“Guitar Hero: Van Halen” Confirmed, Game Due in 2009
All those rumors about a VAN HALEN Guitar Hero game coming in 2009 have proven to be true! Today, Activision announced that Guitar Hero: Van Halen is scheduled to arrive this year!
This game will be a new and unique interactive way for literally millions of people to connect with Van Halen and their awesome body of music. This partnership will give Van Halen a powerful platform to reach their hardcore fans, as well as a whole new, younger audience. Just imagine the thousands of teenagers who’ll be exposed to Van Halen for the first time and be inspired to pick up a real guitar and start a band!
Van Halen Store will be taking pre-orders for the game in the near future.
From Rolling Stone:
“Guitar Hero: Van Halen” Confirmed, Game Due in 2009
Gaming blog Joystiq is reporting that Activision Blizzard has confirmed that Guitar Hero: Van Halen is currently in development, and scheduled for release at some point in the second half of this year. The band joins Metallica and Aerosmith as groups that have received pixilated treatment from GH. So far the Beatles are the only group to get their own branded Rock Band title, though that game continues to release full playable albums, like Guns n’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy.
The report says the game will include “greatest hits,” as well as tracks from guest bands Queen, Weezer, Blink-182, Queens of the Stone Age and the Offspring. Which band members will appear as avatars in the game has been cause for concern among hardcore fans online, and Activision’s Senior Vice President of Global Brand Management told Joystiq, “Oh this is definitely Van Halen, not Van Hagar,” meaning David Lee Roth will indeed appear in the game.
When Joystiq published GH: VH rumors in March, VH fans also began to wonder whether they would see original bassist Michael Anthony, who was notably excluded from Van Halen’s most recent reunion tour (Anthony’s exclusion made our list of The Top 10 Passive-Aggressive Moments in Rock, though he probably minds less now that he’s busy with supergroup Chickenfoot). Or would you be able to play the game as Sammy Hagar or even Gary Cherone?
Guitar Hero: Van Halen is one of four music-based games the developer is working on for this year, with DJ Hero, Band Hero and Guitar Hero 5 also on the release schedule for later this year. While no specific track titles were offered, it’s expected the firm will release more information on Guitar Hero: Van Halen in the coming weeks and months.
From Gamespot:
Guitar Hero: Van Halen officially official
Activision’s Will Kassoy confirms long-rumored next band-centric installment of series will arrive in second half of year; Queen, Weezer, Blink 182, The Offspring, and Queens of the Stone Age also on setlist.
Activision has finally made official what has been widely rumored ever since March 2005. The next band-based Guitar Hero game will focus on Van Halen, the legendary hard rock quartet anchored by guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his drummer brother Alex. From the 1970s to 1990s, the group topped the charts under two different lead singers, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. (Sorry, Gary Cherone.)
“You’ve heard about this, maybe some rumors, but I am here to officially announce the title, which is coming out in the second half of this year,” senior vice president of Guitar Hero publishing Will Kassoy told a press event in Los Angeles this week. No platforms were mentioned, but prior band-centric Guitar Hero games have been released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and Wii.
Though he did not name any specific songs, Kassoy promised Guitar Hero: Van Halen would feature “many of the band’s greatest hits.” Such multiplatinum tracks as “Jump,” “Panama,” “Hot for Teacher,” and “Why Can’t This Be Love?” helped the group sell over 56 million albums in the US, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Guitar Hero: Van Halen will feature a plethora of other acts who inspired the quartet, including 1970s-80s British supergroup Queen. Kassoy said it will also feature artists inspired by Van Halen–many of which have members who weren’t even born when the band was formed in 1972. These include Weezer, Blink 182, The Offspring, and Queens of the Stone Age, “amongst many, many others,” said Kassoy.
The executive went on to explain Activision’s big-picture approach to band-focused Guitar Hero games. “Our previous two artist [focused] titles, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: Metallica, have done really well in the marketplace,” said Kassoy. “But it’s our desire to go beyond just individual band games, and to compliment that with artists the bands are really inspired by and that they themselves select to be in this game. The same is true of Van Halen.”
From G4:
Guitar Hero: Van Halen Finally Confirmed, World Sighs With Relief
The latest band-centric Guitar Hero from Activision Blizzard has been one of the worst kept secrets in gaming. Guitar Hero: Van Halen has been one of the hot music game rumors, but it’s hard to keep thinking it’s a rumor when the game’s achievements manage to leak before Activision Blizzard can announce it.
