Retail Radar: Guitar Hero III arrives October 28?

With a killer fourth quarter of blockbuster releases rapidly solidifying street dates, gamers can start planning their end-of-the-year game purchases around paycheck dates and frequency limitations on selling plasma for medical research. One more highly anticipated title might have carved out a calendar space, as online retailers including GameStop and CD Universe are listing Sunday, October 28 as the launch date of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

While retailers often post speculative or placeholder release dates on their sites, GameStop seems especially comfortable with the October 28 date; the site is guaranteeing users delivery on that date (despite it being a Sunday) if they select overnight shipping. A representative with RedOctane told GameSpot that the October 28 date was a tentative release date, and has yet to be officially confirmed.

The retailers also suggest that the price of Guitar Heroics continues to escalate. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 guitar-and-game bundles for Legends of Rock are listed with a suggested retail price of just under $100, while the PlayStation 2 and Wii bundles will sell for $90. The PS2 and Xbox 360 Guitar Hero II bundles each debuted for $10 less than their newer counterparts will apparently cost, but those packages came with wired guitars, while Guitar Hero III bundles will feature wireless axes.

Guitar Heroes with immediate shredding needs might have taken a look at the Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the '80s PlayStation 2 exclusive, but balked on the $50 suggested retail price tag for the 30-song set. Best Buy is currently offering a deal on its online store; those who order the game for $39.99 can also receive a free $15 Best Buy gift card by mail.

Finally, the radar picked up another Activision rhythm game on the horizon. Both GameStop and CD Universe are listing PlayStation 2 and Wii editions of Dancing With the Stars, no doubt based on the ABC reality TV series that pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers and has judges and viewers vote on their favorites. Both retailers expect the games in mid-November, with the Wii edition selling for just under $50, and the PS2 version clocking in at $10 cheaper.

Please note, while retailer listings frequently jump the gun on publishers' product announcements, they should not be taken as final confirmation of a game's existence; nor should the absence of a listing be considered as proof that a game isn't coming to a given platform.