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At GDC 2010, gaming development newcomers, Seven45 Studios, introduced us to a bold new music game concept. Power Gig: Rise of the Six String is set for launch in Fall 2010. This new music game is being developed for Xbox 360 and PS3, but rather than sporting plastic peripherals, Power Gig will feature actual instruments. The guitar peripheral (if it can be called a peripheral – instrument is probably more appropriate) features six strings and a full fret board. Whereas most band games have you clicking a strum bar and depressing colored fret buttons in time to onscreen prompts, Power Gig will have an extra element: you’ll have to strum the appropriate string. That means you’ll be making real music while playing through the actual chord progressions found in the real tunes. A drums set will also be released with the game, but it has not been revealed; Seven45 Studios is waiting to unveil the battery at E3 2010. While we love the idea of this evolution of the music genre, we see a few issues that might hamper its success at retail.
First, real instruments are not only bulky and heavy, they are expensive. Can the instrument controller be made affordable? Second, music game popularity is waning. The glory days of half-time Guitar Hero sessions at ballgames came and went with 2000+late. Third, do gamers actually want to learn to make real music? Music game parties are inclusive, accessible events – that’s why Guitar Hero and Rock Band have found such widespread success. Fourth, Activision and EA/MTV Games have a lot at stake, dominate the genre, and won’t let a newcomer pull a Nintendo on them. Can Power Gig find a niche? Can they compete? Rock Band 3’s on its way to market… Finally, what kind of a setlist will they be able to put together? Licensing real artists’ tracks is industry standard, so they’re going to have to secure quality music. We will have to wait and see what Seven45 Studios can do later this year to answer these questions. Certainly, these thoughts have kept the producers of Power Gig up at night. We wish them luck and look forward to getting more info in the coming months. For more info, check out the game’s official website by clicking HERE . |
