Study: Guitar Hero III has more groupies than Rock Band
by Ross Miller 
{ Oct 25th 2007 at 3:55PM }
According to the statistics, there were 22 million page views on IGN for Guitar Hero III-related articles, vs. 10 million for Rock Band (a 120% increase). GHIII was also on almost twice as many wishlists (5,755 vs. 2,928) as its competitor and over six times as many message board posts (25,000 vs. 4,000).
The Guitar Hero series has a lot more going for it right now, including a two-year history of commercially and critically successful titles. Commentary provided with the data notes that Rock Band has "experienced a noticeable surge in both awareness and purchase intent metrics" in the past three months, which bodes well for the game due out November 20. Guitar Hero III is coming next week.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
wii360fangirl @ Oct 25th 2007 3:57PM
well, im getting both.
but id have to day im more exciting for rockband just because of them drums yah know?
ColossalHat @ Oct 25th 2007 4:04PM
I too am getting both. Though I have to say that I'm more excited to play "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" than anything else at the moment.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 25th 2007 5:25PM
To bad the arrangement sucks ass.
If you want to pick an awesome song for a last level in a game called GUITAR HERO, you don't pick a song with NO GUITAR in it, and then ask some dude to rewrite it WITH GUITAR, just for your damn game.
How about Master of Puppets? How about Up in the Sky by Joe Satrian (not the top gun one)? How about the Coffee Jingle by Dethklok?
Jebus.
Dan @ Oct 25th 2007 5:42PM
Just shows how clueless people are:
Rock band is GHIII, its being made by the people who made GH2.
GHIII is being made by some new dudes, and although I'm gunna buy it, I don't expect it to be better than GH2.
ColossalHat @ Oct 25th 2007 6:42PM
Complain all you want to about the final song Crono, but seeing as the set is named "The Battle for Your Soul" and they don't have "Beelzeboss", this is not only appropriate, but extremely well done given that it's a metal cover of a country song.
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Oct 25th 2007 4:00PM
Well maybe it's because GH 3 costs cheaper and the fact that its predecessors did really well and people enjoyed them. I still think Rock Band sounds to be a better game though.
E.J. @ Oct 25th 2007 5:18PM
"I still think Rock Band sounds to be a better game though."
That seems to be what every Rock Band "groupie" says about it. Guitar Hero is a proven brand name and game. Rock Band is still unproven in the consumer market because it is not yet released.
Hence, the "confidence" advantage for Guitar Hero III.
Matt @ Oct 27th 2007 2:35PM
The problem with everyone's 'confidence' in GH3 is that it is also largely unfounded. The only thing GH3 has in common with previous GH titles is the NAME. GH3 is being made by Neversoft, who by my count has only put out 9 almost identical Tony Hawk games and 0 rhythm games.
ColossalHat @ Oct 25th 2007 4:06PM
I think part of the greater # of pageviews and such is from the fact that GH3 was announced earlier than Rock Band.
Mogg @ Oct 25th 2007 4:06PM
Eh, I doubt I'll get GH3 just cause of the outrageous prices they charged for DLC on XBL along with the crappy bundles they put them in.
The pity is it was considered a success for them since many people did purchase them.
I'm willing to bet RockBand's DLC will be in more reasonable packages even if they're the same price.
megaStryke @ Oct 25th 2007 4:13PM
Bullshit. Rock Band pricing is going to be just as rough, if not slighlty, SLIGHTY less.
Mogg @ Oct 25th 2007 4:16PM
I stated in the last paragraph the pricing wont be better but I bet the bundles will be better.
RB stated they will give you the option to download a full album. If I'm going to buy multiple songs I want freedom of choice. I dont want stuck with a Metallica, The New Kids on the Block and The Osmonds combo for $6 just to play the Metallica song.
I'd rather download the whole album or the song individually.
