Sony working with software and peripheral makers to ensure cross-game compatibility

primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' BoopinDetroit, MI Icrontian
edited August 2008 in Science & Tech
Sony Computer Entertainment America's Michael Shorrock today announced that SCEA is working with Neversoft, Konami, Activision, and Harmonix to ensure that their music peripherals will work with all instrument-based games.

Let's put that into plain English: They want you to be able to buy one set of instruments instead of having three drumsets in your living room.

This is a very real problem. For the current generation of rhythm/karaoke games you basically have to commit to buying multiple guitars - since the Rock Band guitar won't work with Guitar Hero. If you want to play co-op in Guitar Hero, you're buying another guitar.

With the next generation of games coming out - Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2, the drum kits are almost full-size professional electronic drum kits. There's no way anyone is going to want (or can afford) two of those drum kits in their game room.

This seems like a situation where SCEA had to step in, grab each kid by the scruff of his neck and say "STOP FIGHTING AND SHAKE HANDS RIGHT NOW". Good for us, either way. Unfortunately, no word on similar concessions for Xbox users.

Comments

  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited August 2008
    This will not, however, solve the issue where GH4 has more drumpads than the Rock Band offering. GH4 drums may work adequately for RB2, though.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited August 2008
    All the systems use USB connectivity. They should come up with instrument peripherals that are not only standardized across games, but also across platforms. It would be better for both consumer and manufacturer.
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited August 2008
    Easier for the manufacturer, perhaps, but for neither the manufacturer or the game publisher is a standardized instrument set a good thing. Lots of people I know have 2 GH guitars, the full RB set, and an extra RB guitar. That's practically free money to those two groups.

    It's much better for the consumer, yes, and we're finally getting some outcries that tell them that's what we want, but I'm not sure the assertion that it's better for everybody is accurate.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited August 2008
    I should have said, better for the consumer, less complexity for the manufacturer.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited August 2008
    They'll just need to offer an additional clip-on drum pad for everyone who bought the original Rock Band.
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited August 2008
    Microsoft has also gotten into the act, requiring cross-compatible instruments on the 360 as well. Their less-than-formal statement is here.
Sign In or Register to comment.