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Rock Band golden

Harmonix finishes up work on the retail disc for its first post-Guitar Hero game, shifts focus to downloadable content.

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Before any album can go platinum, it has to first go gold. Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that their maiden collaboration, Rock Band for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, has "gone gold," or entered final production and manufacturing on its way to meeting its scheduled November 20 release date.

Arriving in stores just before Thanksgiving, the instrument-driven rhythm game will be available on its own for $59.99, or as part of a special-edition bundle that includes a guitar, drums, and microphone for $169.99. The Xbox 360 version of the bundle will come with a wired guitar and a USB hub, while the PS3 edition includes a wireless guitar that will also work with the forthcoming PlayStation 2 version of Rock Band (set for release December 18). Individual instruments and a wireless Xbox 360 guitar will be made available sometime after the game's release, though controllers for the rival Guitar Hero franchise will also work with the game.

While going gold is usually the end of the development team's heavy lifting, Harmonix has promised weekly additions to the Rock Band setlist in the form of downloadable content. Among the confirmed offerings are The Who's Who's Next and 18 tracks from The Grateful Dead.

For more on Rock Band, check out GameSpot's latest preview.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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urine72

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To Anakin1092: Haha, thats not what it means. Listen to Zennious.

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Zennious

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Golden refers to a process in the development of a game. There's alpha testing, then theres beta testing and when beta is done the game has gone Gold. Meaning that "gold" disc is the one sent to the factories and is the master copy of the game. It's the master clone. If this was Star Wars, the gold disc would be Jengo Vett and the rest of the games are part of the clone army. I hope you enjoy that Anakin1092 but you should really shut up when you don't know what you're talking about. "Golden" isn't a term made up by Gamespot, it's an actual term used in the game development process.

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muffinduck01

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im getting gh3 on my wii and this on my eventual 360 (not ganna be my first game thought no need to spend $530 all at once lol)

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Anakin1092

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This Gamespot's third "Golden" game. Stop using that title Gamespot. And especially when you haven't even played the full game yet.

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Vihlo

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Can't wait, this'll crush Guitar hero!

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Gamer-Addict

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Golden Means the game is done devlop ment correct?

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Quiet_Hill

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I think I will just stick with my good old fashioned beastiality.

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MasterChief725

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No...I think GH 3 is cooler. Man, respect the classics, Rock Band is an EA games, EA kills everything. Rock Band will proly be rushed and killed by EA, meanwhile, activision's guitar hero 3 was a hit!

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membernametaken

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You may want to trade in a couple other games while you're at it... that way you can afford to buy Rock Band. =P

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MChammertime05

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Does anyone know the trade in value of GH3? seriously.. lol I'm going to trade this crap in for Rock Band.

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membernametaken

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**** YEAH!

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Cniinc

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They're sure that Guitar hero controllers will work?

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vix

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Man, GH III is awful(in my opinion, no need to flame me) so I hope this is better.

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Brambler

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Played the drums at Best Buy...now I am totally hooked. I've been back several times just to play it. This game will rock!

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FLYmeatwad

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Get Dylan and The Band. Oh and some Flaming Lips too. I can't wait for the 20th though, I'm going to be a monster at Tom Sawyer. That's great too after the travesty of no Rush in GH3.

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deactivated-64a06d694e655

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Offer Neil Young & Crazy Horse albums and I'll think about it. Otherwise let me poor hands rest after GHII!

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arekkusu

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Sumotail, how can u write that then say "/goes back to StarCraft" why dont you get off ur lazy potato chip eating ass and build a military and take over some weaker countries? your just as bad as the people your complaining about

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ZOnikJJ

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Oh well. I'm out of cash already, so it looks like I won't be picking this game up anytime soon. There's always DrumMania V4 though :D

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Von-Dozier

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Aahhhh I can't wait :)

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bardkieran

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btw, this is the latest news for anyone looking for a wii version of Rock Band. Got this email today:

There has been no official announcement of a Wii version of Rock Band. However, bringing Rock Band to the Wii is definitely something we are looking into. There are complications involved on the technical side with making a port

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Tremblay343

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Sumotail Just cause people play games doesn't mean they don't go other stuff. I play NHL games and i play hockey. Also some peopel play them cause its eaiser than the real thing. I play wii sports bowling with my firends cause we don't feel like going to a bowling alley and all that when we can just do it at home. Also bowling kinda sucks. And if you knew you were going to get flamed, why write it? That just doesn't make much sense

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Kahuna_1

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$59.99 for the game? That is a bigger rip off then GH Rock of the 80s...

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Sumotaii

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Ah the days when kids went outside to play sports, interact and play real intruments and get girls from it....what happened to this generation? Kids brag more bout playing Skate then skate boarding, Kids brag more bout guitar hero then cranking out some insane solo on the real thing. More people rather play Wii Sports then go bowling. Wonder if soon there somehow get gas prices to go up in Gran Turismo and Forza. This should get some flames. /goes back to StarCraft

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blackviper12

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ehhh. Don't care. I'll stick with guitar hero.

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jazilla

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Sounds like there will be lots of songs for this game. That's cool.

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squirlnuts2005

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if im not mistaken ocdog45 play the second guitar hero....it had nirvana...so guitar hero was first....and that doesnt matter cause the ppl that actually made guitar hero are currently finishing rock band.

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Timstuff

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I pre-ordered the PS3 bundle yesterday. Unfortunately, I don't actually get to play it until Christmas. :( Oh well, who cares. By then there will probably be a healthy selection of downloadable tracks, and the game will be well worth the wait!

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the3game

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unfortunately, it will be released in Europe in 2008...

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ocdog45

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rock band owns guitar hero just cause they got nirvana

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insane5674

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i already pre ordered it. me and my college roomate are going to go half on it, so its just like buying another guitar hero for me. also, were going to sell the rock band guitar for some extra money since we already have two guitars... hopefully a lot of people will be wanting them on ebay and will be getting a good amount for it :)

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Alex26cool

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Can't wait, shame i will have to wait till 08 though as im in the UK

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lamprey263

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I wonder how big the special edition is and whether small retailer stores in the mall will be able to keep that many in their inventory. It should be interesting to watch how sales of this work out.

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jpatterson

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Well, it's not gunna take much to beat Guitar Hero III, so besides the name being not popular already they don't have much to worry about.

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a1gaius

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Guitar Hero III is awesome, so I wanna see how these guys can top that.

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KingChainz31684

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should be fun

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Tmills_basic

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Something else im glad im not wasting my money on.....

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xitwenty20ix

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So I will need to use the controller to be a drummer!?! Also can you sing in the heaset?

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LordArse

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Sweet

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Motown89

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SWEEET! Got to wait til 08 though!

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