The Beatles will finally go digital on Sept. 9 with the release of the Fab Four edition of the popular “Rock Band” video game.
In a joint statement Thursday (March 5), the Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd., Harmonic and MTV Games said that “The Beatles: Rock Band” — which was first announced last October — would be released worldwide for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii. The game marks the first time the group and it’s publishing affiliates — EMI Music, Harrisons Ltd. and Sony/ATV Music Publishing — will make the Beatles’ music available in the digital realm.
The manufacturers are also promising “exclusive content” for fans who pre-order “The Beatles: Rock Band.” The pre-order date will be announced “in the coming months.” In addition, they’ve created instruments for the game modeled after those played by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, although the game will be compatible with existing Rock Band instruments and peripherals.
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The game along will carry a $59.99 list price. A version with standalone guitars will run $99.99, while the Limited Edition Premium Bundle will cost $249.99.
No song lists have yet been announced for the project. Thursday’s announcement noted that “The Beatles: Rock Band” will let users “experience The Beatles extraordinary catalog of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career.” In a recent Entertainment Weekly interview Paul McCartney said that “it will feature different periods of the band — you get early days, Liverpool, then psychedelic, and on from there. It’s very cool. And I like the idea that the game introduces kids to music, you know?”
Giles Martin, son of longtime Beatles producer George Martin and co-producer of the Grammy Award-winning “LOVE” project with Cirque du Soleil, is serving as music producer for the Rock Band game.
A web site devoted to the game has been set up at www.thebeatlesrockband.com.