Peripheral-based Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero IV Neck Slide revealed?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 16, 2008 4:43 pm PT

Source: The ongoing rumor geyser at NeoGAF allegedly prompted by info leaked by market-research firm Intellisponse. What we heard: Right now, the powers that be at Intellisponse are wondering one of two things. They could be trying to sort out how a passel of top-secret game details leaked from...

Source: The ongoing rumor geyser at NeoGAF allegedly prompted by info leaked by market-research firm Intellisponse.

What we heard: Right now, the powers that be at Intellisponse are wondering one of two things. They could be trying to sort out how a passel of top-secret game details leaked from their site and was quickly rebroadcast over the Internet. Or, they're wondering why someone has made them the victims of one of the most public pranks in game-PR history.

Regardless of the reality of the situation, Intellisponse isn't commenting as to why it is being pegged as the source of a series of Microsoft-related bombshells. These include the unofficial uncovering of a motion-sensitive karaoke game that may let players sing over their own music library, and a Mii-like Avatar system that could replace GamerPics on Xbox Live later this year.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft is declining to comment on either story, and Activision is now giving reporters a similarly silent treatment. The current top third-party publisher appears to have had several secret projects of its own inadvertently revealed by Intellisponse, including the nature of the "reinvention" of the Tony Hawk series. Revealed last month in a postearnings conference call, the rework is so extensive that it is causing the typically annualized skateboarding franchise to skip this year on consoles. (A DS game is being released this holiday.)

"For competitive reasons, we're not going to talk about it today, but we're very bullish on the kind of innovation this will bring," said Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith last month. "And this won't be your father's Tony Hawk." If today's leak is to be believed, though, the next game to feature the X-Games champion on its cover will be like your mother's Wii Fit--as in, it will be based on its own balance-board peripheral.

According to a description sourced to Intellisponse, the game, called Tony Hawk's Adrenaline, will urge PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC owners to "put down the controller, step on the board, and feel the sensation of going big. ... Shift your weight to turn and balance grinds, kick back on the tail of the board to ollie, and lean into airs to pull off huge spins."

If it emerges as described, the board-enabled game would leapfrog the Tony Hawk series over its newfound archrival, Electronic Arts' Skate, in terms of realism. The 360 and PS3 editions of Skate drew critical praise for their "FlickIt" control scheme, which relied on thumbstick movements rather than button combinations. The inevitable Wii port, Skate It, appears set to expand on that scheme by adding Wii Remote motions and Balance Board support to the mix. (A scaled-down Skate It is also coming to the DS.)

Another reason that an add-on-driven Tony Hawk game sounds plausible is that Activision owns RedOctane, which manufactures the notoriously sturdy Guitar Hero peripherals. RedOctane will also be making the drum kit, mic, and guitar for Guitar Hero World Tour, which was also the subject of some Intellisponse-inspired news.

Besides pricing the game at $179.99--$10 less than what online retailers currently list it for--the leak described an innovation in the game's titular instrument. "[The] new touch-sensitive guitar Neck Slide opens up the entire guitar neck for unbound solos--shred how you want," it read, laying out the possibility that the series' arthritis-inducing button combination may be getting a new element.

Indeed, the writers of a recent Guitar Hero World Tour preview in Game Informer magazine were unable to see the game's controller for "legal reasons" because "it will have at least one major new feature which will impact the way you play." While playing the game, said editors also saw "strings of see-through notes," which Neversoft reps on-hand said were "[for] a totally new guitar mechanic."

Were that not enough Guitar Hero info, the leak also revealed a partial artist roster for the upcoming game, which will allegedly feature "Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, Muse, and dozens more."

The official story: As of press time, Activision had not responded to requests for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: Given the hints from Activision executives and the suggestive evidence in Game Informer, both rumors are looking not bogus.

162 Comments

  • asm607

    Posted Dec 31, 2008 9:56 am PT

    i know this is outdated, but i hate to say that red octane is no longer notorious for sturdy peripherals.

  • BontraXenderKyl

    Posted Dec 4, 2008 8:18 am PT

    Sounds wierd

  • Cody13_2012

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 12:25 pm PT

    You guys are trying to say that one guitarist in one genre is better than another in another genre, I play guitar and I can honestly tell you that Jimi Hendrix can't play like Jim Root from Slipknot and Jim can't play like Jimi. They have completely different styles and you can't say that one is better than the other. This goes for any guitarist, even from the same genre because every guitarist has their own style. True some guitarists are better than others but when you get to top-notch level guitarists they are all truely great in their own way.

