“Guitar Hero: Van Halen” Reportedly On the Way

March 9, 2009 47 Comments

Photo: Uffberg/WireImage It seems that the rumors are true and that Van Halen really is planning on being featured in a Guitar Hero game.

Eurogamer is giving the game an August 2009 release date.

And from RollingStone.com today:

Van Halen are rumored to be the next band to get its own Guitar Hero game, Joystiq.com is reporting. The group would be the third with a specifically branded Guitar Hero title, following Aerosmith and Metallica, whose version is set for release on March 29th (check out our Guitar Hero: Metallica sneak preview.) According to Joystiq, Guitar Hero: Van Halen will feature many of the band’s greatest hits (”Jump,” “Panama,” “Hot for Teacher”), plus recordings by Weezer, Tenacious D and Judas Priest.

While Activision wouldn’t comment on the game, the potential of a Van Halen Guitar Hero is already generating hundreds of questions. Will new bassist Wolfgang Van Halen appear in the game instead of Michael Anthony? Will the game feature playable versions David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone, and if it’s just Roth does that mean his polygonal doppelganger will sing Hagar’s “Right Now?” Also, will Diamond Dave’s virtual dressing room ensure that he has enough room to practice his digital martial arts? We must know.

Of course, it comes as little surprise that rumors of a Van Halen Guitar Hero leaked out just days after their competitor Rock Band revealed more details about their own game dedicated to another pretty popular quartet. As Rock Daily reported last week, The Beatles: Rock Band will hit stores September 9th and feature career-spanning tracks from the Fab Four’s Please, Please Me through Abbey Road. Clearly the Guitar Hero makers had to plot a course of action to compete with Rock Band’s mega-release for the holiday sales, and they’re hoping the allure of blasting through “Eruption” and “Hot for Teacher” will ensure two video games are under the tree come Christmas.

Filed Under: Merchandise, Van Halen

John

EXCELLENT!!!
Caleb

it won’t be complete without a huge gong on fire behind the drum kit.
MA=VH

Oh Christ, I just might have to get me one of these…

I think anyone who recorded with the mighty VH should be on here as part of the game. Wow, I can almost imagine the flames coming from Erick, and Ganoooooooosh and a bunch of others for this but, yes, this list does include Sam and Mike and (ugh) Gary. This list also therefore exludes Wolf. I like him, he did a good job last year on the tour, but until you’ve laid down tracks under the VH banner, you can sit on the Guitar Hero sideline.

You should be able to pick spandex outfits for Dave and which guitars you want for Ed and Mike.

The flaming gong would be cool too, Caleb.

MA=VH
Erick

No flames from me, MA=VH.

I just don’t like Van Hagar at all and I’m sure that all you Sammy fans know in your heart that Dave was the best guys for the job. You shouldn’t worry about that feeling. It’s good. Come and join all the other real Van Halen fans!
Kenny

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
http://www.bellapop.com Bran Halen

It’s obvious that Dave should be in the game, he is the man although I would like to see Sammy come in for any songs from his time with VH. I wouldn’t expect to see anything from VH III and Gary on there. Mike should be on bass for sure for all of it.

It would also be cool as mentioned by MA=VH to be able to pick Ed and Mike’s respective guitar and bass “White/Black/ Red and White Frankie” or the Kramer 5150 and the “Jack Daniels” bass.

I don’t have Guitar Hero right now but I’m sure that I’ll be getting it now pretty much whichever way they decide to go with the game. I’ll have to stripe the guitar/controller!
Andre

You’ll notice that the Metallica version does not include ANY of the old bass players, so sadly I’ll bet this one will not either……
Jim

Excellent. My 8 & 10 year old boys love Ice Cream Man and they have guitar hero for the wii. I told them about Guitar Hero Van Halen and they are excited. It will be fun to play it with them.
EDWARDisTHEbest

FINALLY I’VE HEARD RUMORS FOR MONTHS!!!!!
Heck yeah!!!!
If i get this i will literally play it start to finish career nonstop.

Ooohhh yeah…..
Ben

I’ll get one for sure!
The Dude

I used to work at Activison. Dont expect Hagar or V3 era material. Wolf is a huge video game nut and Irving Azoff is a very smart man who understands how to make money for his clients. These were two big factors in this. As for Michael Anthony’s involvement, I doubt it beyond his contribution to the original recordings. As for songs from other bands like existed in the Aerosmith game, I cant say because I dont know. That could go either way. Activision wants to sell these games to more people than just Van Halen fans and Van Halen is notoriously picky about their “brand” being associated with anything. So using Van Halen to sell people on White Stripes…I kinda doubt it.
Erick

what is it?
50yr old fan

Erick, your a dink. who should’ve replaced DLR? If I’m not mistaking EVH asked Sammy to join the band. Let it go!
Big J

Can do this but can’t put out the live DVD…..aghhhhhhh this will be cool though. Damn it I want that DVD though, we should start a petition from the fans saying we want it. They made $93million on this tour so obviously there is high demand for Van Halen
The Dude

An interesting and very little known fact that Aerosmith made more money on one Guitar Hero video game than ALL of their recordings put together. There is BIG money in this business. The royalty rate on a $40-$50 product that sells 8-10 million units is HUGE. VH will make a killing on this. WAY more than they will from virtually any other thing they could put on a store shelf. And that’s not counting all the peripheral stuff liked the striped guitars and such that will obviously be available.
Rocko

Erick WHO?
Rocko

That’s tellin’ him 50 year old fan
Nat

I wonder if the VH version of Guitar Hero will include the ability to rewrite everything you’ve done in the game up to any given point.