What they did with GH 2 was utter BS. They could have sold each song individually but probably did their market research and projected more revenue (with less happy customers perhaps) by selling them in 3 song packs of THEIR CHOICE.
Burritoclock @ Oct 25th 2007 4:22PM
I thought the price of the packs were reasonable to a degree (having never played the previous games all of them were new to me), but when the pack sucks and you just want one of the songs, thats when it sucked. They should do single songs for a little more than the cost of dividing a pack by three, that would be fair. Then charge the same, slightly lower than individule purchases for the three pack like a bundle.
But whatever, we are dealing with a difference of a couple of dollars between what everyone wanted, what is reasonable, and what they charged. I never got why this caused so much outrage..
Reuben @ Oct 25th 2007 4:07PM
I'm a guitar player. I love the complicated solos of GH, and I'm sure that GH III will be my favorite thus far. I was originally planning to get both, but after hearing that the guitar parts in Rock Band are being dumbed down I lost interest. The drum aspect is pretty incedible, but I'm not a drummer.
def PD @ Oct 25th 2007 4:09PM
How are they dumbing down the guitar parts in RB? Are you talking about the special solo sections where you don't need to strum and use only the higher fret note buttons?
dsub @ Oct 25th 2007 4:11PM
I've played Rock Band myself, and trust me, it's not dumbed down. Not sure who told you that.
Reuben @ Oct 25th 2007 4:33PM
I read that since the guitar is not the main focus of the game, the solos wont be as difficult as the expert ones in GH. Which makes sense to me, and I'm not knocking the game if that is true (and it may not be.) If I turn out to be wrong, and Rock Band gets stellar reviews then I'll pick it up for sure.
SP @ Oct 25th 2007 6:56PM
I haven't read anything like that about Rock Band. I have read that Guitar Hero III will be less difficult than Guitar Hero II. I think they are aiming to make it more in line with the difficulty in GHI because GHII was too difficult for a majority of the audience.
Reuben @ Oct 25th 2007 8:09PM
I heard jus the opposite. In the review for GH III in Game Informore they said that it was the most difficult game; perfect for the hardcore player.
XanthouS @ Oct 25th 2007 4:09PM
Not a surprise. Only the hardcore fans have a good understanding of what Rock Band is all about. Sadly, there are a lot of people out there who think it's a "rip-off" of the Guitar Hero franchise.
But Rock Band will speak for itself when it releases. This time next year it will be a completely different story.
Christopher7xii @ Oct 25th 2007 4:31PM
"Only the hardcore fans have a good understanding of what Rock Band is all about. Sadly, there are a lot of people out there who think it's a "rip-off" of the Guitar Hero franchise."
---What exactly are you basing this on? I know tons of people that are aware of Rock Band are by no means at all "the hardcore fans". Not a single person I've met either (I work at Best Buy, so I talk to a lot) think that it's a rip off of Guitar Hero.
Annnyways, I think it's the fact that GH3 is on all systems basically, including a DS port eventually. I'm totally not stoked for the mic aspect, everything else is cool though.
XanthouS @ Oct 25th 2007 4:36PM
I work at a GameStop myself. GH is the established name. People who don't spend a lot of time online or read videogame magazines see another guitar simulator and assume it's competition to their beloved GH game. It's human nature.
Rock Band is less than a month away. As soon as GHIII launches, I'd expect MTV and EA to start pumping out the marketing. But like I said, Rock Band will speak for itself. The first Guitar Hero didn't need a marketing blitz for it to become a pop culture phenom.
Shmil @ Oct 25th 2007 5:09PM
and what is so hard to get about rock band? why do i need to be hardcore to understand that its a rhythm game that includes guitar, bass, drums, and vocals? i guess i'm not hardcore enough, i must be missing something.
Also the fact that people know more about GHIII than rock band, well maybe its because of GHI and II hmmm?
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 25th 2007 5:30PM
Well Schmill, whats hard for YOU to get is that Rock Band is made by the same people as made GH 1 and 2. Thats what the "hardcore" get and the casuals probably don't realize.
