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Game on! Beatles announce starring role in new video game from Rock Band creators

Update (2/27/09)
  • About the upcoming Beatles video game, Electronic Arts CEO John Pleasants says "we think is going to be a great business force this year," reports Gamasutra.

    Update (2/17/09)

  • Angela sent us this note after seeing our item on the Beatles pinball machines:

    "I read your latest news bit on Beatles games; the pinball game looked neat! But...did you know that the Beatles were heavily referenced in a Nintendo game released in Japan called EarthBound (Mother 2 in Japan)? Check it out, there is quite a few:

    http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/EarthBound_-_Hidden_references/id/5549000 . They not only sample songs, but reference them and actual members of the band.

    "It is interesting to note that all this sampling (along with sampling other songs like "Johnny B. Goode") may have kept the game from being released over here in the U.S. on the Nintendo Wii's virtual console: http://starmen.net/ebvc / (see "Attack of the Copyright Lawyers")

    "Just an interesting tidbit...apparently, the Beatles were big with Japanese game designers!?"


    (Comment: The Beatles have always had some unusual things associated in Japan. Japanese vinyl Beatle albums were quite unusual and often never came out elsewhere.)
    Update (2/16/09)
  • You know, with all this talk about a Beatles video game ... what if they'd decided to make a standup game back in the '80s, the '70s or even the '60s before there was Rock Band? Can you imagine Beatles Pacman? Or Beatles Invaders? Thankfully, we didn't have to. But there was a Beatles Yellow Submarine pinball game (scroll down in the link). And there also was an unauthorized pinball game from 1966 that featured the Bootles who obviously were supposed to be the Beatles.

    Update (11/12/08)

  • Six editors discuss in detail the implications and possibilities of the new Beatles video game on Gamespot.com. One term in their discussions that was unfamiliar to us was "keytar game peripheral." Wikipedia says "A keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard or synthesizer that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a guitar strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands. The instrument has a musical keyboard for triggering musical notes and sounds. Controls for pitch bends, vibrato, portamento, and sustain are placed on the instrument’s 'neck'." So now you know.

    Update (11/6/08)

  • Yoko Ono, in exclusive comments to Entertainment Weekly, had this to say about the game: “All of us are actually pretty hip, so we said yes. I’m personally very excited. [The game] lets you participate in a way where you’re really [immersed in] the music. With so many young kids into the Beatles, it’s a start to a beautiful new page in [the band’s] history. Maybe they’ll start to make music and not just listen to it, and really understand what it’s about.” Author Ken Mansfield predicts, "When it comes out, it's going to be like Sergeant Pepper's. It'll be something different and totally innovative -- what a Beatle product should be." And Martin Bandier of Sony/ATV (he seems to be everywhere in regard to this story) tells EW, "The Love show continues to sell to full capacity in Las Vegas, 30 million people watched American Idol’s Beatles night, and now there’s this game. I think there’s a changing wind -- and that this will naturally lead to other opportunities no one even thought about.”

    Update (11/5/08)
  • The Beatcomber's latest blog comments on the Beatles video game.
  • From Adam Powell:

    Hi Steve,

    I'm guessing the Beatles' Rock Band game will be along similar lines to the AC/DC one: http://www.rockband.com/games/acdc

    I saw an advert for the normal Rock Band game today, and I got to thinking- if it was me behind the Beatles' version game I would make sure the "instruments" accompanying the game actually fitted into the whole Beatles aesthetic:

    Lugwig drums for the wanna be Ringos (who appear to be a Rock Band sponsor, so we might get to play on virtual "drop T logo" Ludwig drums: see the bottom of this page where it lists the 'sponsors' http://www.rockband.com/music) Hofner bass- for the wanna be Pauls. Gretsch / Rickenbacker for the wanna be Georges Rickebacker / Epiphone for the wanna be Johns

    The guitar sponsor for Rock Band appears to be Fender (bottom of this page http://www.rockband.com/music) - so we might get a George Let it Be era rosewood Telecaster for George, Let It Be Era Fender Bass VI / Jazz Bass for Paul/John, 1965/1966 era Sonic Blue Strat for George/ John....

