MS: All 360 rhythm-game instruments compatible, too

Console maker follows up rival's interoperability announcement with similar confirmation for next Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Rock Revolution; Lips status unclear.

A significant to-do was made over instrument interoperability between Guitar Hero III and Rock Band last year. Yesterday, Sony took steps to alleviate those concerns by announcing that the instruments for the PlayStation 3 editions of Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Rock Revolution, and SingStar would all be compatible with each other.

The news came in response to comments made by Neversoft director Brian Bright, who said during this year's E3 Media & Business Summit that Guitar Hero: World Tour instruments for the Xbox 360 would be fully compatible with Rock Band 2. Naturally, Sony's announcement begged the question of whether Microsoft had taken a similar stance with instrument interoperability for all of this next generation of rhythm games.

Responding in kind, Microsoft officially confirmed today that peripherals for upcoming Xbox 360 rhythm games from Activision Blizzard, MTV Games, and Konami would enjoy similar support. "All the instruments from Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour, and Rock Revolution will be cross-compatible," said Microsoft online community manager Chris Paladino on the publisher's official marketing blog.

One notable absence from Paladino's list is the iNiS-developed Lips, a karaoke game--announced as part of Microsoft's press event at E3--that features a motion-sensing microphone. Microsoft had not responded to requests for comment concerning the status of this game as of press time.

81 Comments

  • jak2027

    Posted Nov 16, 2008 2:06 pm PT

    SWEET! IM totaly geting RB2 And GH:HT!

  • abeard424

    Posted Sep 21, 2008 6:27 pm PT

    sweet, now I might buy the game and not have multiple fake drumsets in my basement

  • TwistedMetalFan

    Posted Sep 12, 2008 4:45 pm PT

    That's great. Now I know I only have to buy one bundle.

  • 555fabulous21

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:23 am PT

    Gladly, now I don't have to go waist my money by instruments that are already compatible.

  • poopipoopoo

    Posted Aug 22, 2008 1:30 am PT

    @okassar

    Were you playing the drums with hammers?

  • trident5

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:02 pm PT

    About damn time!!! They are plastics controllers, for frak sake! finally, a little sanity.

  • Ozzie234

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 4:35 pm PT

    Obvious.

  • HolteEnder4Life

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 2:18 pm PT

    i kinda guessed that this would happen

  • akiwak

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 2:13 pm PT

    LMAO
    MiiToo AND NOW
    MusicToo

  • airayd

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    The guitar hero/rock band incompatibility on the ps3 is the main reason why I changed consoles. Sony could of released the patch but decided to play peacekeeper. Oh well.

  • okassar

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 12:16 pm PT

    Seriously,wtf Harmonix...my whole left drum pad just cracked off just from playing on Hard for a couple montyhs,I sent it back,a few more months my the same exact thing happens,except this time I have no more warranty.I was willing to buy the RB2 drums until I found out they have no support rods going up to the left and right drum pads,there's just air under them..like last time...they hang by on a piece of plastic attached to the center pads.I really don't know what to do,this is annoying,and it doesn't seem right to mix GH drums with Rock Band...FFS!!!I guess I might end up buying the RB2 drums anyway and hooking them up with PVC pipes for extra support,but that's 15 extra bucks out of my wallet.

  • shoeman12

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 11:08 am PT

    good they're not forcing us to have different insturment sets for rb2 and guitar hero 4, but i'll probably pick up the gh4 drumset anyway even though i already have the rockband one.

  • buffdaddy69

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 10:35 am PT

    I love being able to play a real guitar and a real drum set.

  • atm0073

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am PT

    yesss. just the article I've been waiting for
    now I won't have to worry about my previous compatibility queries anymore
    I wonder if the old GH guitars (II, III, Aerosmith, etc.) will work too... I guess not, 'cause they didn't mention it in the article.

    Oh well, still good news

  • zgreenwell

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:55 am PT

    All except Lips.

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:20 am PT

    Soooo.... seeming GH:WT boasts being able to use any digital drum kit with its game that means RB2 will work that way too right? Or are you talking peripherals specifically mentioned as being created for those three games?

    Cool beans though on what we do know. You can now mix and match anything you want to play with and get the best for each instrument.

    Of course RB has already countered by adding in achievements that require specific hardware (see RB2 achievement list as it mentions keytapping a solo at 100%). Maybe GH will counter with, have 100% on the 5th drum pad.

  • AngelCage-2

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 9:12 am PT

    Sony: All PS3 rhythm-game instruments compatible.

    MS: O_o oh yeah yeah, All 360 rhythm-game instruments compatible too

    -.-.-.--.-.-.-.-

    That reminds me of one mission in GTA:VC when tommy and lance mug that officers to stole their uniforms, and lance says something like 'it fits perfect on me' and tommy says: 'yeah, but is a little tigth in the crotch' and prick-head responds: 'yeah, yeah, yeah. mine too, mine too'

  • spydersvenom7

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:57 am PT

    Nintendo won't get with this, they're too busy counting money. They could care less about the hardcore gamers that would buy all these games. Most Wii players will only buy one and not care about compatibility (you ever see complaints about this on the Wii forums?)

