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Buy Guitar Hero 5, get GH: Van Halen for free

Activision offering upcoming band-specific spin-off to gamers who purchase next full installment of rockin' rhythm franchise.

There's an abundance of high-profile rhythm games headed for stores this holiday season, but Activision has an offer that could be music to the ears of cash-strapped gamers. The publisher today unveiled plans to give away its upcoming Van Halen-dedicated Guitar Hero spin-off with the purchase of Guitar Hero 5.

Activision's latest offer will help Guitar Hero and Van Halen fans save some cash.

Activision's latest offer will help Guitar Hero and Van Halen fans save some cash.

While supplies last, specially marked copies of Guitar Hero 5 will include unique codes in their manual that can be redeemed for a copy of Guitar Hero: Van Halen either through the promotion's Web site or by mail. The offer ends October 31, and participants are asked to allow six weeks for delivery of the free game. That would put the title in a gamer's mailbox in mid-December at the latest, before the official December 22 retail debut of Guitar Hero: Van Halen.

The Web site for the promotion doesn't mention which retailers will carry the specially marked copies of Guitar Hero 5. However, it does link users directly to online retailer GameStop. [UPDATE] An Activision representative told GameSpot the "promotion will be valid at all retailers where the game is sold."

Guitar Hero 5 will feature 85 songs pulled from a number of genres, including Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," Megadeth's "Sweating Bullets," and Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower." The title will also feature a number of in-game likenesses of artists, such as Johnny Cash, Santana, and Garbage singer Shirley Manson.

Like the Metallica- and Aerosmith-dedicated Guitar Hero games before it, Guitar Hero: Van Halen will feature 25 tracks from the hard rock group, as well as three playable solos by its famed guitarist, Eddie Van Halen. The game will also feature 19 other musical acts, including Queen, Weezer, Blink 182, The Offspring, and Queens of the Stone Age. Both titles will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and PlayStation 2.

For more on the games, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Guitar Hero 5 and Guitar Hero: Van Halen.

180 Comments

  • Trogeton

    Posted Sep 23, 2009 11:07 pm GMT

    YEEEES I mailed out my offer a week ago... HELLLLO Van Halen

  • mynameisdumb

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:28 pm GMT

    Hate_Destroy: Complete and tragic fail??? What are you talking about?! Van Halen is PERFECT for Guitar Hero. This is way better than Aerosmith, and I would say better than Metallica too. I think it will easily be the best side-game (like Rock the 80's, Aerosmith, etc.) Guitar Hero yet.

  • Kashmiro

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 10:02 am GMT

    Yea this is just an incredible deal, I have already signed up my game and what not... it just sucks you have to send in stuff through the mail!

  • JAShwartz

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 11:52 pm GMT

    Damn, Activision must be terrified that GH: Van Halen isn't gonna sell, haha. I wasn't planning on getting the Van Halen one, probably at the most just rent it to get whatever achievements I could really quick, but now that I'm getting it for free with Guitar Hero 5, I can get those achievements in a day or two then sell the game for probably some great value.

  • metroidprimer

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 10:26 pm GMT

    I wasn't going to get GH5 but I was planning to get VH. but now that I see this deal I can't resist. I can get my $60 copy of VH way before official release and have a copy of GH5 come with it for free! Activision has just made me a happy camper.

  • HATE_DESTROY

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 5:44 pm GMT

    Van Halen??? COMPLETE AND TRAGIC FAIL.

    I'll take that free games and trade it in at gamestop for sum store credit lol.

  • cpstraus1

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 12:25 pm GMT

    sounds awesome, only if i had some money

  • damian4202

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 8:43 pm GMT

    definatally got to get this. world tour and metallica was the best games with tool and all the good metallica songs. and 5 with rammstein oh hell yes. bout time they put some better rock on there.

  • kingofcod777

    Posted Aug 19, 2009 9:01 am GMT

    Do you need to buy the full band set to get this dealor can youbuy just gh5 and get vh for free

  • wiifan001

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 2:27 pm GMT

    I started with Guitar Hero 3 on wii, and it totally blew my mind. Then I played World Tour, and even though the setlist wasn't as good, I still enjoyed it. Aerosmith is only a rental, and a good move if I do say so myself. Bought Metallica and that is awesome Smash Hits only a rental, again probably the best move there.

    Now I come across GH5, and I was leaning toward no because I didn't think the setlist was quite good enough, but not officially ruling it out yet. And as for Van Halen it would've been just another weekend rental for me. Today I hear of the free copy of Van Halen with the purchase of Gh5, and Activision has me sold for both games

  • jjjrrr11211

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 8:45 am GMT

    Sounds Cool But I'm A Rock Band Person

  • Dynamo11

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 5:54 am GMT

    Disregard my last comment due to us Brits getting screwed over again, T&C's clearly state "Good Only in USA" >: (

    So Guitar Hero 5 is a rent then and Activision have lost money on an un-tapped market!

  • Dynamo11

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 5:40 am GMT

    Well at least I can get a free game now although I wasn't going to even touch Van Halen.... I mean Blink 182 in a Van Halen game?!

  • lukas1051

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 2:58 am GMT

    Not a huge fan of Van Halen, but you can't complain about a free game.

  • dan-rofl-copter

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 10:09 am GMT

    Stop making spins offs like this and metallaica, instead release albums and etc !

  • cheesy_potatoe

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 1:13 pm GMT

    now i have a reason to get gh5

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 11:56 am GMT

    Pretty good idea. I think Neversoft was rapidly figuring out that the Van Halen game was a dud waiting to happen. Now they can use it as leverage to move more copies of Guitar Hero 5. People can't resist something that sounds like an amazing deal, even if the Van Halen edition is a turd on wheels. As long as it looks like you're getting a full game for free, people will go nuts about the offer.