    The wikipedia page has pictures of the Fender strat and drums: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Band

    Cheers,
    Adam

    Update (11/4/08)

  • More interesting tidbits in relation to the video game. Sony/ITV (the company holding the Beatles song copyrights) CEO Martin Bandier teased the Financial Times with this: “As we enter the mobile era of music delivery, should there be phones pre-loaded with Beatles music? It’s one of those major head-scratchers.” Indeed. He also told Variety, "We signed a deal that would be considered very rich by the videogame company but fair for the artists. It will have online implications that will be enormous."
  • Meanwhile, why did Harmonix win out over Activision? Reuters quotes Apple Corps CEO Jeff Jones during the conference call announcement as saying, "MTV was clearly the innovator in offering a full-band experience." Reuters also reported that unnamed sources MTV's offer was more flexible than Activision's. They said the company's CEO, Bobby Kotick, has said in the past that the music industry should be paying for the opportunity to have music included in "Guitar Hero." But Martin Bandier went further. "It was presented as if they were doing the music business a favor ... It's true you can choose other types of music, and somewhere along the line someone's going to do it for free for the exposure ... When it comes to the Beatles, the leverage changes. We're very happy with the terms of our arrangement with MTV."
  • From Michael McGuire, an analyst at the tech research firm Gartner, in the same article: “It (the video game) builds interest in demand in other products, perhaps licensing across all online stores ... You could see this as a ploy to start another cycle in selling the catalogue on CDs and new boxsets.” McGuire told FT Apple will need to provide new material along with the new offerings, while exploring more creative packaging for new products. But Mark ­Mulligan, an analyst at ­Forrester Research, counters that logic, saying, “The timing is irrelevant ... It will be a success ­whenever it happens.”

    Update (11/3/08)

  • Another comment on the video game, from Grappa6771:

    Hi,

    I just read Tom's comments about Apple being off base with their releases, which I think they are as well. I think nowadays people who are in charge of legacy things (like the Beatles (not the members themselves but the corporate heads) sadly are not interested in what the hardcore fans want anymore but want to do broader things to bring in more people, just to rake in more bucks. Case in point, look at the new "Star Trek" movie coming out next year. First, its a redo of the original characters rather than continuing "The Next Generation," "DS9," "Voyager," or "Enterprise" (on that point I'm glad because the other series, besides "Enterprise," didn't gel with me. Secondly, it's what JJ Abrahams, the director, said, which is the point I'm trying to make. He said he wanted to make a "Star Trek" movie but not for the "Star Trek" fans but for movie fans. The true hardcore fans don't seem to count anymore. To continue with "Star Trek," though, the pictures coming from the movie look phenomenal and I hope its a HUGE hit. There's one exception though. Marvel Comics seem to take the fans into consideration now, since they are now crossing over different storylines leading up to one major movie ... and that sits great with the hard core fans. Take care.

    Update (11/2/08)

  • Beatlefan's Tom Frangione comments on the video game:

    It's nice, but the priorities over at Apple appear more out of whack than ever.

  • Fortieth anniversary of Double White, Hey Jude, and the LABEL ... we get a friggin' Monopoly game. Whatever happened to that label "rarities set" they promised during the CD reissue campaign over 15 years ago ?

  • They don't go on iTunes, but repackage the old CD's with the iTunes player.

  • A mass market DVD about the making of a show a relatively small percentage of folks have seen (and remember, I'm a BIG "Love" fan. Have seen it 6 times. And will go again)

    Need I keep going ?

