Wii Guitar Hero III gets no online initially [Update]

by Alexander Sliwinski { Sep 4th 2007 at 3:45PM }

In an interview with ProG, Red Octane pres. Kai Huang confirmed there would not be any online play for the Wii version of Guitar Hero III initially. No time frame is given when the feature would be implemented. He said there will be online play for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. Huang says, "There won't be online initially for the Wii, but we are working with Nintendo to see how we can get those features in."

Oh please, that's easy. First you start by talking 12-digit codes with Nintendo and then pinky-swear that there won't be any guitar playing pedophiles on the other end of that game -- to prove this each purchaser of Guitar Hero III who wants to go online will submit two forms of ID and authorize a criminal background check by Nintendo. It's as simple as that.

Update: Red Octane contacted Joystiq to say that Huang was talking about downloadable content to ProG, not online play. There will be no DLC initially for the Wii, but they reaffirm that there will be online play. Of course, our first question was, "How are you implementing that?" They have to check with the developer and get back to us.

Gallery: Guitar Hero 3

Tags: ghIII, guitarheroIII, online, wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Shagittarius @ Sep 4th 2007 3:48PM

The future is here!

copa @ Sep 4th 2007 4:08PM

This reminds me of when GH2 was released for the XBox 360, and Red Octane stated there would be no online 'initially', and said this sort of thing could be patched in down the line.

Long story short, online support ended up under the pile of DLC that was promised for this game.

bm @ Sep 4th 2007 4:18PM

Three minutes! You're lagging a bit there, shaggi. You can jam that F5 key faster! ;)

Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Sep 4th 2007 3:50PM

i would care, but i can only afford one large music game purchase this year and it's gonna be rock band.

Dan @ Sep 4th 2007 4:15PM

Same here, I'm sticking with the guys who made GHI and GHII, I don't care what the game is called.

Deaddy @ Sep 4th 2007 3:52PM

I got sick of Nintendo's approach with Wii and bought a PS3. I'll plug my Wii back in when Mario Galaxy comes out.

mr nimblewick @ Sep 4th 2007 3:59PM

I got sick of your approach to posting and ate a Gardenburger.

Gardenburgers are better than you.

samfish @ Sep 4th 2007 4:00PM

I prefer Boca Burgers, myself.

Neon Jebus @ Sep 4th 2007 4:02PM

It really does look like once again Nintendo fans will have to put all hope on first party titles. To me the Wii went from fun to gimmick just a little too fast.

I feel for the long time Nintendo fans but I know that they are blissfully unaware with not a care in the world about any of this stuff. As long as they get a Metroid titles, a Mario title, and two Zelda titles in the next 7 years they will be more than happy.

I sound like a troll, but perhaps I'm just bitter that I've seen Nintendo play this hand perhaps a few times too many.

mr nimblewick @ Sep 4th 2007 4:08PM

"I sound like a troll, but perhaps I'm just bitter that I've seen Nintendo play this hand perhaps a few times too many."

Damn them having too many good first party franchises! How dare they go out of their way to prevent 3rd parties from making games for their console!!!!!!!!!!

Kazi @ Sep 4th 2007 4:15PM

"I sound like a troll, but perhaps I'm just bitter that I've seen Nintendo play this hand perhaps a few times too many."

You haven't played the DS have you? If they can pull that silly thing off they can pull the Wii off. Wait 1-2 years when fully developed games start coming out before you judge it (same should be said about the PS3 too). Right now Wii is in the same position that the DS was in it's first year, few games and the games that use the new input are either tacked on or gimmicky with one game that really shines and improves the input of genre it's from. DS was a gimmick until it was proven, the Wii is still a gimmick with titles just starting to come out and prove the new input is more than a gimmick.

elmersglue @ Sep 4th 2007 4:17PM

mr nimblewick, whether you realize it or not, you're just as much of a troll as all the other trolls on this site.

mr nimblewick @ Sep 4th 2007 4:20PM

"mr nimblewick, whether you realize it or not, you're just as much of a troll as all the other trolls on this site."

No way man! No way!

I'm rubber and you're glue!

colin @ Sep 4th 2007 4:39PM

@ elmersglue,

yeah they patrol the comments looking for anyone that says anything negative about their console of choice or any of its paraphernalia or media; and bash them. there are quite a few of them. the SDF, the NDF, and the DW?RROD?ITAYG?F. they stand for "sony defense force", "nintendo defense force", and "defend what? red ring of death? is that all you got? force"

mr nimblewick @ Sep 4th 2007 4:46PM

"yeah they patrol the comments looking for anyone that says anything negative about their console of choice or any of its paraphernalia or media"

Don't forget the people who bash the systems in the first place...

By your definition, is it trolling to defend a system as well as bash another one? If so, just about everyone who posts is a troll.

colin @ Sep 4th 2007 9:45PM

" 'yeah they patrol the comments looking for anyone that says anything negative about their console of choice or any of its paraphernalia or media'

Don't forget the people who bash the systems in the first place...

By your definition, is it trolling to defend a system as well as bash another one? If so, just about everyone who posts is a troll."

they also feel the need to quote you in full, all the time.

Re: Mr. Nimblewick,

"By your definition, is it trolling to defend a system as well as bash another one? If so, just about everyone who posts is a troll."

