GameStop (among other retailers) has finally listed Guitar Hero II Rocks The 80s Expansion Pack. The game is listed for $39.99 and has a release date of July 18, 2007.
Like a hurricane prepared to rock you, rumors of this party (and money printing) gold mine have been swirling around for quite some time. While no details have been revealed, one can speculate that the game will contain music from 80s, and not a collection of Norwegian black metal as previously speculated.
We also have to wonder whether or not the plastic guitar Gods will spite all of those who sold their PS2 guitar controllers in order to move on to the greener, high definition pastures of the Xbox 360. The best case scenario would be for Activision to offer one large download containing all of the songs from the 80s expansion. But for gamers eager to rock their mullets and lipstick, this can go a few ways.
If we were to use Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls expansion, Shivering Isles, as a template, a download comparable to the retail version of the 80s expansion would cost 3,400 MS points. However, when we look at Activision’s Guitar Hero II song pack logic (500 MS points for a 3 song package), it tells a different story.
At $39.99, Xbox 360 users would be purchasing less than 20 songs. I think it works out to something like 19 songs and the opening riff to Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.” How Activision (or Red Octane or Microsoft or whoever wants to take responsibility for the pricing) plans to reconcile this with customers remains to be seen.
This is all assuming, of course, that 360 rockers don’t get completely screwed. Stranger things have happened.