    • Update (11/1/08)

  • Variety has a few more details about the game. Forty-five songs will be used. And Giles Martin seemed to indicate elements of the songs wouldn't be extracted, as they were with "Love." "We are trying to present the songs as they were played, adhering to the (original) mix," Variety quoted him. On how this deal may pave the way for the iTunes issue to be finally resolved, Martin Bandier, CEO of Sony/ATV Publishing that holds the Lennon-McCartney copyrights, told the Financial Times, “With the coming on board of Jeff Jones at Apple [Corps], the other shareholders of Apple realised this might be an incredible opportunity for them to enter the 21st century and give people who might not have grown up knowing who John, Paul, George and Ringo are the ability to do that. Hopefully, it starts us down the road towards other great licensing opportunities." He added, “To me, it’s an incredible situation that the Beatles aren’t on iTunes or anywhere digital.”
  • Allan Kozinn of the New York Times, who has interviewed and written about the Beatles extensively, sent us his thoughts on the Beatles video game:

    "Personally, I feel -- and pretty much everyone I know who has any interest in the Beatles feels -- that Job 1 is reissuing the standard catalogue in a way that does this music justice, or at the very least, presents in as well as other artists of the time have been presented on CD. I know they've done the mastering and they keep saying they'll come out, but in the meantime they seem more likely to bring us irrelevant sideshows like a video game or a site-specific Las Vegas show than to actually get the recordings on the market. Job 2 would be issuing things like the Shea Stadium film and "Let It Be," projects that have been on and off and on and off the shelf for over a decade now. Putting out a Beatles-themed video game is, in my estimation, somewhere down around Job 27,342. I have no problem with Apple's doing it, if that's the kind of thing that floats Paul's, Ringo's, Olivia's and Yoko's boats these days, but as someone primarily interested in the Beatles as musicians, and not at all interested in video games (or going to Las Vegas for that matter), it's a low priority."


  • Rock Band's lead designer, Dan Teasdale, and Harmonix public-relations man John Drake, told Game Spot UK what users might expect from the game. "The Beatles are amazing. To make it clear, this isn't a Rock Band game, this is a new experience for the Beatles. It's a way to experience the Beatles' music, it's a way to bring this to a whole new audience as well as people who are huge fans of the Beatles. From our end it's amazing...the Beatles are the biggest band in the world. They're music legends, and to be able to bring that experience to everyone is a great honour."
  • Here's Billboard.com's report about the announcement.
  • Meanwhile, CNBC's Jim Goldman picks up on the thin thread of digital hope provided by the Harmonix/Beatles deal to revive thoughts that the iTunes deal is imminent. Give it up, Jim. It'll happen when it happens.

    Update (10/31/08)

  • If you missed it, check out update II from yesterday (scroll down a little from here), with the details of the teleconference which Abbeyrd's Beatles Page was part of where the video game announcement was made. The bare details are the game is scheduled to be out before Christmas in 2009 (with no release date). It will be a stand-alone game and it will use the UK versions of songs. Giles Martin will be in charge of the music. Billboard.biz specifically notes the game will not be called "Rock Band," though given the circumstances, it appears that distinction is in name only. As is typical of announcements of this type, all the Beatles/representatives were said to have input into the game. When asked, Apple Corps CEO Jeff Jones said there is no new information on the Beatles going to iTunes (in other words, it's still waiting to happen). He was not asked about the long-rumored remasters (that would have been our question had we been picked for one) and he didn't mention any new news about them. Many of the reporters' questions, by the way, were answered with "it's too early to say" or "the game is under development," meaning there weren't many real answers to any questions beyond the fact the game was being announced.
  • We asked Beatlefan editor Bill King and journalist Rip Rense to comment on this development. Here's what Bill had to say:

    I think the "Rock Band" deal is a good idea in terms of broadening The Beatles' audience, but it's not going to be a big deal with their original fan base, which is pretty focused on the seemingly neverending wait for the remasters. For whatever reason, 2008 is pretty much a "lost" year for Apple Corps. The Cirque du Soleil DVD is not the major release they're touting it as; many fans won't bother with it.


  • And Rip Rense:

    I’ve never seen “Rock Band,” so I really don’t know what this is. It sounds perfectly nice. If Giles Martin is supervising, the music will be respected.


