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Xbox 360's 'Deal of the Week,' Games on Demand, Avatar DLC for Sept.

by Alexander Sliwinski { Sep 8th 2009 at 8:30PM }

Tossing the usual drip-fed weekly schedule aside for the moment, Microsoft has released the full details for its "Deal of the Week," Games on Demand and Avatar DLC releases (in the US) for the entire month of September. Let's start with Games on Demand:

Games on Demand (no prices noted)

Sept 8: Civilization Revolution
Sept. 15: FIFA Street 3
Sept. 22: Shaun White Snowboarding
Sept. 29: Fable II: Game Episodes -- (we'd hold out for that "game of the year" edition)

Check after the break for the "Deal of the Week" and Avatar DLC details.

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Report: Only 35 songs from Guitar Hero World Tour work with GH5 [update]

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 1st 2009 at 7:30PM }

Update: It appears as though Activision itself has answered the question of what songs specifically are importable into Guitar Hero 5 from World Tour (35 songs) as well as Smash Hits (21 songs), via the Activision Customer Support Center. The full list of songs available from each game has been dropped after the break -- thanks to everyone for sending this in!

We can't lie to you, friends -- when Activision claimed songs from last year's Guitar Hero World Tour would be playable in this year's Guitar Hero 5, we were skeptical. It seems that skepticism proved right, as USA Today reveals that a hair over one third of GHWT's tracks can be downloaded into the new game. Specifically, just 35 of World Tour's 86 tracks are playable in GH5, with an unspecified amount of Guitar Hero Smash Hits tracks available "later this Fall." The licensing fee for those 35 tracks is 280

/$3.50 for Xbox 360 and PS3, though it remains unclear whether or not that fee would include Smash Hits' tracks when those are released.

We've asked Activision for clarification of which tracks specifically are available in GH5 and when Smash Hits will be ready for download, but unfortunately were told that we'd get a release tomorrow with "tons of details." So this is where we crowdsource things -- Guitar Hero 5 owners in the Joystiq Biomass™, please let us know which 35 of Guitar Hero World Tour's 86 tracks are playable! Our inbox is always open!

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Guitar Hero 5 DLC not compatible with World Tour

by Xav de Matos { Aug 23rd 2009 at 8:30PM }

While original Rock Band owners were given the luxury to continue to buy new tracks for the music title even after the release of its sequel, Guitar Hero fans won't be given the same option when Guitar Hero 5 lands on store shelves. An Activision representative told Destructoid that DLC for the upcoming Guitar Hero 5 will not be compatible with Guitar Hero: World Tour.

According to the Activision rep, Guitar Hero 5 DLC will be compatible with future titles in the franchise, but "advancements and innovations" made to the upcoming music title do not allow for tracks to be backwards compatible with World Tour. Don't light the torches and grab the pitchforks just yet though, the same reason has been given for The Beatles: Rock Band's inability to work with previous versions of the game.

Thankfully, Activision has already confirmed tracks from Guitar Hero: World Tour will be compatible with Guitar Hero 5 via an in-game importing process -- which adds new features such as band moments, expert+ drumming and the new vocal star power to older tracks.

[Via 1UP]

UK gets better bargain: Pre-order Guitar Hero 5, get World Tour free

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 22nd 2009 at 10:00PM }

Activision's making it awfully hard for folks across this big blue world of ours to not purchase their upcoming rhythm title, Guitar Hero 5 -- here in the States, folks who purchase the game are eligible to receive Guitar Hero: Van Halen for free. However, in the United Kingdom, the offer is incredibly sweeter -- those who pre-order Guitar Hero the Fifth through Amazon can also grab Guitar Hero: World Tour for the low, low price of nothing.

OXM received instructions from Amazon.UK on how to utilize the offer -- simply add Guitar Hero 5 (on any platform) to your basket, then add the special promotional version of World Tour for the appropriate console. Go to checkout, and the price of the latter will magically change to zilch. If only this kind economic wizardry applied to every purchase in our life.

Guitar Hero: World Tour gets free Activision music

by David Hinkle { Aug 13th 2009 at 7:20PM }

Guitar Hero: World Tour gets a fresh injection of DLC with the Activision Track Pack today, which features music from actual Activision employees' bands. Perhaps the most noteworthy quality of this newest track pack, however, is its low, low price of free. Here's what you'll get:

Awaken's "The Silence is Deafening"
H is Orange's "Nothing All the Time"
Hundred Reasons' "I'll Never Know"

Oh, and Activision's press release also mentions Steve Ouimette's "Dueling Banjos" will release next week. It will be the last DLC release before the release of Guitar Hero 5 on September 1.

PS2 deal: Guitar Hero World Tour + 2 guitars = $50

by Xav de Matos { Aug 12th 2009 at 9:15PM }

The official Guitar Hero store has a great deal for PS2 gamers, bundling the single guitar pack of Guitar Hero: World Tour with a bonus Kramer Guitar controller for $50. The $39.99 value is only available for a limited time.

If you're still rocking a PlayStation 2, the bundle could come in handy during parties where you'd prefer to spend your time staring at your television rather than speak to your invited guests. Also, the bundle will help future rockers to "man-it-up," by giving you a spare guitar in case you smash one after a sweet solo.

Kid plays Guitar Hero while solving two Rubik's Cubes

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 8th 2009 at 10:00PM }

We frequently like to joke that people who show remarkable adeptness at Guitar Hero are actually robots, but as you might imagine, we don't really mean it. However, after viewing a recent video (posted after the jump) showing a young man who not only plays through Ozzy Osborne's "Mr. Crowley" on Expert, but solves two Rubik's cubes while doing so, the only logical explanation we can come to is that his deft hands and keen mind must be composed of wires, servos and cold, unfeeling steel.