Thus, in reality, its GHIII which is the unproven entry here, and RB is the natural evolution from GH2. But only the hardcore "get" this.
Christopher7xii @ Oct 25th 2007 11:18PM
Actually, I think Guitar Hero 3 is a lot better than 2... With the exception of Boss Fights (Really stupid), and them removing characters (Pandora, Winston, Grim Ripper, and Eddie Knox). They've been replaced with a robot, an elvis impersonator, a Jpop chick, and the devil (named Lou). Granted a new company made the game, but it has a lot better feel to it than Guitar Hero 2 did for me... Granted nothing can beat Trodgor or Deathklok, but still a way better game.
Rock Band, I think, is a little over zealous and may lead to a Fable let down. Too much to do, too little resources to fine tune it. I don't get the big amazement anyways, Drummania/Guitar Freaks have been doing linked machines for years. Still, I'll probably get it for my 360.
dsub @ Oct 25th 2007 4:09PM
Harmonix should have marketed Rock Band differently. This was their big mistake. They should have made individual packs that all come with the game and one of the instruments, and then one mega pack that comes with all of them. Why?
What if I am going to be in an online band and I am only going to play the drums. Number one, I don't need the other instruments, number two this way I have the drums and my own game disc so I can practice and play offline.
Duh.
The way they have packaged it has put them into the whole Steel Batallion/Ace Combat w/Flightsicks zone in which no one will buy because the cost on entry is almost as much as the console itself that you are playing it on.
Rock Band is a great concept that could kick the shit out of GH, they just made a really dumb decision by only selling all the instruments or just the game.
Hammer_of_God @ Oct 25th 2007 5:02PM
And do you think retailers would be on board with being forced to dedicate an entire aisle to Rock Band bundles during the holiday season?
Of course not, which is why it's not happening yet.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 25th 2007 4:11PM
I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everything, but I can't understand why someone would like one and hate the other.. and I've seen it pleeenty of times around forums.. It just doesn't make any sense. I mean if you're a fan of the GH series, then you should be a fan of GH3 obviously, and on that same note, you should be a fan of Rock Band since it's basically the same thing with added instruments and some new features. Personally I think they can both go suck a D**k and sh*t on themselves. I f**cks with the future and the future is Namco Museum Remix b*tches. Ok but seriously, I'll be picking up GH3 and Rock Band (Game only) and pick up a drum kit in January, if I'm feelin it yo.
JPRacer @ Oct 25th 2007 4:14PM
GH3 soundtrack is better.
Majortom1981 @ Oct 25th 2007 4:23PM
Guitar hero is available on more systems thats why. I can buy gh3 on my wii . I cant by rockband for my wii.
Its as simple as that.
Kermit450 @ Oct 25th 2007 4:24PM
I'm getting both, but I'm more excited about Rock Band. I suspect that the main reason that the Stats point to GH3 is that its release is nigh, and the the anticipation has reached its peak.
JanJan @ Oct 25th 2007 4:24PM
I have no friends so I'm getting GH3
Sean @ Oct 25th 2007 4:56PM
I will be your friend.
arrrgh @ Oct 25th 2007 4:26PM
GH3 has no drums.
/thread
oh wait this is joystiq :(
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 25th 2007 5:44PM
Or cowbell
MoominBiscuit @ Oct 25th 2007 4:29PM
I'm one the people who has been looking at GH3 more than Rock Band, solely due to me living in Europe. With GH3 being out next month, as compared to the unannounced 2008 release date for Rock Band, I have more interest in the game I'll be able to play over Christmas rather than the one I won't.
Dragod @ Oct 25th 2007 4:33PM
The interface for Rock Band seems a bit sketchy to me. Like, I'm going to have to play it before I even think about buying it. GH3, I know what I'm getting and I'm happy with it. And that wireless les paul is sexy...
