Brought to you by the makers of Guitar Hero, one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, Band Hero features the hottest chart-topping hits from everyone's favorite bands including No Doubt, Nelly Furtado, Lily Allen, The All-American Rejects and Jackson 5. Headlined by some of the leading names in music as in-game artists and playable characters, including singer, songwriter and guitarist Taylor Swift and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Band Hero is the ultimate party game where friends and family can choose to join the band or "take five" at any time without interrupting the performance, in Party Play mode. Band Hero allows fans to create the band of their dreams, using any combination of vocals and guitar or drum controllers, providing budding pop stars the chance to customize how they interact with and experience their favorite music.
Early last month we reported that rock group No Doubt filed suit against Activision, claiming the company turned the band's on-screen likenesses "into a virtual karaoke circus act." Activision has fired back, filing its own countersuit against No Doubt claiming the band is in breach of contract, and is receiving unjust enrichment from its inclusion in the game (via The Hollywood Reporter).
According to the complaint, No Doubt was contractually obligated to promote the game, but the band failed this commitment when it filed suit against the company in early November. Activision is seeking damages including interest and asking that the band "disgorge all benefits, including payments, received," pay court costs and attorney fees, and be subject to any other penalaty as the court sees fit. Read More »
It would be easy to dismiss Band Hero as a cynical milking of the Guitar Hero name, a puffy repackaging of a successful franchise, specially formulated to be irresistible to teen girls. It would be easy to look at the appearance on the track list of artists (and I do use the term loosely here) like Aly and AJ, Hilary Duff, and the Spice Girls, and write off the whole project as "Guitar Hero Lite," of interest only to poor, misguided pop fans who don't know any better.
There's just one problem: It isn't. It really isn't. Read More »
Activision is feeling more heat concerning the use of artists' likeness in its music games. According to TMZ, the latest to take issue with the publisher is rock group No Doubt, which claims they've been transformed, "into a virtual karaoke circus act," via their use in over sixty songs in Band Hero.
The band reportedly only condoned the use of their likenesses for the three No Doubt tracks in Band Hero, and took specific offense against the use of female singer Gwen Stefani's likeness to sing the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman," which references sex with prostitutes while Gwen's avatar sings and acts like a male. Read More »
Also known as: Guitar Hero: Band Hero
E10+ for Everyone 10+ Lyrics, Mild Suggestive ThemesRelease Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: November 6, 2009
Publisher: Activision
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: November 25, 2009
Publisher: Activision
Release Region: United States
Release Date: November 3, 2009
Publisher: Activision
E10+ for Everyone 10+ Lyrics, Mild Suggestive ThemesRelease Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: November 6, 2009
Publisher: Activision
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: November 25, 2009
Publisher: Activision
Also available on: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2
Great!
