Mad Catz Starts Rock Band
The high price point of Rock Band getting you down? Well, Mad Catz has just signed a multi-year licensing deal to create peripherals for Harmonix's popular title. The deal includes wired/wireless guitars, the drum kit and a wired microphone. Guess they can't be too creative then. Still, it'll be interesting to see what they can come up with that will make us want to buy them aside from making them a little cheaper than the actual instruments. If they made one shaped like Prince's, I'd totally get it.
"This agreement with MTV Games represents a natural opportunity for Mad Catz to combine our core competencies of producing and distributing high-quality accessories with the entertaining experience of Rock Band's interactive controllers," said Mad Catz president and CEO Darren Richardson. "Mad Catz will produce premium instruments, allowing gamers and music fans to experience music in an entirely new light while taking on the personality of their favorite music idols."
God, I love press release-speak. "core competencies?" Who talks like that?Anyway, Mad Catz expects to ship its first peripherals in the first half of 2008, so we'll have to wait a little while before we can rock out on the cheap. And with all the drama going on with the Guitar Hero/Rock Band controller compatibility, I'm guessing us Guitar Heroes are out of this particular drum loop.
Mad Catz Signs Rock Band Licensing Deal [Gamesindustry.biz]
Wootini
Posted to Video Games on 4 January 2008
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Other stuff like this: harmonix, mad catz, peripheral, rock band
Mad Catz is still in business? Just about all the gamers I've talked to on the subject of third-party accessories recognize Mad Catz as a producer of some of the lowest-quality items on the market. I suppose they have a chance to redeem themselves with these Rock Band controllers, but I wouldn't hold my breath.