?”
• Children Of Bodom – “If You Want Peace… Prepare For War”
• The Cure – “Fascination Street”
• Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me (Live)”
• Dethklok – “Bloodlines”
• DragonForce – “Fury of the Storm”
• Drowning Pool – “Bodies”
• Foo Fighters – “No Way Back”
• Foreigner – “Feels Like The First Time”
• Jane’s Addiction – “Been Caught Stealing”
• KISS – “Love Gun”
• Megadeth – “Sudden Death”
• Metallica & Ozzy Osbourne – “Paranoid (Live)”
• Muse – “Uprising”
• My Chemical Romance – “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”
• Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
• Rammstein – “Waidmanns Heil”
• The Rolling Stones – “Stray Cat Blues”
• Silversun Pickups – “There’s No Secrets This Year”
• Slayer – “Chemical Warfare”
• ZZ Top – “Sharp Dressed Man (Live)”

To maximize players’ shredability, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock delivers the next evolution in finger-fretting with an all-new, show-stopping guitar controller that was inspired and born from the game’s unique art style and specifically made for shredding.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and by Vicarious Visions for the Wii™ system from Nintendo.  The game is rated “T” (Teen – Lyrics, Mild Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes) for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.  The Wii version is not yet rated by the ESRB.  For more information about Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, please visit GuitarHero.com.

For more info on CBGB visit www.cbgb.com

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, competition from the used game market, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition and competition from other forms of entertainment, rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers which can create high quality “hit” titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors identified in the risk factors section of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

###

Guitar Hero and Activision are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.  All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All rights reserved.

FileFront is reporting that Rock Band 3 will indeed have keyboards, since at the end of the Rock Band 3 teaser in the Rock Band: Green Day demo, now available on Xbox Live Marketplace, there’s a keyboard logo.

Are you interested in playing keyboard on Rock Band 3? Let us know if you’re a future Billy Joel or Viv Savage.

The invite promises that RB 3 is “a game that will once again change the way people look at music video games.” I sure hope so because I think it’s safe to say that it’s getting harder to psych myself up for each new release.

Word on the street is that Harmonix is moving in a more realistic direction, which could add a new layer of challenge, fun, and education or it could turn into a boring, overcomplicated music lesson that you see in plenty of PC software.

Let us know if you’re interested in the next Rock Band.

Harmonix and MTV Games have officially announced Rock Band: Green Day, which will naturally focus on the alternative rock band.

The game will feature the band’s “most-defining albums and key moments throughout their career” and is due for release in 2010 on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii platforms. All tracks will be playable in previous version of the Rock Band series.

Let us know if you’re a Green Day fan.

On the gameplay front, Power Gig uses new technology that represents the next evolution of music performance games to provide all players — from casual gamers to the hardcore, from those who have never before picked up a guitar to those who play guitar on a regular basis — with a more authentic and fun experience.  The game offers two overarching modes of play.  In addition to traditional beat-matching that will be familiar to fans of the band game genre, Power Gig also introduces the option to switch on chording, or chord play.  Chording presents the added challenge of playing the game using chords that require specific finger placement on the strings.  As players progress through the game, becoming more comfortable with a genuine guitar and potentially choosing to play real power chords, they will find that the byproduct of playing the game is coming away from it with an understanding of some real-life guitar fundamentals.

Yes, Power Gig will actually teach you how to play a real electric guitar. Let us know how hyped you are for this. This game will be released in the Fall for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Click “Read more…” for the full presser and for a full size image of the guitar.

BEHOLD THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA FOR MUSIC GAMES:

POWER GIG: RISE OF THE SIXSTRING ARRIVES FALL 2010

Music Industry-born Publisher/Developer Seven45 Studios to Evolve Band Game Genre with New Game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 That Uses a Real Six String Guitar as Controller

Boston — March 9, 2010 — The true evolution of the band videogame experience is set to occur this fall when Seven45 Studios unleashes Power Gig: Rise of the SixString for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system.  New publisher, developer and hardware manufacturer Seven45 Studios is a sister company to music instrument manufacturing giant First Act, making it uniquely positioned to introduce the first major band game for which the guitar peripheral is a functioning six-string electric guitar.  The guitar features Seven45’s proprietary technology that can distinguish and recognize gamers’ input all along the guitar, making the guitars as easy to pick up and play as any other band game button controllers.  They also include all the guts of an electric guitar so players can plug their SixString guitars into any standard amp to jam with their friends.

“Power Gig: Rise of the SixString is meant to be the answer for all of those gamers who have wanted to take their band game experience to the next level; we’re confident that players will agree that the transition from the existing games is both seamless and exhilarating,” said Seven45 Studios Chairman and CEO, Bernard Chiu.  “We believe that there is something unmatchable about the feeling of an authentic guitar in your hands, and Power Gig brings that excitement to all gamers with an instrument that absolutely anyone can pick up and play.”

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString will transport players to an entirely new universe, with its own mythology, politics, settings, heroes and villains, where music rules all.  On the gameplay front, Power Gig uses new technology that represents the next evolution of music performance games to provide all players — from casual gamers to the hardcore, from those who have never before picked up a guitar to those who play guitar on a regular basis — with a more authentic and fun experience.  The game offers two overarching modes of play.  In addition to traditional beat-matching that will be familiar to fans of the band game genre, Power Gig also introduces the option to switch on chording, or chord play.  Chording presents the added challenge of playing the game using chords that require specific finger placement on the strings.  As players progress through the game, becoming more comfortable with a genuine guitar and potentially choosing to play real power chords, they will find that the byproduct of playing the game is coming away from it with an understanding of some real-life guitar fundamentals.

