Long Live Rock (Band)!
Image by Todd Coats
Gaming
12.15.2008
Gone is the Napster Crüe who believe “trading” (wink, wink) a little music with a few hundred thousand friends is okay. The rising generation believes songs have value. Why? The game experience has given the songs value. Let’s put aside for a moment the billions these games have made in sales alone. They’ve also impacted culture and bank accounts in many other ways.
Fans have bought more than 44 million downloads through Guitar Hero and Rock Band and they’re just getting cranked up. Glam rockers Motley Crüe’s latest single sold five times better as a Rock Band download than it did on iTunes. Alex Rigopulos, CEO behind the game, told Entertainment Weekly that he believes games allow players to experience music again. And, when fans enjoy the experience, they buy the experience. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that game makers intend to release far more downloadable content AND more frequently. Some are even considering a monthly subscription service.
Game downloads even cost twice as much as iTunes’ downloads. The artist’s cut is bigger, too. That’ll surely inspire some master ax wielders to release their tunes to the gaming universe. Faster than you can say, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” music is valued again and games are a bona fide retail channel. Especially for classic rock and older catalogs. Games are the musical Viagra.
Signaling a trend as mighty as the 5-minute guitar solo, Metallica’s album, Death Magnetic, was downloadable for gameplay at the same time it was released through traditional retail channels. Expect plenty more artists to follow suit allowing labels to break a new artist alongside a less risky geez rocker. So, not only are games a viable retail channel, labels and retailers are seeing a 200-300% spike in sales with gameplay inclusion.
Okay, so rhythm games sell music. Duh, what else?
Well, games are definitely not staying in the basement. Guitar Hero nights are popping up at clubs coast to coast. It’s like the karaoke phenomenon without all the screeching. One New York City bar tripled their business. The owner chalks it up to adding another level of fantasy to the experience. “We put them on the stage. We get the smoke machine going. We get the lights going. They get to see it all on a 10-foot screen. It’s a big deal,” he said. When the fantasy goes on tour, it gets even bigger. Many concert tours feature Guitar Hero booths and contests between sets. Game shredders are being met with the same enthusiasm as the stars.
Besides massive sells, resuscitation of a dying industry and swelling crowds, what else?
More people are learning to play real instruments, buying real guitars and taking real guitar lessons. Many copycat products are showing up including a Christian game called Guitar Praise. And surely a sign of shark jumping, Rush Hour and X-Men director Brett Ratner has stated he wishes to make a Guitar Hero movie.
What about social networking? Guitar Hero World Tour allows players to create their own songs and share them with others through the Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Players can rate and download original songs. And in a final (‘scuse the pun) game changing move, the best player originals will be showcased alongside songs from popular artists. Now, if you’ll grab your plastic ax, windmill a few times and sing along with me…
“Rock is dead, they say. Long live rock!”
