IGN Rock Band 2 interview

[Frodaddyg]

windbane said:
Not having a create-a-song feature may hurt them critically and at retail versus GH4.

However, I love that the DLC will work with RB2 (GH3 DLC will work with GH4, but there's not as much), but I wish they'd allow exporting of Rock Band 1 songs to the hard drive so you didn't have to change discs.

I think the absence of song creation will have a little impact, but in terms of gameplay itself (actually playing songs) I think Rock Band can compete with GH:WT in pretty much every aspect. Have to wait and see hwo the two World Tour modes, or whatever they'll be called this time around, compare.

I understand not letting you export RB1 songs to the hard drive, because then everyone who has RB1 would do that, pass it to a friend, who then repeats the process, etc, etc, and nobody would ever have to buy the game again. Now, if they would do something like offering the entire RB1 setlist as DLC for say $20-30, I think lots of folks would do it to have all the songs accessible all the time. (Plus it would let those folks picking up RB2 that didn't buy RB1 have access to all the songs without having to buy a physical copy of the game.)

I think one thing that will allow RB to compete with GH at retail is the fact that they've already sold the expensive bundle to the majority of folks who want this kind of game. Now, those people need only buy a $60 game to keep playing RB, as opposed to anyone wanting GH:WT, who now face the daunting $180 price tag that Rock Band buyers faced a year ago. GH:WT will have to absolutely blow me away to pry me from a proven solid commodity in Rock Band and Harmonix.

Also, RB2 is coming out in September for the 360, which shocks me. That's a damn fast turnaround for any game.