But now it’s official. At a pre-E3 event in Los Angeles, Activision Blizzard confirmed Guitar Hero: Van Halen is coming sometime during the second half of this year, featuring a “greatest hits” lineup of songs from the iconic rock group. The spin-off will also include music from Queen, Weezer, Blink-182, The Offspring, Queens of the Stone Age.
Weezer? Okay, I’m listening. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: Metallica didn’t really grab my attention, but that’s on account of my own music tastes.
Is Van Halen more to your liking?
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May 7th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
“oh, this is definitely Van Halen, not Van Hagar.” Could that statement be any more vague? Does that mean the game will not feature exclusively Hagar era songs (which would be stupid), or that it will only feature Roth era songs (which would also be stupid) or that it will feature both Roth and Hagar era songs (which would be the smart play)? Does it make sense to exclude either version if collectively, the fan base is larger than the fans of either version separately? Then again, this is thes same band that removed the image of Michael Anthony from their album covers.
Which begs the question… if replacing Mikey for the reunion tour is in the top 10 most passive-aggressive rock and roll moments ever, where does removing him from the album covers rank? And where would excluding him and/or Sammy from the game rank if that’s what they end up doing?
Discuss.
May 7th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
You saw what Metallica did in their game, no Newsted, no Cliff, no Mustaine, just the current line-up. I bet you it will be Ed, Dave, Al, and Wolfie. Oh well, I’m sure it will sell millions, I’d still buy it. Who gives a F–k!
May 7th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
No… Michael Anthony and Sammy tunes will not be in this version… I REPEAT, WILL NOT..
They are saving that for the Best of Volume 2 Van Halen Guitar Hero.
May 7th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Eddie is spiteful enough to screw anyone he sees as against him. As a result, I don’t think Sammy or Mike will be on this one. I’d rather they were, cause they were integral parts of the band over different periods of time but Ed is just fucked up enough to do it.
MA=VH
May 7th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Im gettin that fo’sho
May 7th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Another nail in the coffin lid of rock and roll…
May 7th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
This is the only way you will get new vh music. I mean old music new, or new old music. What ever. Vh is dead.
May 7th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Finally…
A Guitar Hero game featuring the one band that should have been featured from day one.
But hey, no complaints here…since now we have a full band’s worth of “instruments” to choose from in addition to being able to use Rock Band controllers (which are far superior).
I’ll be pre-ordering the minute it becomes available…
On a final note…regarding the whole Van Halen/Hagar thing…really, all the other Hagar era tunes aside cool (Baluchitherium, Pleasure Dome, Runaround) or not (Can’t Stop Loving You, Not Enough, etc, etc), who wouldn’t find Finish What Ya Started fun to play?
And before die hard Hagar era fans jump down my throat, I didn’t say those “not cool” tunes were bad, they just aren’t my idea of kick a$$ Van Halen songs I’d want to be able to play.
May 7th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Other cool Hagar era tunes that die hard Roth fans might not be aware of (because, like someone I knew, they refuse to listen to any of it) that sound just as good/cool as some of the Roth era stuff…
Source of Infection
AFU (Naturally Wired)
Get Up
All prime music game material…especially Source of Infection which has a few things in common with Hot For Teacher.
May 7th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
this makes no sense
if its not van hagar then why is “why cant this be love?” on the damn game?
you mean to tell me dave will be singing it!
omgod. hell has frozen over!
i think the best route to go would have been to have included van halen as the classic line up
or to tour as van hagar
forget vh3 but it would have been a nice bonus or secret code thing or something
the van halen vs. van hagar battle continues!
both versions are in the rock hall afterall!
thank god mike anthony is in the game.
having wolfgang would have just look
lame like the album cover stunt he pulled.
ed most likely tried but dave and the game company had to talk him out of it!!
May 7th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
it wont be complete without mike or sammy
May 7th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
would be nice to have both vh versions. it would be the smart marketing move but it will sell millions no matter what…
May 7th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
I want one!
May 7th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I’ve yet to read for mysellf how MA will be treated in regards to this game.
If they’re leaving MA out of this, they’re doing a discredit to themselves and the legacy of the band, which is the very reason a game like this would even exist. Wolfie is not part of the classic VH lineup as much as Eddie would like us to believe.
May 7th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Karl,
This is actually the EXACT OPPOSITE of what you said - “another nail in the coffin of rock and roll.” This VH game will be a GREAT thing for exposing younger people to a lot of the best rock and roll ever made!
