Uh oh, looks like rock and roll videogames might have peaked, at least according to Variety:
Fall’s highly anticipated “Rock Band 2” and “Guitar Hero: World Tour” have sold well below expectations, trailing their 2007 editions by significant margins. Activision’s “World Tour” has thus far sold 1.5 million units domestically, an impressive number compared to most games, but down 55% from “Guitar Hero III,” which launched on the exact same day last year. MTV’s “Rock Band 2” has moved only 809,000 copies. […] Musicgame revenue was down 6% in November despite the growing number of titles, with “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” off a more sizable 12%.
I know of one guy who will undoubtedly find this welcome news. Hater.
On the positive side, downloads are up: “Guitar Hero” players have downloaded 25 million songs online, while “Rock Band” players have purchased 30 million. Plus, “music is still the best-selling vidgame genre, repping a sizable 16% of revenue.”
Via Lefsetz.
If I have to go back to practicing real guitar again I’m going to be pissed. Have you seen a real guitar lately? Look at the fretboard: NOT color-coded. Great.
This should have been easily predicted. There’s little reason for most people who bought Rock Band to “upgrade” (i.e. waste more money to repurchase what they already own). Guitar Hero sullied the franchise with the extremely mediocre GH III — driving many to sell it and buy Rock Band in the first place. Not to mention that for many of the older crowd that helped drive the popularity of these games (myself included) they sit in the corner collecting dust in between parties, so having more than one of them is unnecessary.