By the way, if you happen to speak ill of this young automaton's abilities due to his only receiving a score of 77 percent on the song, we're going to punch you in the heart. We may even call you a "stupid jerk," depending on how much of our ire you end up evoking.

[Via Kotaku]

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Guitar Hero 5 allows song imports from previous games, features playable Johnny Cash

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 8th 2009 at 11:00AM }

We've been blown away by the effort Activision and Neversoft have put into making Guitar Hero 5 actually worth playing -- but their most recent move may be their wisest yet. A recent IGN preview of the title revealed the game will allow players to import "some" of the tracks from World Tour and Smash Hits into GH5 (and Band Hero) for a small fee. In addition, 125 of World Tour's 128 DLC tracks will automatically work in the two upcoming rhythm titles. Of all the features to borrow from Rock Band 2, the removal of bothersome disc-swapping is one of the best.

For those who aren't particularly thrilled by this piece of news, try this one on for size: Johnny Cash will be a playable character in Guitar Hero 5. There's a video of the black-suited man performing "Ring of Fire" after the jump. We suggest checking it out -- but only if you like things that are completely badass.

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Guitar Hero: World Tour gets Vagrant Records track pack

by David Hinkle { Jul 24th 2009 at 10:30PM }

If you're wondering when Guitar Hero: World Tour will get a track pack comprised of three random acts from the Vagrant Records label, then we're about to explode your mind. The game's latest DLC features three tracks from artists Thrice, Alexisonfire and Sense Fail. Just try to curtail your excitement for now. Your mom might put you back on the Ritalin and we know how much that messed up your scores.

The pack is currently available for 440

on Xbox Live, $5.49 on PSN, or you can download tracks individually for 160

/ $1.99 PSN / 200 Wii Points.

Thrice – ''All The World Is Mad''
Alexisonfire – ''Young Cardinals''
Senses Fail – ''The Martyr''

Eagles of Death Metal in new DLC for Guitar Hero: World Tour

by JC Fletcher { Jul 17th 2009 at 11:00PM }

A new track pack for Guitar Hero World Tour is available today, featuring three tracks from the Eagles of Death Metal, who are neither the Eagles nor a death metal band (Discuss.) The track pack features one single from each of the band's three albums, so it's kind of a sampler of the band's career to date. Or it's just a set of three songs that sound like they'd be fun to play on guitar. No need to overthink this stuff.

The set is 440

XBL or $5.49 on PSN, or you can get individual tracks for 160

/ $1.99 PSN / 200 Wii Points.

Rock out to these Guitar Hero 5 features

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 13th 2009 at 10:30PM }

Have you ever been so lacking in patience that you just want to jump right in while someone is playing a Guitar Hero track? Well, a new feature in Guitar Hero 5 (aka Guitar Hero World Tour 2) lets you do just that.

There's also the option to play any four instruments you like, but we already knew that. Also, feel free to pause at the part where it shows all the band names and dream about what tracks will be available -- or you could just check out the full "unofficial" set list right here.

UK music charts want to add rhythm game DLC tracking

by Griffin McElroy { Jul 9th 2009 at 6:30PM }

UK's aptly named Official Chart Company has a fairly progressive idea for how to more accurately tabulate the sales success of musical artists on its Official Download Chart -- by including the sales statistics for tracks offered as downloadable content for rhythm titles such as Rock Band, Guitar Hero: World Tour and SingStar.

To compile and include this data, it would take a great deal of negotiation between the record companies, the Official Chart Company and the game's developers, but we think it's definitely worth the trouble -- if only so we could try to get Stephen and the Colberts on the UK Weekly Top 40.

Pick up Metallica/Smash Hits Guitar Hero bundle for cheap

by Justin McElroy { Jul 8th 2009 at 6:57PM }

Yet another crazy music game fire sale from RedOctane today: For $49.99 on PS2, $59.99 on Wii or $69.99 on PS3 or 360, you can pick up a two-pack of Guitar Hero: Metallica and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.

As an added bonus, you'll also get a free Guitar Hero World Tour shirt. Now, you should by no means wear this in public, but if you need to work on your car or play the Super Sloppy Double Dare home game, it's a nice perk.

Rumor: Guitar Hero 5 drum set to look an awful lot like Rock Band's

by Ben Gilbert { Jul 6th 2009 at 5:30PM }

Is the drum kit above (to the right) what Guitar Hero 5 will be shipping with when it hits this September? We're not 100% sure, but a trusted source at our sister site Engadget sent in the blurry shot, leading us to believe it could very well be.

The new set bears a strong resemblance to that other full band music/rhythm game -- hey, there's even a lower bar support where the kick pedal could possibly hook on! Additionally, as Engadget rightly points out, the system controls have been moved in front of the pads. The back of the set allegedly features two kick pedal jacks and a "mysterious black mini jack" as well. We've asked for comment from Activision for confirmation of the set and have yet to hear back.

Gallery: Guitar Hero 5

Guitar Hero: World Tour gets punk rock DLC injection

by David Hinkle { Jul 3rd 2009 at 4:15PM }

Break out those tattered jeans and torn up flannel, because Guitar Hero: World Tour is getting a new DLC pack for the punk in all of us. Dubbed the Epitaph Punk-O-Rama Track Pack, the download features three tunes from three separate well-known Epitaph artists. It may be a bit more on the mainstream side of punk, but they're good tracks nonetheless.

Here's what you'll get (440

XBL / $5.49 PSN):