  • Cody13_2012

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 12:20 pm PT

    I don't want some sort of balance board for a Tony Hawk games. When I'm out skateboarding I like to be skateboarding, and when I'm playing video games I like to be playing video games, don't mix the two together. I won't buy a peripheral based skateboarding game and if I do I'll wait till it hits the 20 dollar bin.

  • Clank17

    Posted Oct 26, 2008 9:51 am PT

    OH YEA GH METALLICA

  • Hazeman234

    Posted Oct 17, 2008 5:54 am PT

    don't to be disagree but some metal heavy metal and etc. guitar players r better in some ways but still jimi hendrix is awesome like slipknot's guitarist

  • maddom67

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 8:41 am PT

    this game gh4 will be so sick

  • maddom67

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 8:37 am PT

    SOAD is hella sick u crackhead ass deathroll69 wtf is wrong with u

  • homegrownvandal

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:30 am PT

    deathroll your crazy. jimi hendrix was a much better guitar player than any screamo, hardcore or metal guitar player. I would love to see one of them do three tabs of acid and than deliver one of the premier guitar performances like jimi did at the monterey pop festival.

  • deathroll69

    Posted Aug 14, 2008 10:18 pm PT

    come on people are you serious? Hendrix? The Doors? SOAD? sure theyre ok but if you wanna hear some real good guitar check out Protest The Hero or As I Lay Dying or Sonic Syndicate. Guitar Hero needs more heavier bands in the setlist because thats where all the good riffs and solos are theyre in metal and screamo. dont get me wrong jimmy hendrix was good but theres so much better shredders than him.

  • yamahaman91

    Posted Jul 11, 2008 11:32 pm PT

    hendrix!!! please give me all along the watch tower, but purple haze, or voodoo child would kick ass to. Korn will make a great adition, the fact they use a 7 string guitar should make their songs insane on hard or expert. and im hoping this will have some clapton like white room, or cocaine

  • Megacherv

    Posted Jul 11, 2008 1:48 pm PT

    Joe Satriani's in it aswell. That's going to be ownage.

  • disturbed_one8

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 2:32 pm PT

    Finally System of a Down! B.Y.O.B., Suite-Pee, Dreaming, Holy Mountains, ATWA, A.D.D., ANY SOAD song would improve the game by a great deal!

  • sco14

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 1:14 pm PT

    jimmi hendrix is god and so is the eagles and anyone who says here not can go to hell

  • Dan2002sk8er

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 12:21 pm PT

    Maybe they should just look at what made Tony Hawk successful in the first place the 64 and PSX version.it was skating around and multiplayer, the story line and missions now in the TH games are stupid, plus in every new version of TH the game gets a speed boost so that now you have to have lightning fast reflexes and perfect Guitar Hero timing to complete a trick. TH was successful because it was a game everyone could play and it made you feel like you were a real pro skater.

  • supersmashseal

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 6:13 pm PT

    give me:
    freak on a leash, evolution, twisted transistor, or coming undone by KoRn
    Hypnotise, toxicity, or chop suey by SOAD
    and crazy train by ozzy
    thats all i ask 4

  • -Jankka-

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 4:23 am PT

    F*** YEAH! SYSTEM OF A DOWN! YEAH! I've been waiting for this for AGES! THANK YOU GOD, THANK YOU ACTIVISION!

  • hitman498

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 7:01 pm PT

    I think that this game is gonna be around for a long time and the neck slide is gonna bring out the eric clapton in all of us

  • megamaster32

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:13 pm PT

    I think they should stop making the tony hawk games sorry its just that tony hawk is really all just skateboarding and running around in streets my opinon tony hawk games are pretty bad well if you are a skater than thats a who other story.