Seven45 Studios’ relationship to music instrument manufacturing stalwart First Act means not only that the two share an ownership, but also that Seven45 can leverage deep expertise when it comes to the manufacturing and distribution of quality musical instruments for mass audiences.  Seven45 has also put together a veritable dream team of game development talent whose collective experience includes time spent at companies such as Vivendi, LucasArts, Atari, StormFront Studios, Foundation 9, Pandemic, Capcom, Backbone Entertainment, SEGA and many more.

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system fall of 2010.  The SixString guitar makes its public debut at the 2010 Game Developers Conference, which begins today at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.  For more information, please visit http://www.powergig.com.

About Seven45 Studios

Seven45 Studios, headquartered in Boston, MA, is an innovative video Game Developer and Publisher of music games across all platforms.  Composed of game and music industry veterans, the Seven45 team blurs the line between music and gaming by focusing on truly immersive experiences and character-driven storytelling to create revolutionary new games.

Viacom President and CEO Philippe Dauman has revealed Rock Band 3 for for the holiday season of 2010, reports Kotaku.

Dauman revealed the game while speaking at the Credit Suisse Group Global Media and Communications Conference this morning. Harmonix followed his revelation with a series Tweeting confirming the game’s existance. The official Rock Band Facebook page then bragged:

Harmonix is developing Rock Band 3 for worldwide release this holiday season! The game, which will be published by MTV Games and distributed by Electronic Arts, will innovate and revolutionize the music genre once again, just as Harmonix did with the original Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and The Beatles: Rock Band. Stay tuned for more details!

What could make Rock Band 3 “revolutionary”? Can you say “keyboard”? What would you like to see from a new Rock Band?

Naturally, Activision learned its lesson of releasing no less than five Guitar Hero games in a year too late:

Activision has confirmed both moves, telling us “As part of our overall strategy to release fewer skus for Guitar Hero in 2010 we are closing the Underground studios and relocating RedOctane to our Santa Monica headquarters under the leadership of David Haddad.”

Activision sure has a funny way of wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Major Nelson has announced that Chime will be hitting Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, February 3, for a mere 400 MSP ($5 USD). Even better, 60% of the sales go to charity (Save the Children and Starlight Foundation).

The gameplay is basically Lumines meets Tetris, in the tutorial video seen above. Low price, addictive gameplay, helps charities – there’s almost no reason to buy this game, is there?

LEGO Rock Band has tons of fun songs that are more party songs than normal Rock Band fare, with such songs as “The Final Countdown” by Europe, “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas, “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr., “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John, “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves and the sports anthem pair of songs by Queen, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions”.

Let us know what you think of the listed songs.

Click “Read more…” for the full song lists for both versions of LEGO Rock Band.

Here’s the tracklist for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii versions:

• All American Rejects, “Swing, Swing”
• The Automatic, “Monster”
• Blink-182, “Aliens Exist”
• Blur, “Song 2”
• Bon Jovi, “You Give Love a Bad Name”
• Boys like Girls, “Thunder”
• Bryan Adams, “Summer of 69”
• Carl Douglas, “Kung Fu Fighting”
• The Coral, “Dreaming of You”
• Counting Crows, “Accidentally in Love”
• David Bowie, “Let’s Dance”
• Elton John, “Crocodile Rock”
• Europe, “The Final Countdown”
• Everlife, “Real Wild Child”
• Foo Fighters, “Breakout”
• Good Charlotte, “Girls & Boys”
• The Hives, “Tick Tick Boom!”
• Iggy Pop, “The Passenger”
• Incubus, “Dig”
• Jackson 5, “I Want You Back”
• Jimi Hendrix, “Fire”
• Kaiser Chiefs, “Ruby”
• Katrina & The Waves, “Walking on Sunshine”
• The Kooks, “Naïve”
• KoRn, “Word Up!”
• KT Tunstall, “Suddenly I See”
• Lostprophets, “Rooftops”
• P!NK, “So What”
• The Police, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”
• The Primitives, “Crash”
• Queen, “We Are The Champions”
• Queen, “We Will Rock You”
• Rascal Flatts, “Life is a Highway”
• Ray Parker Jr., “Ghostbusters”
• Razorlight, “Stumble and Fall”
• Spin Doctors, “Two Princes”
• Spinal Tap, “Short & Sweet”
• Steve Harly, “Make Me Smile”
• Sum 41, “In Too Deep”
• Supergrass, “Grace”
• Tom Petty, “Free Fallin”
• T-Rex, “Ride a White Swan”
• Vampire Weekend, “A-Punk”
• We the Kings, “Check Yes Juliet”
• The Zutons, “Valerie”

These are the tracks for the DS version.

• All American Rejects, “Swing, Swing”
• The Automatic, “Monster”
• Blur, “Song 2”
• Carl Douglas, “Kung Fu Fighting”
• Counting Crows, “Accidentally in Love”
• David Bowie, “Let’s Dance”
• Europe, “The Final Countdown”
• Good Charlotte, “Girls & Boys”
• Iggy Pop, “The Passenger”
• Jackson 5, “I Want You Back”
• Kaiser Chiefs, “Ruby”
• Katrina & the Waves, “Walking on Sunshine”
• KT Tunstall, “Suddenly I See”
• P!NK, “So What”
• The Primitives, “Crash”
• Queen, “We Are The Champions”
• Queen, “We Will Rock You”
• Rascal Flatts, “Life is a Highway”
• Ray Parker Jr., “Ghostbusters”
• Spin Doctors, “Two Princes”
• Sum 41, “In Too Deep”
• Supergrass, “Grace”
• Tom Petty, “Free Fallin’”
• Vampire Weekend, “A-Punk”
• We the Kings, “Check Yes Juliet”