I just don't want to buy it, expecting it to play exactly like Guitar Hero, only to find one small change has made it less fun to play.
Also, I don't want to hear my friends screeching over the actual lyrics.
Jag0tje @ Oct 25th 2007 4:46PM
Never played GH before because I have a Wii. I'm really looking forward to playing GH3 next month though.(EU)
Sean @ Oct 25th 2007 4:59PM
I think I'm going to get both, though I'm trying my hardest to stick to Rock Band exclusively...but I can't resist the siren songs of Slayer, Weezer, and Beastie Boys, amongst others.
Macroy @ Oct 25th 2007 5:24PM
Weezer is on both Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band.
Sean @ Oct 25th 2007 5:27PM
Yeah, and apparently Beastie Boys - Sabotage is as well. I don't know. I'm conflicted!
Yams @ Oct 25th 2007 5:03PM
I think that once the gaming populace gets their hand on both titles, they will realize that Rock Band is the better title. Guitar Hero 3 feels like a whack-a-mole game compared to the music creation/stage performance sim that is Rock Band.
Guitar Hero 3 will have better sales out the gate, but by February you will see Rock Band take over.
jsn @ Oct 25th 2007 5:08PM
more people know about guitar hero. I've met several people who play GH2 frequently and have never even heard of RB.
Shibathedog @ Oct 25th 2007 5:14PM
I'm even more on the GH3 side, I want both, but it seems risky. Not only is Rock Band new, and has anything to do with EA (They already stole the skateboarding genre didn't they?), but it seems like one of those cases where yeah it does/has more stuff, but it doesn't do it anywhere near as well.
I'm sure rock band will be fun, But the guitar parts are probably gonna be better in GH3, and I have to buy all that stuff to truly enjoy rock band :/
Mystic @ Oct 25th 2007 6:45PM
I rest my case about the ignorant kiddies.
J. Kyle @ Oct 25th 2007 5:16PM
Count me in with the "getting-both-but-more-excited-about-Rock-Band" crowd.
Guitar Hero 3 looks to be more of the same. Granted, it's a highly polished iteration, with (to judge by the demo) great note charts and shiny new graphics, but it's still more of the same. I can't imagine the boss battles and competitive multiplayer actually improving the series in any way; at best, they're won't bring it down too much.
By contrast, Rock Band is very nearly everything that I could want out of a music game: a Strat controller (Fender fan that I am), drum and vocal tracks, customizable characters, and so on.
RomeoDude @ Oct 25th 2007 5:28PM
It probably has something to do with all the pre-launch hype surrounding Guitar Hero III. Since Guitar Hero comes out in a little less than a week, and Rock Band comes out in a little less than a month, more people are probably excited about Guitar Hero now. I know I am. Also, there's probably going to be A LOT of advertising surrounding Rock Band when it gets a little closer to its release.
drew @ Oct 25th 2007 5:40PM
do remember that all the genius of GH1 and GH2 went into Rockband, not GH3... and that the GH3 demo sucks.
the only reason GH3 gets more press time is because of the name Guitar Hero, because of all the hardwork Harmonix did for GH1 and GH2, and because it's cheaper.
Jeff @ Oct 25th 2007 5:44PM
I'd get Rock Band, but the fact that it's only available as a full set for a price I'm not quite willing to pay yet has deterred me. As a result, I'm getting Guitar Hero 3 instead and will be looking for better deals on Rock Band next year.
-Jeff
http://alinktothefuture.com
Heart Monster @ Oct 25th 2007 5:48PM
Look, I'm pretty obsessed with Guitar Hero II, and I was doubtful of GHIII. But then I played it, about a month ago, and it's more polished that GHII, more difficult, has better songs, has fewer covers... I don't know how anyone could say they like it less than GHII.
For my part, I'm going to buy GHIII now, and maybe I'll buy Rock Band used or something, a little after it comes out. Honestly, it's just too expensive! And I don't dig karaoke so much.