  • -Beatz-

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 6:24 am PT

    Well, I personally don't listen to much songs of GH III either, but I think that SlipKnoT, AFI and The Killers from GH III are 3 songs I like, comparing to the one song Woman by Wolfmother, which was the only song I liked in GH II. But I still have GH II and III and GH II guitar, so the buying new guitars thing is soo fooked up. Why? Everyone likes and knows how to play with the current guitaras, why do they have to screw it all up. Basically, I don't know whether to get Rock Band or Guitar Hero IV. Rock Band (the full band set) costs here freakin 350$ for no reason. So I'm still hopin' Activision will be straight, and won't be so gay Bohoo, we can't do anything about it. Shipping the peripherals from China to Europe costs as much as from China to America, and the game is developed in frekin Europe. And when you do an interview with Harmonix, they're always like, "ooh, but we can't do anything about it. Sorry" Well, screw them. Anyway, I think I'm gettin Guitar Hero IV. And although many are arguing and like, bohoo, I won't be buying this, I still believe this game is going to be popular.

  • zeezoo

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 6:01 pm PT

    Guitar hero and rock band aren't original Ideas... See a game called Guitar Freaks,Amplitude,Frequency,Drummania. All those games contributed to the creation of RB and GH. The way they mesh those is Harmonics Idea. So they are original in theory, but in actuallity, The games listed above were the Inspiration for them.
    Comment directed to - Berlindex

  • berlindex

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 5:08 pm PT

    Gosh I had decided not to buy this game just because of the having no compatibillity but with Interpol, Foo Fighters and The Doors I may not be able to resist. It must be compatible with other mic's though... And they would have to trow in some sum 41 to close the deal for ME! Only me maybe... Either way I'm still going with RB. It's harmonix's idea! GH is harmonix's idea! And so far the track list for RB is better than in GH II and III (even though I love GHII track list). My two cents only though...

  • skaterplayer275

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 4:05 pm PT

    u know if u had a ps3 or xbox360 u cold just buy the game for rb u wouldnt have o buy all the instruments same thing for gh if u bought gh3

  • Pumpkinhead3

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 11:06 am PT

    im gonna just wait for GH5, because it seems like there is a new one every year. no point in buying rock band 1.5 when i already have rock band

  • ishcabible6000

    Posted Jun 18, 2008 5:57 am PT

    Well... GH4 might be worth the rental if Interpol is in it...

  • Timstuff

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:17 pm PT

    Has anyone else noticed that this article smells kind of like Activision Kool-Aid? "If it emerges as described, the board-enabled game would leapfrog the Tony Hawk series over its newfound archrival, Electronic Arts' Skate, in terms of realism. " HA! Fat chance. It will probably still be the same dumpy crap we've been getting for years now, but with a crappy new controller thrown in. Also, how about this shameless endorsement of Guitar Hero's controllers? "Activision owns RedOctane, which manufactures the notoriously sturdy Guitar Hero peripherals." We get it, Gamespot. Activision owns the Guitar Hero peripheral maker. You don't need to try to convince us that Guitar Hero's controllers are the best, because that's not news, it's opinion. This sight seems to sell out more every time I come here...

  • God_of_duty117

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 8:19 pm PT

    woot woot woot!!!! the fact that they're gonna have ozzy osbourne in it has made my day for those who don't listen to his music, a good majority of his songs have extreme guitar playing, so depending on the song it will probaly be VERY hard!

  • wordoffantasy

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 5:18 pm PT

    @ahahaG
    "word of fantasy, it is possible to play games and still exercise and be in shape. maybe some people don't want to learn music or skateboard and would just like to play the game, or know how to and want to play the game. the world moves on buddy, move with it"

    Don't get me wrong here, my friends and I do sports AND games (always have, always will), the trouble I have is just that sadly most people these day are just expecting to experience the entire world through games and even more sad the gaming industries is trying to money its way into this. Say what you want but there is nothing like the real thing, being skate, music sports anything. The world is defenitly a hell of a nice playground... outside the living room. And contrary to popular opinion the sun does not kill people.

    P.S. sorry if I sounded rude on my first post, it wasn't my intention.. just got a little carried away I guess.

  • SocialAnXieTy

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 3:55 pm PT

    Guitar Hero: World Tour?

    More like Rock Band 1.5.

  • Viper_1989

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 3:35 pm PT

    as long as us lot in Europe don't get **** over the pricing like ea did to us with rock band, i think i will get guitar hero world tour. DON'T SCREW WITH US ACTIVISION

  • MatthewNintendo

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 3:23 pm PT

    I personally am going to stick with GH, basically because it's less likely it'll rip the UK off like RB did. The instruments will be more sturdy than RB if they are anything like the guitars, and GH:WT will at least have online play on the wii, unlike the rubbish stripped down RB.

