Ok, bear with me for a sec while I ask what might be the most stupid question I've ever asked but... Is this a game?

So far from what's in that post, it definitely makes your Wii a Karaoke machine with unlimited songs. And that's awesome. It's also something marketable all on it's own. Ok, It does say that there are rankings, but to what extent? This might be far more of an experience than it is a game.

Interesting. I wonder what the monthly fee is. Also, this may never see a release over here. Karaoke is much bigger in Japan.

 And in Europe. Sony has an enormous advantage on that front, though. Their unfettered access to music libraries that span languages and cultures makes it much easier to localize games for smaller European markets, and I'm not sure Hudson -- or for that matter, anyone else in the games industry save Vivendi -- is set up to launch such software in the EU. 

By definition, Karaoke is a video game to start with, whether it's on the Wii or not.

Are you asking if this is a "traditional-on-consoles, competitive, someone-wins-someone-loses" game? That we'll have to wait and see about, I suppose.

But a game is anything that's interactive that is engaged in for amusement. Catch is a game, for example. And any such entity that is displayed on a video screen is... a video game.  Karaoke has always, always been a video game. I'm not even using some obscure, archaic definition by the way; I'm using the primary one in every dictionary I've ever examined on the issue.

I can't decide if I like the format or not.

On the one hand... paying like this offers way more song selections... and if you want you can just "rent" it for a month if you are having a party or something that you want to do it.

On the other hand, if you like to karoke every month, you are paying like crazy. Well at least you don't have to follow the bar scene like usual.

Me I don't like Karoke so i'll pass.

Anyone know the cost of karaoke in Japan at a karaoke bar? Just curious, because I would guess $10 a month (assuming it's 1,000 wii points per month) is pretty damn cheap for those who actually do it often...

If I had teh option of saying "Hey, I'm satisfied with my current list of songs" and not pay until I feel like getting a new set of song, I'd go for it, but I will NOT do monthly fees.

 Alright. Then let me reframe the question. Karaoke in a bar is considerably different than something like Singstar. I'm wondering which one it will be more like. An interactive karaoke game? or just karaoke? which ceases to be interactive after you've entered your song choice.