  • Faeton

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:42 am PT

    Can they now release a patch so that GH3 guitars work with RB and vice versa? And hopefully Nintendo will get in with this too.

  • ChickenHounk911

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:29 am PT

    Once again an article with some GOOD NEWS, turns into a fanboy war. You know there is a forum for all you guys? Go there.
    You know what? Actually Sony and Microsoft get along, they are good friends! All the fighting is just for show, I saw them at a party this month in Germany...

  • ParisSun

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:25 am PT

    You have to be an idiot to believe that MS just decided to copy Sony. This stuff has been in the works for both companies since development. It's obvious and makes sense anyway. You can't just make this stuff compatible in 24 hours. Silly fanboys. LOL.

  • tidyspidey

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 8:08 am PT

    it should go without saying that it makes perfect sense for them to offer this - otherwise, they'd miss out on quite a few software sales from those unwilling to shell out on a 2nd lot of peripherals.

    I so need to get round to getting a drum set.

  • rig5

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 7:17 am PT

    Hey does that kickass drum set from OXM (the Rockband one thats like over 200 bucks) have all the buttons that the GH WT controller would have?

  • The-Outlaw-Torn

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:52 am PT

    I guess now I can breathe a sigh of relief. I was just going to get GH:WT, now I'll probably get both Rock Bands as well. I would hate to miss out on two excellent games just because the instruments don't work.

  • ElementalFire

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:49 am PT

    Gamespot: Learn how the phrase "begging the question" is used correctly.

  • ElementalFire

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:48 am PT

    Gamespot: Learn to use the phrase "begged the question" correctly.

  • snipsuper

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:27 am PT

    i mean *not on the controllers to play them

  • snipsuper

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:26 am PT

    great!!! now i only have to waste money on the game and mroe the controllers to play them

  • arc_salvo

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 6:23 am PT

    I agree with Tebbit. It's just a common sense decision for the peripheral makers to make that sort of a deal with every company they could.

  • blueguykisame

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 5:44 am PT

    ~I agree completely with poisen me rum~

    Anyways this will defenately save me hundreds =]

  • Tebbit

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 4:57 am PT

    Hands up who cares about Lips? Anyone? Thought not. And Poison_Me_Rum, you are one of the greatest minds of our generation.

    I suspect that seeing this was announced so soon after Sony, it just means that a deal was brokered with both companies, and Sony just announced it first. Just a thought!

  • julianwelton

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 4:47 am PT

    titus124 said "Wow M$ only took 24 hrs to copy Sony well done!" Uh yeah you really think it only took 24 hours to make all the instruments compatible with all the other games. I think a more sensible assumption is that it was something that was planned since work began on the games in question.

  • Flavour666

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 4:43 am PT

    titus124: they didn't copy anyone. They just confirmed what should be a standard. Sony just made a big deal out of it.

  • titus124 posted Aug 20, 2008 3:45 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    titus124

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 3:45 am PT (hide)

    Wow M$ only took 24 hrs to copy Sony well done!

  • Elitekiller1172

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 3:13 am PT

    yes now i can get world tour and just buy rockband 2 the game

  • Andy72774

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 2:47 am PT

    I personally am glad that everyone can play everything... at least it gives evryone a chance...

  • Andy72774

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 2:47 am PT

    I'm glad they made it compatible...because everyone knows the RB instruments suck major #*@

  • Andy72774

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 2:46 am PT

    GH:WT > RB2... lolz... fake cymbals

  • Poison_Me_Rum

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 1:34 am PT

    I love how people claim that Microsoft is copying Sony with this announcement. I personally think it's great news for people who want to play all these games, but can't afford to splash out on the new instruments. I already own Rock Band on the PS3, and I was going to ignore Guitar Hero: World Tour because I just didn't want to fork over the cash for even MORE instruments.

    I'll be happy when fan boys grow up and realize that each console is unique in it's own way. We're all the same! We love games.

    It's like racism... only over big expensive toys... which is quite silly...

  • pikadeth

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 12:07 am PT

    I have a PS3, but can continue ignoring it now!

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 11:36 pm PT

    Yeah now let's see if they make the Rock Band guitars compatible in GH3.

    As for THIS news, I'm super happy about that. I'm glad it's being done this way!!!

  • CodingGenius Site moderator

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 11:17 pm PT

    Thank goodness. This means I can continue to buy the series without having to buy the PS3 yet!

  • ctg867

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:39 pm PT

    Good news, not really surprised, but good news.

  • TheArcade

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:00 pm PT

    lol I love this little console rivalry Sony and MS got going.

  • charma

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:43 pm PT

    MS is only announcing this because it was already assumed the instruments were compatible. The GH instruments WERE NOT COMPATIBLE with RB on the PS3, while the 360 was.

  • baystatethrashr

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:19 pm PT

    wasnt this announced during E3? regardless its great news for everyone on both platforms.

  • konradak

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:11 pm PT

    So MS is copying Sony by doing this? Warning, fanboys present.

  • kayn83

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:04 pm PT

    I was wondering... Are the instruments for Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band fully compatible on the 360 yet? I know you can use the GH guitar in Rock Band but I wasn't sure if it worked the other way around. Msg me with the answer please.

  • football_legend

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:02 pm PT

    I guess now its Nintendo's turn?

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