  • Trogeton

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 11:42 am GMT

    I apologize for the double post but YEEEEESSSS!!!!! now I get to save a few bucks

  • Trogeton

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 11:40 am GMT

    OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS BUY GH5 AND GET VH FREE??? THAT'S THE BEST DEAL I HAVE EVER SEEN

  • JOem316

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 10:00 am GMT

    I definitely have no issues getting GH V and Van Halen for $60 together. Amazon and Gamestop are both advertising the promotion. Seems to be on stand alone discs as well. Nice to see a deal for a change.

  • Drower

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 5:20 am GMT

    I'm guessing us non-Americans are screwed as usual.

  • darkprince2

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 3:32 am GMT

    It's a good deal even if gh:vh sucks because being a new game, you will likely score some good cash/trade for it.

    The thing that's a little shady is it says 'next full installment'. I'm guessing that means the full band kit. Most people already have a full band set and probably don't want/need another.

  • CoolKidX

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 5:19 pm GMT

    I liked the old note bars, u could change that and it was certainly a little bigger.

  • Skreb-Masters

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 4:37 pm GMT

    I wonder if they'll have something similar work in the UK. I'm certainly sold by the idea.

  • Gorilla97

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 2:29 pm GMT

    my GameStop is ranked #1 in it's region, yet only has about 5 pre-orders for The Beatles: Rock Band (and almost 200 pre-orders for the new Call Of Duty). i really don't think today's teens, 20 and even the 30 somethings are that into The Beatles music.

  • fillup0

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 4:09 am GMT

    25 Extra free tracks... Seems like Activision is trying to change into a company that cares...

  • Glade_Gnarr posted Aug 12, 2009 11:41 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 11:41 pm GMT (hide)

    Activision is giving something for free? Oh wait, GH5 is going to cost you another mortgage of your house, I bet they're still making a lot of money with every copy. But still this means they are realizing that the cow is dry..

  • jaymib

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 6:24 pm GMT

    I hope this offer isn't American only, I love to get both of them games, but living in rip off Britain i bet we don't get this offer, it owuld be great thought if we do! But if we dont' i'll just wait to get Guitar hero 5 2nd hand off ebay.

  • NICKKELANIUS

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 6:20 pm GMT

    NOO! now we cant hate guitar hero for no reason!

  • Simulator_Shock

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 4:35 pm GMT

    I think I've become desensitized to this crap from them making so damn many games.

  • Ardiendo

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 4:30 pm GMT

    Only available in USA. Ah well I guess it's only fair for there to be upsides to being American :p

  • DaCostaRican

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 3:49 pm GMT

    Consider it done

  • jtthegame316

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 3:00 pm GMT

    hmm so they should do offers like that releasing so many versions of gh

  • score89

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 2:44 pm GMT

    Being addicted to GH is expensive,

  • goheat

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 1:57 pm GMT

    Whine, whine, whine, if you don't like all the GH games, then bypass the ones you don't want. I guess it's more productive to b*tch and moan than to just avoid them...

  • BigBoss2014

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 1:12 pm GMT

    gh has been sliping since those 2 guys went to rockband, whil rb has been geying better[beatles]

  • kamikaze_pigmy

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 1:01 pm GMT

    I assume it's only with the full band kit anyway..

    @CalienteBurito
    fail.

  • iucidium

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 12:31 pm GMT

    @ nukku: GH is definately milked dry [5 games this year] RB is being more reserved about things [2 games and a truckload of DLC] GH have over-saturated the genre, well I shall now patiently wait till ROCK BAND gets the same tracks as gh5, well the ones I want...

  • solidsnakedude1

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 12:00 pm GMT

    this is getting out of control....they should make one game every couple of years like they used to. i used to be excited about these games!

  • NuKkU

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 11:48 am GMT

    man this just proves that GH: Van Halen isnt even worth 60 bucks thats why they have this offer god the GH and RB franchises are so MILKED

  • SirOWNZalot86

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 11:24 am GMT

    i really hope they stop making these games ive only bought one guitar hero game and that was 3, after that never again...

  • Cwagmire21

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 10:34 am GMT

    @ThisisntLeonard I think you're right. Activision doesn't need extra incentive to get people to buy just the game - however to get people to buy another drumset and mic, that's a different story. However, they would need to give me more of an incentive to buy even the game itself seeing as I stopped buying GH games after 3. I won't make the mistake of buying another Neversoft GH again.

  • ninja_where

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 10:27 am GMT

    IT'S A TRAP!

  • YIRock

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 10:04 am GMT

    guess im getting this now then. wasnt planning to but its a buy one get one free!!! who cant resist =)

  • Azwethinkweiz89

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:21 am GMT

    I'm not going to complain..it's free!

  • xstaggerxleex

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:19 am GMT

    the beattles will be fun, but gettn a free game when I was alread going to get GH5... is just plain awesome

  • Nautilus1515

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:10 am GMT

    this is just an answer to the huge demand for RB Beatles, its just a ploy to sell more GH games and not be left in the dust by the Beatles this holiday

  • ThisIsntLeonard

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:03 am GMT

    I'm sure "Specially Marked Packages" means the full-band set for GH5. Otherwise, Activision just doesn't seem to be so evil.

  • Plaidboy1

    Posted Aug 12, 2009 9:01 am GMT

    If you could choose either GH Van Halen or GH Metalica, then we'd have a deal! I just can't see myself wanting GH Van Halen, even if it is free!

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