Don’t like your lead singer? Dump him, trash him in the press and find a new one.

What’s that? Now you don’t like the new one? Dump him, trash him in the press and resign the old one, then say you never really had a problem with the original one anyway. It was all some kind of conspiracy put together by the media.

Oh, and if you want a third in there somewhere, don’t worry – you can just pretend he never existed.

You can even change members of the band and redo every piece of cover art, every photo and any other record that the original member existed, putting the new guy in them instead.

If they include a “management” mode, you could get hours and hours of play from this game without ever picking up a guitar controller.
DANOOOSH

SORRY,NOT INTO KID STUFF,BUT ITS GREAT TO SEE VAN HALEN WANTING TO GET THEIR NAME OUT THERE AGAIN,AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF HIDING.GIVES ME ANOTHER REASON TO BELEIVE WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THEM SOON.I DOUBT EDDIE WOULD HAVE APPROVED THE GAME WITHOUT ANYTHING BUT THE CURRENT BAND MEMBERS.SOME OF YOU GUYS JUST NEED TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SAM AND MA ARE GONE,AND ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE IN ANOTHER BAND NOW,WHY SHOULD THEY BE IN THE GAME.?
Cabo Joe

The classic VH should dominate this game because there were much more memorable guitar lines and melodies.

Though I bet Summer Nights and Why Can’t This Be Love will also be on it.

I don’t expect anything after F.U.C.K. on the game

It’s cool that they are doing this though. Aside from the money and royalties, it is nice to know VH is still a relavent force in music and there is a need/place for it.
(I was beginning to doubt that!!)
Eric

You all should get a life. I know I should, I just wasted five minutes I’ll never get back again as I read all this crap.
Travis

it took you 5 minutes?
Jeff Q

I am a guitar teacher and since Guitar hero games came out there has been a ton of new people wanting to learn how to play. And of course they want to learn the songs on the game. So for the last few years all these kids have been exposed to older music with great guitar riffs. Which is so much better than the crap music that has been coming out the last 10 years. Van Halen is the coolest guitar band around and all these kids will finally get to hear songs besides you really got me and aint talkin bout love. I would love it if Mike was in in the game, but either way who cares VH will have a ton of new fans and probley another reason to go out and tour again!
mintman

Wouldn’t it be great if it contained at least 1 new tune? What are the chances?
DANOOOSH

MINTMAN ,YEAH THAT WOULD BE COOL FOR THE GAMERS!!BUT THERES NO WAY IT WOULD CONTAIN ANY NEW MUSIC BEFORE THE NEW CD WAS RELEASED.,OR AT LEAST A SINGLE FROM THE CD..BUT WITH THAT SAID, I NOTICED THAT THE GAME WAS SLATED FOR AN AUGUST RELEASE DATE..SO WE SHOULD BE HEARING NEW MUSIC BY THEN..
Peedah

Stick to your Guns Eric! Rock On! Original Van Halen RULES!!!
DANOOOSH

SCAR…WHERE YOU AT TODAY BOY…WE NEED YOUR 2 CENTS..
DANOOOSH

HEY PEEDAH..BET WE GET NEW TUNES BEFORE THE GAME COMES OUT..WHAT DO YOU THINK..?
Peedah

I hope so! It seems it would benefit them to put some new stuff in Guitar Hero. There’s some crazy statistics about kids down loading (legally) songs that hey hear in Guitar Hero. That’s a tough call.

If it were VH of the 70′s it would be done VH 1 2 weeks VH II 6 days!….

Scar where you at?
iwannaberr

Well, this game is probably the new recording we’ve all been hearing about! Yep, tons of new music – no – tons of new money, that’s what I’m talking about! It’ll suck when the news comes out about DLR being kicked out again, then EVH will have to put out VH Guitar Hero 2 when he begs Sammy to come back – like the 2004 reunion tour.

Hey SCAR and DANOOSH, maybe they’ll have a “has been, stoner mullet mode” for you guys to play under!
Gee Lopz

Money, money, money…

New guitars, EVH stuff (a lot of products), Van Halen products, etc, etc…

The money keeps coming!!

So, “Why do a new record?? or a Live Cd/Dvd of the last tour”??

“It´s not personnal…is just business”.