  • And our thoughts: It's our feeling that the "Rock Band" game is another example of how the Beatles' business model is built on expanding its audience. "Love" (both the show and the CD/DVD) was another element of that. We think the fact the Beatles have finally ventured into the digital arena is good, though it was also unavoidable and long overdue. The bottom line, though, is the music, and that seems to have been put off to the side to hit a few other goals. The Beatles need to get focused back on that again for the sake of their fans, both old and young. Ultimately, that's what drives the Beatles, not video games and circus-type shows.
  • What would you like to see in the Beatles' upcoming video game? You can speak your peace on the Abbeyrd Beatles Page message board.

    Update II (10/30/08) Abbeyrd Beatles Page attended the teleconference where the announcement was made. The Beatles confirmed they have signed an agreement with the makers of the "Rock Band" video game for a full-blown version of a game with Beatles music to hit the market place before next Christmas. Giles Martin will be the musical director. (There was no mention of Sir George Martin's involvement.) Few details of the actual game - how it will be played and how the music will be used, for example, were available because the game is still in development. However, it was revealed the game will use the UK versions of the songs. Most of the questions from reporters involved the game, though Jeff Jones, CEO of Apple, was asked about the Beatles finally getting to iTunes. Jones said those talks were still under discussion and no date or information was available. The conference ended, interestingly enough, with "Yesterday," a signal that, with this entry into the digital world, things are different for the Beatles from this point on.

  • Here's the official press release announcing the partnership:

    THE BEATLES INSPIRE NEW MUSIC VIDEO GAME; APPLE CORPS LTD., MTV AND HARMONIX COME TOGETHER FOR UNPRECEDENTED DEAL

    Exclusive Agreement Set to Bring The Beatles Music to Fans for the First Time in Interactive Form Here, There and Everywhere in 2009

    New York, NY – October 30, 2008 – The Beatles’ extraordinary music and phenomenal legacy is set to rock across the universe in the form of a video game through an exclusive partnership between Apple Corps Ltd., Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

    This partnership marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. Published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band®, the game will be an unprecedented, experiential progression through and celebration of the music and artistry of The Beatles. The game was creatively conceived with input from Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, and enjoys their full blessing. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE project, will provide his expertise and serve as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

    “The project is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of The Beatles and their music. I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out,” Sir Paul McCartney said.

    “It gives me great pleasure to be part of The Beatles / Apple and Harmonix / Rock Band partnership,” said Ringo Starr. “The Beatles continue to evolve with the passing of time and how wonderful that The Beatles’ legacy will find its natural progression into the 21st century through the computerized world we live in. Let the games commence.”

    “It’s cool. I love it and hope it will keep inspiring and encouraging the young generation for many decades,” said Yoko Ono Lennon.

    “People are having so much fun playing Rock Band. Combined with The Beatles tracks, it is a great way to either listen or participate,” said Olivia Harrison. “If you like the music, it doesn’t take much persuasion to get you to play.”

    “Introducing the genius of The Beatles to a whole new generation of music lovers through original and inspired ways is extremely exciting to us at Apple Corps,” stated Jeff Jones, CEO, Apple Corps. “We are truly pleased to be working with the innovative forces at MTV and Harmonix as they embody our mutual passions for music and creativity.”

    “Many of us have been part of a generation that has long enjoyed an enduring love affair with The Beatles and now we’re looking to extend that love affair for future generations to enjoy,” said Van Toffler.” “Our inspiration for this project comes from a keen sense of history and a place of utmost reverence and respect for the band, their music and their heritage.”

    “The impact of The Beatles is forever ingrained in the hearts, minds and souls of millions the world over,” said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks. “The Beatles are the reason many of us are WHERE we are, and some of us are WHO we are.”

    “We are honored to be part of this new way for people to discover the timeless music and art of The Beatles - the most creatively and commercially successful, critically acclaimed, and influential band in the history of popular music,” stated Paul DeGooyer, MTV’s Senior Vice President of Electronic Games & Music.