I don’t even play video games, but I’ll admit this is a GREAT thing for Van Halen’s legacy. Are people aware how much the Guitar Hero game has helped Aerosmith & Metallica? It introduced countless young people to their music, most of whom would not be exposed to it otherwise. And I would bet that VH’s audience is older (on average) than Aerosmith’s & Metallica’s audiences, so it’ a wonderful thing. More young people need to discover Van Halen! Their music is too good to not be heard by the younger generation.
I would love it if more people were exposed to VH, because I’ve always thought that even though they are hugely popular, they are STILL underrated. This game will definitely help spread the VH brown sound.
May 7th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Being an actual guitarist, I have always swore from day one that I would never stoop to the level of buying a Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. It is only a glamorized version of the old game “SIMON”. Repeat the stupid colors you see.. WOW!! Now millions of kids and basement adult dorks think they are a friggin musician.
Unfortunately, as a die-hard Van Halen fan, I know I will be the first one at the door buying it the day it comes out.
Congrats, I am a dork now too.
May 7th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
AMAZING. VH just did a huge tour with Dave and now has it’s own game and you guys still say VH is dead. Gimme a break. Wolfie is in the band now so deal with it Sammy fans. No wolfie=no 2007/08 tour. I’m glad he’s in because 1) I got to see VH play Romeo Delight with Dave and 2) you guys have CF because of it. It’s a win/win situation so stop whining.
Surfno, you rock. A secret code to ‘unlock’ VH3 tunes. VH3 songs should be a punishment if you can’t make it though the level 1 Halen songs. LOL.
May 7th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
LETS JUST FUCKING PRETEND!!!!! HAGAR STILL ROCKS!!!!!! IN REALITY……HE JUST PROVED IT LAST WEEKEND IN TAHOE… AGAIN!!!! AND AGAIN!!!!!! JOHNNY OUT……..
May 7th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Great post Skutch. especially about the VH3 punishment LOL.
May 8th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Adam, you miss the point. This is how the marketing department rips the heart out of rock and roll…
May 8th, 2009 at 1:47 am
I wish we could get some new VH music… How ’bout a new album, Ed???
May 8th, 2009 at 2:22 am
Wolfgang will be the bass player in GH. Hey, it´s only natural. The fans love Wolfie, we wouldn´t have it any other way.
May 8th, 2009 at 5:09 am
Right on Adam!!! I say expose these kids to VH so they can feel the power of true kick ass Rock n Roll!!!
May 8th, 2009 at 5:22 am
“Guitar Hero: Van Halen” without Sammy or Mike is not a VH game!!!
May 8th, 2009 at 5:28 am
Karl, dude get over it, you should be glad that the mighty VH catalog of classic songs will be heard by a younger generation. The point here is not about marketing ripping the heart out of Rock n Roll - it’s about a way of keeping classic VH music alive through a younger generation!!! I could care less who makes money off of this game as long as the music is being heard and enjoyed by kids who never really got the chance to hear VH tunes before!!!
May 8th, 2009 at 6:44 am
This will give the band a lot of exposure to a new young audience. It is the perfect marketing tool to use before releasing a new album or starting a new tour. If VH has done any studio time, I don’t think it would be out of the question to see a new track or two to be released with the game. Again, another teaser to help sell a future album/tour.
It would be nice to have Mike, Sammy, and even Gary as unlockable characters. It will be interesting to see what guitars they have in the game for Ed. Would be cool to see a Frankenstrat guitar controller, or, even a 5150 Steinberger would be something different.
I am a gamer in my 30s and have never pre-ordered a game. Until now.
May 8th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Pink Floyd song……. MONEY $$$$ LOL
May 8th, 2009 at 7:37 am
sad that this is news!!!!!!!!!! come people learn to play a real instrument
May 8th, 2009 at 10:32 am
SCAR: Neither do I care less who makes money out of it. Again, that’s not the point. Rock is supposed to be about crazy young men living on the edge. It’s supposed to be about sex, drugs and rock and roll and living like an outlaw. It’s supposed to be about smashing down the walls, about making the wold turn the way you want it to and fuck everyone else. Every now and again someone is supposed to die in the fast lane. It’s supposed to be totally unacceptable. And now it’s going to end up on a shelf at Toys R Us…
May 8th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Kinda like the Wal-Mart punk rock package…you know- The right haircut-Dickie pants-Allstar tennis shoes-stick on tattoos-Just like all the music that came out in from 2000 till now that they call ‘ Punk ‘…It is just power pop with tattoos and everyone bought into it
May 8th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Not having Sam and Mike in the gam is also probably a royalty issue.
