Future of arcades: GH best profit?

recoil56 · Trick Member Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Location: Pennsylvania

I read this in the Intelligencer. Figured I should type this up for you guys to see.

'Guitar Hero' has an arcade spin-off

Rockin' around the holidays
One of the more delightful aspects of the "Guitar Hero" craze is that it has moved video gaming out of the living room and into the public.
Bars and clubs all over the country host regular "Guitar Hero" nights, and gamers are challenging each other in a way that hasn't been seen since George Costanza was a "Frogger" master.
But where to go when there's no "Guitar Hero" Night in your neighborhood, or if you're just too young to go to bars?
By next spring, you'll be able to go to your local mall (or movie theater, or bowling alley) and show off your chops on the "Guitar Hero" arcade game.
It's an unusual partnership between "GH" publisher Activison and Konami, which has more experience with arcade games like "Dance Dance Revolution."
The cabinets are being manufactured by Raw Thrills, an Illinois-base company that has had some arcade success with "The Fast and The Furious and "Big Buck Hunter Pro."
The arcade version will start with more than 50 songs, mostly from "Guitar Hero III," and machine owners will be able to download more.
Raw Thrills vice president Andrew Eloff says the louder, flashier "GH"
"really makes it feel like you're playing on stage." But the real draw, he thinks, will be the competition for high scores: "Everybody wants to be the king of the heap," he says.

The future of arcades - huge masses of people in line for GH. Whoop-de-doo. Seriously, if you could only see the picture, it looks like a friggn' ddr cab with Gaytard hero instead of ddr at the top. Once people learn how to miracle hack these things itg will die instantly. On the flip side, this might bring arcades back to life. Double-edged sword anybody?

BTW: I wonder how much the cabs will cost
_________________

Politically Correct (JFK) wrote:

some kid devised an evil plan to make the mod have to click 3 different things and sigh to himself.

ilostthegame · Basic Member Joined: 26 Dec 2008

Wow! (And I don't mean that in a good way!)
I don't mean to sound that DDR should be getting all the attention, but think about it logically... What the helmet is so good about GH that it should be in arcades? I mean, DDR is logical; draws crowds (more ppl in the arcade...), makes people want to try if they see someone good, and it's just WAY more fun. In didder, even if you fail, you and the people watching have a good time. But what's so great about having a plastic guitar make sounds like a dying horse if you start to fail. Besides, when's the last time you saw a GH freestyler.

DDR/ITG is already dying in arcades, at least where I live. You will get about 5 good players per month, and a max crowd of 5 people, even at the most popular movie theatre.

And about the partnership; sounds like Konami's just trying to squeeze the last few bucks out of their music game industry before it dies completely by mooching off of the profit from GH.
_________________

You lost the game.

That guy with the afro... · Trick Member Joined: 08 Oct 2006

Wow, I like Guitar Hero a lot less now.

Anyways, yeah, no, ti's a shame that Guitar Freaks will never see the light of day in America, natively.

---
Moar input: Director's Cut!

I think that this is a great idea for money and stuff because people are stupid/entertained enough by Guitar Hero that they'll compete with other people for top high scores and stuff and show off their skills. However...

... I say stupid because there are the Guitar Hero elitists who ruin the game and there will be more drama than a major In The Groove tournament with bad pads. I mean, the reason why I don't like the game anymore is because I can never enjoy playing against someone else other than my family because it always ends up in "You suck" or "There's something wrong with X, but I can still beat you...". That, and has anyone ever read YouTube comments on GH videos? Disgusting.

... I say entertained because people who enjoy playing for the fun will put down the money to get a crowd pumped and have fun without getting competitive. People will plunk down a little cash to fool around and feel that awesome chill down their spine when there are crowds forming making comments about how skilled they are for moving their fingers across plastic fast and accurate enough to keep tracks playing.

From a business point of view this amazes me as to why this wasn't thought of before (taking advantage of Guitar Hero, not an arcade Guitar game in general). From a gamer's point of view I feel sick.

Also, I am afraid of how many stupid reactions Guitar Hero "Experts" will have if this turned out to have as many buttons as Guitar Freaks.
_________________

frick YEAH BOAT!

12 · Trick Member Joined: 04 Apr 2008 Location: Bay City, MI

Anything that gets people into arcades at this point is a good thing.

v4extreme · Trick Member Joined: 17 Jan 2008

January. · Trick Member Joined: 23 Nov 2006

konami's contradicting themselves guysss
lol

...can't wait to play it though
_________________

your rhinestone eyes are like...
factories far away.

PureBlue · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

You forgot to mention the part where once the arcade version comes out, GameSpot and IGN will give the arcade version of Guitar Hero a blowjob, saying stuff along the lines of "an amazingly innovative arcade port of a fantastic game" (LOL WUT).

That, and iamchris4life wannabes will overcrowd the arcades once it comes out.

Discoman · Maniac Member Joined: 23 Nov 2002

Vandel.M · Trick Member Joined: 10 Aug 2008

wow yeah i hate this idea and its like they wanna eliminate ddr idk lol its like in the movies where the evil guys create this "better thing" to take out what was already good man this will suck i hope this doesnt go far

January. · Trick Member Joined: 23 Nov 2006

Haoie · Trick Member Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: New Zealand

What's the deal with you Americans not getting G Freaks?

DrumMania too.
_________________

Baby getting Higher, we're getting Higher
Open up your eyes, everyday is a surprise
You are the one, baby the only one
Tonight

Discoman · Maniac Member Joined: 23 Nov 2002

That guy with the afro... · Trick Member Joined: 08 Oct 2006

10 minutes?

Lucky. I only have Pop'n and IIDX 2 hours away from me. And GF/DM 3 hours.

I doubt DDR machines will be replaced by Guitar Hero. It just... doesn't make sense. I don't think there needs to be an explanation either on why it doesn't make sense. I mean.... DDR is popular and so is Guitar Hero. Removing one for another will be a stupid decision on the manager's part and keeping both in the same area will make a lot more money. Not saying that will never happen in any arcade, but it will be very unlikely.

What would be a bit more plausible is the Guitar Hero machines drowning out a bit or most sounds from DDR.
_________________

frick YEAH BOAT!

PureBlue · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:36 pm Post subject:

They probably would, because 12 year old kids would complain that OMG TEH GH MACHEIN IZNT LOUD ENUF even when it's blaring because playing Through the Fire and Flames 9,003 times made it so that the GH is never loud enough and a barely audible DDR machine is WAY TOO LOUD OMFG.

January. · Trick Member Joined: 23 Nov 2006

That guy with the afro... · Trick Member Joined: 08 Oct 2006

January. · Trick Member Joined: 23 Nov 2006

TyTiger · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:17 am Post subject:

I've been waiting for this. Since Konami has completely failed to step up to the plate at all, this is the best possible thing for arcade games featuring plastic instruments. It may only have 50 songs on it's list but it has DLC capabilites, so this number will undoubtedly grow much larger within a short amount of time.

This is the absolute greatest thing to happen in American arcades since the Great Dance Revival (ITG leading to DDRSN, with Pump chugging along at a much greater speed), and I can't wait for one of the arcades around here to get it.
_________________