    “By presenting their music and artistry through the creative filter of a groundbreaking video game, we are giving legions of fans and music lovers all over the world a profound, new way to experience The Beatles,” said Alex Rigopulos, CEO and Co-Founder, Harmonix. “This game will be a celebration of the Beatles undeniable legacy.”

    About Apple Corps. Ltd.
    Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968 to look after the group’s own affairs. The London-based company has administered the catalogue of The Beatles releases of the 1960s that have sold to date more than 600 million records, tapes and CDs. Since the 1990s Apple has piloted new Beatles projects that have become benchmarks for pioneering accomplishment and which have included The Beatles Anthology projects, the 28 million-selling album The Beatles 1 and the The Beatles LOVE show and CD. Further information on The Beatles’ projects can be found at http://www.thebeatles.com.

    About MTV Networks
    MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

    About MTV Games
    MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

    About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc
    Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit: http://www.harmonixmusic.com.

    (The press release was also posted to their MySpace blog and their website.)


    (10/30/2008) We'll know for sure at 10 a.m. ET, but it appears that the Beatles are making yet another in-road into digital culture history today. No, it won't be that the Beatles are coming to iTunes, as long hoped, but as the announced stars of an upcoming edition of the "Rock Band" video game.

    MTV/Viacom Inc., which owns "Rock Band," put out a surprise press invitation Wednesday which read:

    APPLE CORPS LTD. AND MTV TO ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL MUSIC PROJECT

    WHAT: Apple Corps Ltd. and MTV to announce an exclusive agreement to develop a global music project.

    WHO: Jeff Jones, CEO of Apple Corps, Ltd.
    Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks
    Van Toffler, President of MTV Networks Music/Logo Group

    WHEN: Thursday, October 30, 2008
    2:00 pm UK Time, 10:00 am ET, 7:00 AM PT

    Speculation is rampant that the Beatles will be a part of "Rock Band 2." The Wall Street Journal said that, according to several unnamed sources, the Beatles reached an agreement to license songs to MTV Networks' Rock Band videogame series. The paper called it "a coup for the Viacom Inc. unit in its battle with rival Activision Blizzard Inc. for supremacy in the world of rock-and-roll videogames."

    Entertainment Weekly has an unconfirmed report the game will be a stand-alone disc, "like Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (which has moved more than a million units since its June 2008 release)," says EW, as opposed to downloadable content, which Dhani Harrison's group, thenewno2, already added to "Rock Band." Entertainment Weekly also reported that Harmonix, the company behind "Rock Band," put getting the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones on their wish list (and signed exclusive rights to AC/DC). MTV President Van Toffler said of the Beatles getting into "Rock Band," "I heard they're pretty popular. That would be big, right?"

    The big question, asked by the Wall Street Journal, is whether the game will be attractive to first-generation fans, or only those younger.

    In March, rumors began flying that the Beatles would become a part of "Guitar Hero." Martin N. "Marty" Bandier, chairman and chief executive at Sony/ATV Music Publishing that owns the John Lennon-Paul McCartney copyrights, told the Los Angeles Times he liked the idea of a dedicated Beatles edition of Activision's "Guitar Hero," saying, "It's something we have talked about and something I'd like to pursue." “To my view, it’s only a matter of time before we see Beatles songs that are the original recordings in motion pictures, in television work, and yes, maybe even one day in a commercial,” Bandier told the Financial Times. That paper reported in June that Apple was talking with both Harmonix for "Guitar Hero" and MTV Games for "Rock Band."

    In July, however, the speculation for "Guitar Hero" pretty well ended when Charles Huang of "Guitar Hero" game developer Red Octane told Billboard, "Well, I don't have to tell you how difficult it is. Everybody in the world has tried to get the Beatles to put their music on all kinds of different platforms, and it certainly would be exciting, but it's also a difficult challenge."

    By the way, here's something McCartney fans may not be aware of. There is currently a video game that features a McCartney song. "Guitar Hero: World Tour", which was just released this week, features the Wings' tune "Band on the Run." (Here's the complete list of songs from Wikipedia.)


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