This will probably move the same amount of units whether Sam and Mike are in the game or not, why pay for their likeness and incur the extra cost when having them included would have minimal impact on the revenue generated.
Would not surprise me one bit if the bass part master is re-done ala Ozzy Osbourne and it is Wolfie on bass so they don’t have to pay Mike anything.
May 8th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Skutch,
I was there for that tour, too, probably for the same reason as you. Classic VH with DLR was sorely missed. It was cool to see “DLR with The Van Halens” (that’s my official name for that tour) only because I figured the partnership could unravel at anytime (and it still can) and we’d never see Dave with The Van Halens ever again. So I shelled out the bucks to see 2/3 of VH and Ed’s kid on bass. Sorry, but that’s not a reunion. I will never accept Wolfie as part of the band because:
1. He’s a kid.
2. Sticks out like a sore thumb on stage.
3. He never down JD on stage because his mom’ll get sore with him and dad.
4. Doesn’t own a JD bass.
5. Lacks a mullet.
6. Lacks enthusiasm.
7. Lacks a soul.
8. Will only be able to hit those highs until his balls drop.
Ed amazingly seems to be able to brainwash morons like yourself into thinking that after 30 years as part of VH, MA never existed.
May 8th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
I’ve played a beta version of the game and it doesn’t include any Hagar material. On stage is Alex, Eddie, Dave, & Wolfie.
Other artists are also on the game. - like Weezer, Kiss, and others. To anyone who says that Guitar Hero sucks and that people think they’re real musicians…no they don’t and you’re an idiot. Guitar Hero games are a way for people to kind of experience a sliver of what it might be like to be in a band. Which is awesome. Because of Guitar Hero young people are attempting real instruments more than ever before. It’s teaching people rhythm and dexterity - no it’s not teaching them music…but it’s a good start.
Guitar Hero Van Halen rules. I can’t stop playing it and I am a guitar player. Enjoy it. Rock on.
May 8th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I agree Mark. If they omit Sammy and Mike it will absolutely be in part because of royalties. But just a small part because it’s no as though VH can’t afford to share in the proceeds. It’s just to stick it to Sammy and Mike in the most passive-aggressive way possible. That’s Ed for you.
But you are dead wrong the game will sell just as many copies without Mike and Sam. Too many VH fans are going to insist on both eras being represented to shell out the $$. Also, just read the posts on this site to see how many fans have refused to continue to support VH because of their antics and, in particular, treatment of Mikey. Sure, you can leave Sammy out of the game without looking like a total prick if you are going to only include Roth era music but to leave Mikey out as well is a blatant “Fuck You” to Mikey and us fans. So I’ll respond with my own “fuck you” by not buying the game.
May 8th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
how can they omit mike if they are using the first 6 albums?if im not mistaken he was given song writing credit on those albums wasnt he?nothing against wolfie but why is he more deserving then mike?
May 8th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Karl, I hear you and you make one hell of a point, but times have changed and we have to roll with it and hope that down and dirty in your face kick ass rock n roll will never die!!!
May 8th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I hope they will have all members of Van Halen because they will sell more copies of the game, because more Van Halen fans will want to play as all three singers.
I also hope they put some live songs and
bonus songs like 316,eruption,cathedral solos like Areosmith did.
May 9th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
What, no chickenfoot guitar hero??? aw too bad.
May 10th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Hey “DUDE”..Guitar Hero is gay. Grow the F- up. If you say you are a guitar player and want to experience what it is like to be in a real band then practice the guitar a little more instead of playing the video game.
May 10th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
The Dude says:
Guitar Hero games are a way for people to kind of experience a sliver of what it might be like to be in a band.
I say: Bollocks!
That’s like saying one of those racing games allows you to get a sliver of the feeling of driving an F1 car. Yeah, right…
May 11th, 2009 at 4:39 am
In my opinion - the dave, ed, alex, and wolfie will be in the band i.e. THE CURRENT LINE UP!!!! Same as metallica, get over it people, mikey is not in the band!!
May 29th, 2009 at 4:29 am
Sadly, it sounds like it will be Wolf on bass as the new Metallica bassist was in the Metallica game. I love Hagar-era Van Halen, I don’t really see why they can’t include a “best of both worlds” soundtrack (like the cd) into the game.
Also, what is wrong with Van Halen III? That has some amazing songs on it. Check out “Thats Why I love You” on this site, under the VH3 news archive. Pretty good.