  • sonofabear17

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 3:07 pm PT

    OOoooOOo come on freak on a leash or that redone version of the wall for korn, chop suey or toxcisty for system, purple haze for hendrix, and Crazy train or NIB for Ozzy =)

  • DannyRice

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 2:16 pm PT

    I'm kind of tired of all the changes with the guitars and drums and stuff so they can 'innovate'. I still think World Tour is copying Rock Band since Harmonix thinks up more or less all the good ideas (Guitar Hero in general, multiplayer with bass, drums and vocals, etc.).

    Idk I'm still sticking with Rock Band because I prefer the Harmonix track lists. At least World Tour is trying, but if this neck slide is just for solos it's hardly an innovation. If it were for the whole song... That would interest me.

    And I can just get Rock Band and add on songs and quit buying overpriced music games, when I hear extra Guitar Hero songs are more expensive anyway. Plus I won't have to wait as long. That's just me though.

  • BigMace23

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 12:42 pm PT

    sounds cool..... but i hope it stays around $180

  • deadstarr

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 11:57 am PT

    Holy crap. If the neck slide thing is how I imagine, it should be awesome.

  • ChickenHounk911

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 11:29 am PT

    Give me BLIND by KoRn!!!!

  • Zidaneski

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 11:26 am PT

    Sorry Guitar Hero, but no compatibilty on the PS3 was the biggest mistake ever! I would only buy GH:WT if it eventually gets up to half the songs Rockband has and if the create a track really is superb.

  • abobo2000

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 11:24 am PT

    To Cire105...I'm well aware of Spanish Castle Magic in GHI, I was stoked that they atleast tried a Hendrix song (and it is a badass song, don't get me wrong), but considering that it was only the one song and there were no lyrics, and also the fact that he has been missing in every single game since then (including Rock Band) I'm still going to get this game if they have a more extensive song list from Hendrix. BTW- I heard the cover lyrics on the old GHI website and it's no wonder they cut the lyrics out, the dude covering Hendrix sounded terrible...haha. And on a final note, Hendrix IS worthy of being so pumped for a game and not to mention The Doors are pretty f'ing awesome too.

  • Linadain

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:48 am PT

    Man if only they would give us a way to put our own MP3s on GH or RB so that we can rock out to all the music we like WOO

  • J-man45

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:38 am PT

    If the new guitar rumor is true then the entire game will most likely cost a fortune!!!

  • litafan4ever

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:35 am PT

    I think that I'm going to stick with Guitar Hero over Rock Band since GH is a lot more metal based, and RB is about attracting the main-stream crowd with songs from bands that they know, and not neccissarily ones that would be the best to play. Not that there's anything wrong with RB, but GH as of now appeals to me more.

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:34 am PT

    Aww man we are going away from the standard controller to having to buy motion sensing peripherals to play games in the future. Oww my wallet already hurts.

  • thestickman

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:15 am PT

    I'm pretty anxious to see the new guitar for GH4. And the artist list is sounding amazing already! I always wanted System of a Down, among others on Rock Band, and it never happened, but it looks like GH4 will answer my need

  • soapmanFC

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:15 am PT

    The Doors!!! Can't wait, i hope its true.

  • Valdera

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:12 am PT

    wow, that guitar hero rumor should bring some fresh new experiences to the music game genre. i wasn't going to get guitar hero 4, but if this rumor is true, then i'm in.

  • Jin_sonic0606

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:11 am PT

    YES!!!!!! System of a Down!!!!!!!

  • cclbiah

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:08 am PT

    ohhh my, another bulky guitar and drum "controller" to add to the collection. I think ill pass on this one.

  • agpickle

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:01 am PT

    i dont get y people say "since Activision took over guitar hero it sucked" because its basicly the same game just a new developer

  • ahahaG

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:01 am PT

    word of fantasy, it is possible to play games and still exercise and be in shape. maybe some people don't want to learn music or skateboard and would just like to play the game, or know how to and want to play the game. the world moves on buddy, move with it

  • ahahaG

    Posted Jun 17, 2008 9:59 am PT

    system of a down, finally! . ozzy osbourne, YES! Jimi Hendrix finally back in a guitar hero game, awesome! if that is part of the artists on the setlist there is no way in hell that i won't be waiting in line on release night for this

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