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Beatles rights negotations for video games: I think I might pass out

Quote:

Beatles seek to join video game revolution

By Joshua Chaffin in New York and Chris Nuttall in San Francisco

Published: June 22 2008 23:32 | Last updated: June 22 2008 23:32

Beatles representatives are in talks with two companies to create a Beatles-themed video game in a move that could pave the way for a broader licensing of the Fab Four’s catalogue.

The representatives have held discussions with both Activision and MTV Games, the respective makers of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games, in which players strum along to favourite songs or form virtual bands.

A final deal would be worth several million dollars, according to a person familiar with the talks, and could be reached in a matter of weeks. However, it would have first to win the blessing of both Apple Corps, the company established by the band to oversee its business interests, and EMI, the UK music group that owns the Beatles master recordings. Both declined to comment.

The surviving Beatles and their heirs have been cautious about exploiting their material on new platforms. They were slow to re-issue their albums on compact disc.

In spite of repeated discussions, EMI and Apple Corps have yet to license Beatles recordings for digital use, including for sale through Apple’s iTunes music store.

Apple Corps has become more active in recent months since Jeff Jones took over as chief executive.

The company, whose board includes Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono Lennon, has allowed Beatles compositions to be used on American Idol and in a Las Vegas show.

Martin Bandier, chief executive of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which controls more than 200 Beatles copyrights, said the exposure on American Idol had yielded a number of inquiries, including from mobile phone carriers.

“To my view, it’s only a matter of time before we see Beatles songs that are the original recordings in motion pictures, in television work, and yes, maybe even one day in a commercial,” said Mr Bandier, arguing that sensitivities about commercialism should be balanced against the merits of exposing the band to a younger generation.

The Beatles could help sway a battle between Activision and Electronic Arts, the biggest US video game publishers. Activision has generated more than $1bn so far from Guitar Hero as sales approach 20m units.

EA, in partnership with MTV, introduced Rock Band in November. Thanks to added functionality, the game has sold more than 3m copies.

An Activision spokesman declined to comment on whether it was competing for Beatles rights. MTV said: “We are talking to virtually every major rock artist all the time about ways we might get them involved in Rock Band.”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c53ca940-4...0779fd2ac.html

Holy crap, I think I might pass out. For those who don't know, I'm a freakin' Beatlemaniac. If the Fab Four come to the Guitar Hero franchise, I think I might lose it.

If they do it anything like the Aerosmith game, it should be pretty good. I don't care either way; it's all about the music. I'd love to interact with it in a game like this for some casual fun. And they could fill it out with other '60s rock tunes. Maybe just British Invasion.

Wicked.

What do you guys think? It's going to be expensive, but, hey, I still really hope this goes through.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru

It's a good marketing move doing games for bands that have a long history of hits and a large fanbase. I dont like Aerosmith and I think the Beatles are way overrated, but I could see alot of people buying it even if they didnt own an xbox/wii or whatever beforehand.

Pretty brilliant.

I don't really like Aerosmith either, but the band-focused game concept is interesting, and I think it foretells of what is to come.

I think the Beatles are overrated too, but they're still the best rock band in history. ;) A little overrating won't stop that. Just remember that they're more than "Love Me Do." They had an incredible evolution over those 8 short years. There's a broad catalogue of songs for a game like this.

John, Paul, George, Ringo!

I agree Baraka, this could be great AND a new avenue to capture a new generation of fans.

My mother still can't believe I'm such a fan. She was a member of the Beatles Fan Club when they were active. :)

Okay, I'm totally behind this, only because I think one day...

Oh god, don't hate me for this...

One day, they may come out with Guitar Hero: The Strokes.

They may never make it, but a boy can dream...

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadistikdreams (Post 2490416)

Love The Strokes :thumbsup:

Quote:

The Beatles, the video game
The Fab Four are to get pixellated, as Apple Corps signs the band up to star in a new game from the creators of Rock Band

The Beatles are coming to the world of video games. Unfortunately, players won't have the chance to travel back in time to save John Lennon, but the creators of Rock Band are planning an "experiential journey" through the Fab Four's career and music, to be released in late 2009.

"This game will take you on a journey from the Beatles' first album Please Please Me until the last album at Abbey Road," Jeff Jones, CEO of the Beatles' Apple Corps label, announced in a conference call yesterday. "It will span samples of the whole catalogue all the way through."

The project is a collaboration between Apple Corps, MTV Networks and Harmonix, the game developer whose hit Rock Band franchise has become a powerful vehicle for music promotion. The surviving members of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, will be involved in the game's creative planning, as will Beatles widows Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison.

Though there had been rumours of a Beatles add-on to Rock Band proper, the game will be a stand-alone title. It is not yet clear whether Rock Band's current peripherals – that is, guitar, bass, microphone and drum controllers, - will be used in the Beatles game, or if new hardware will be developed.

Nor is it clear whether players will have the chance to play "as" John, Paul, George or Ringo. Reps made vague comments about the game exploring the "imagery" of the Beatles alongside the music, which evokes visions of yellow submarines zapping at Blue Meanies. McCartney's statement was equally ambiguous. "The project is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of the Beatles and their music," he wrote. "I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out."

The game's music at least will be bona fide. The soundtrack will be drawn from the master recordings of the Beatles' UK releases, with any additional music production overseen by George Martin's son, Giles, who co-produced the Beatles/Cirque du Soleil show, LOVE.

The game announcement is a major blow for Activision, who publish Rock Band's main competitor, Guitar Hero. Both companies had been courting the Beatles for years, hoping to add songs like While My Guitar Gently Weeps to their titles. While Apple Corps cited MTV's involvement and Rock Band's full-band game-play as major factors in their decision, finances will also have contributed. Jones hinted at an unusual licensing deal being inked for the game, with each party owning a "piece" of the project. "Nothing is typical about the Beatles," he said.

The Beatles, the video game | Music | guardian.co.uk

Okay, so it is happening. Awesome!

One caveat for me though: It's Rock Band doing it, when we're currently leaning towards Guitar Hero: World Tour. My concern is that the drums/guitars won't be cross-compatible on the Wii. I'm hoping they will be. I don't want to buy extra hardware just for one game.

That would suck.

I'm just glad they're using the master recordings for the source.

Is there anyone else looking forward to a Beatles-exclusive Rock Band game?