Money, money, money…
Kayzer Sozay

You would think that to maximize appeal to the gamer set, they would want to include music from both the Roth and Hagar eras. Both were popular. Roth’s era may be the better known overall but since gamers tend to be on the younger side, they may be more familiar with some of the guitar work from the Hagar era, which was also hugely successful. Plus, gamers want the most content bang for their buck so why not include it all?

I’ll tell you why. Because though talented he may be, Eddie Van Halen is a miserable spiteful son of a bitch who doesn’t give a shit what the VH fans or gamers might want. And Alex Van Halen is a sackless wonder who won’t straighten Eddie out. Even though the game would be marketable to a wider audience by including both eras, I guarantee you there won’t be one content having to do with Sam or Mike (even though it will be Mike playing the old music, it will appear as though it’s Wolfie) just because Eddie is still bitter. That said, I will gladly tip my hat to VH and then eat it if they include both eras.
Big Al

Hey Kayzer Sozay,

Wipe those TEARS little Buckaroo!!!

You can pretend that you’re playing the CHICKENFOOT version, until it comes out!!! AS IF!!!!!!
Erick

anybody know what happened to scar?
Kayzer Sozay

Hey Big Al – I’d prefer to play the VH version. I didn’t say I’m not a fan of VH music or of Eddie the musician. I’m a huge fan, which is why I shake my head at how much VH has wasted time and its legacy for stupid reasons. Just not a big fan of Eddie the human being.
scott

vh is ed dave mike and al enuff said?
Kenny In Florida

I am actually all for this. Here is why:

1) I’m tired of the fact that no one knows who my favorite band is anymore. This will be the ultimate publicity and it will introduce them to a new generation of fans.

2) It’s great actually, that they are releasing this before any other material. It’s the smart thing to do. By putting this game out they will revive the image of Van Halen as rock gods. A new generation will be ready to buy any new stuff they come out with. So they will have a chance to have another album top the charts and sell multi-platinum (the catch here, is that Van Halen will have to release an album that ROCKS REAL HARD like the old days, I like VHIII, but they can’t make that mistake again at an important stage in reviving their career). This will also help DVD and guitar and amp and accessory and anything else they want to sell sales.

3) Hopefully after the game becomes a hit and everything they touch turns to gold, no wait, platinum, it will encourage them to release more stuff and make more money.

4) I want to play this game!!! Sounds like a bunch of fun!!!

Now I wish they put Mikey in the game. It is unlikely, but I can be hopeful can’t I? (Imagine a Jack Daniels bass controller, that has to put a smile on your face) it would also be cool to have all the past members in the game. Mike and Sammy DESERVE TO BE HERE. Would be nice to have Gary too.

It would be neat to include the Us Festival as a concert to play. Heck, I think an Us Festival edition Guitar Hero would be neat. One where you can play all the bands on Heavy Metal Day: Ozzy, Triumph, Priest, Quiet Riot, Scorpions, Crue, Van Halen. You know that would rock!
Karl

Just when you thought there wasn’t anything left for Eddie to sell, he goes and sells his soul…
SCAR

Iwannabeer, have you considered suing your brain for non-support. I remember my first beer too!!!
SCAR

I say bring on anything VH!!!!! True fans will get a kick out of playing it, poser will love bashing it. Remember posers are simple folk, they can get lost in a crowd of two. Are you lost iwannabeer????
SCAR

Karl you little spanky, you’re just upset because when you sold your soul, it was returned and they wanted their nickel back!!!!
SCAR

Bad news, Karl is lost with iwannabeer.
Karl

Guess you never heard the one that goes: Better to look a fool than open your mouth and remove all reasonable doubt…

Eddie must be delighted to have you on the team.

Bye, bye.
http://None Ducky / Dirty Duck

Kids stuff is right man…
I’m sorry but i really think guitar hero is lame.
Never got into it. How people can run out and spend hundreds of dollars to play a fake guitar is beyond me.
Throw the plastic guitar out the window and pick up the real thing!
Thats great that VH is being recongized…but do we really want them to turn out like…aerosmith? Ugh…
ME!!

According to the source of the information, the game is currently known as “Hard Rock Van Halen” which would seem to indicate no Hagar era tunes (even though there are some during those years in spite of what most Dave fans would like to believe). The Dave era would be the most fun most likely as far as guitar is concerned, but there are some serious contenders from the Sammy era. I would personally love to play Finish What Ya Started on a game like that. Baluchitherium from Balance also comes to mind which, by the way for all you Dave lovers, was an instrumental. I’m hoping for Everybody Wants Some, Unchained, Drop Dead Legs, House of Pain, etc. and a “Frankenstrat” controller.
Brandon

This better come with a guitar controller repilca of Eddie’s ‘Frankenstein’.
Mofo

Leaving Michael Anthony out and putting Wolfgang alongside early VH members is insulting to Michael’s contributions to the band and the fans intelligence. It’s almost as bad as having Kurt Cobain sing Bon Jovi, Bush, etc. on Rock Band 5.