Sort of. A troll is someone who "paTROLs" a blog, looking for every ... single ... possible ... instance in which they can put their two cents in over and over and over and over and over ad nauseam to incite, or reincite more statements of similar nature. usually to help themselves battle buyer's remorse, or other insecurities. to respond to every negative comment about the wii is just plain retarded. wii bashers wouldn't exist if you didn't let them. but you give them an audience, and a reaction every time. you clog up the comments section with garbage, making them unbearable to read. all for what? plus, you take all the wii bashes to heart ... seriously, why should you care if someone makes fun of a wii? my blood pressure doesn't go up everytime someone shits on 360.

samfish @ Sep 4th 2007 3:53PM

I predict 127 comments.

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 4th 2007 4:37PM

599 comments

Crono @ Sep 4th 2007 4:52PM

599 US Comments

Kye @ Sep 4th 2007 5:06PM

I'll see your 127 and raise you 162.

rokerovakero @ Sep 4th 2007 5:25PM

1,000,000 Comments! BWAHAHAHAHA!!

Vegnagun @ Sep 4th 2007 5:50PM

168. If it's equal to or above I win.

samfish @ Sep 4th 2007 7:51PM

127!

Backslash @ Sep 4th 2007 8:49PM

I predict 128 comments. All with Mario avatars.

. . . which means it'll never happen.

hvnlysoldr @ Sep 5th 2007 7:32PM

Drat. Guess samfish wins.

Brandon @ Sep 4th 2007 3:54PM

I think "none initially" will eventually translate to "none at all".

Its somewhat laughable to call the Wii's online strategy a strategy at all. Why are they so afraid of predators, is their new target audience now grannies and alpha-moms? Why be afraid of a pedophile reaching through the tv and grabbing grandma? Isnt it her time to go?

phattie @ Sep 4th 2007 4:41PM

Given that Wii has ZERO capability for patches.. you would be right. They will probably make you buy another version for online play.

Crono @ Sep 4th 2007 4:54PM

Wii has just as much capability for patches as the 360 or PS3 has. The big shocker is that Wii hasn't NEEDED it, except for Madden '08, because of good QC.

Matt B @ Sep 4th 2007 3:55PM

Even though Fernando Rockers penchant for trolling Sony threads has really irked me lately, I will not stoop to trolling Nintendo threads to spite him.

I really want to though.

samfish @ Sep 4th 2007 3:59PM

Don't worry. There are plenty of other Nintendtrolls who're more than willing to do it for you.

waves @ Sep 4th 2007 5:20PM

You haven't truly arrived as a fanboy troll until you start making lists of games.

phattie @ Sep 4th 2007 3:58PM

Guitar Hero is way too complicated for the Wii demographic.. for Christ's sake, my casual gamer brother and family are still only playing WiiSports. Anything that requires hard work and practice is too much investment.

I suspect a big flop, online or no.. just stick with the real versions on 360 or PS3.

mr nimblewick @ Sep 4th 2007 4:00PM

"Guitar Hero is way too complicated for the Wii demographic.."

Since the Wii is targeted at everyone, I would say the game makers are in trouble.

Ska Oreo @ Sep 4th 2007 4:02PM

Seriously, go kill yourself.

I mean how pathetic must your life be if the only thing you do is troll on blog sites and talk shit about the Wii. Seriously, it's sad.

Ska Oreo @ Sep 4th 2007 4:03PM

and last time I checked, Guitar Hero is considered a casual game.

Fernando Rocker @ Sep 4th 2007 4:05PM

I bet everything you want that I can play Guitar Hero better than you... in fact... I dare you, here, in presence of Joystiq readers...

Do you accept?

samfish @ Sep 4th 2007 4:07PM

So if it's true that Metroid sold over 400,000 copies last week, will you retract you comment about the Wii's demographic?

Shagittarius @ Sep 4th 2007 4:22PM

I doubt fattie will buy the Wii version of GH3, and I doubt the Wii version will ever have online play so that sounds like a pretty safe bet fernando.

Fernando Rocker @ Sep 4th 2007 4:28PM

I mean here... lest record a video to see who gets more points.

Shagittarius @ Sep 4th 2007 4:31PM

Ok Im sending my video to youtube, its of me rockin out to Psychobilly freakout. Im only 8 so look for "8 year old psychobilly freakout expert" on you tube and you'll find me.

phattie @ Sep 4th 2007 4:45PM

Im just going on observation... the kiddies and grandmas waving their wiimotes aimlessly AND winning in Wiiboxing are going to be confused.

GH takes skill and practice.. something that is the casual gamer does not care for; they want instant gratification and to be able to 'win' right away.. ala WiiSports and minigames.

Kazi @ Sep 4th 2007 4:51PM

News Flash: Guitar Hero is really fucking popular with the casual crowd.

Zombie Dog @ Sep 4th 2007 5:06PM

I'll be picking up the "fake" PS2 version to go with the guitars I already have... It's a party game! Online will just make it another sad, antisocial experience.

loungemonkey @ Sep 4th 2007 4:01PM

Was never planning on buying this game anyway, least of all on the Wii

Mr Khan @ Sep 4th 2007 4:02PM

Yup, Nintendo's weakness strikes again

Although i really don't see why anything beyond leaderboards is necessary for Guitar Hero

Donald @ Sep 4th 2007 4:07PM

Word

Ska Oreo @ Sep 4th 2007 4:10PM

Truth.

Seriously Guitar Hero doesn't need online play to be fun(though it would be nice).

samfish @ Sep 4th 2007 4:12PM

"Seriously Guitar Hero doesn't need online play to be fun"

Technically, neither does SSBB.

But if that doesn't have online play, expect so much shit to hit the fan that it'll literally change the fan blades at a molecular level resulting in a fan that creates it's own shit to hit and fling outward into the universe.