Video Game Buttons Blog

April 24, 2007

AG Edwards analyst Bill Kreher has revealed that Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 is now sold out in 99 out of 100 GameStop stores surveyed.

 

In Kreher’s April 10th survey, 89 out of 100 GameStop stores were sold out of Guitar Hero II for Microsoft’s Xbox 360, but the new survey shows a continued case of “demand outstripping supply with only 1 of 100 GameStops having GH II in stock (1 unit) and again no extra guitar (X-Plorer) controllers.”

 

“Roughly half of the stores without copies available expect a shipment to arrive at some point during this week. We believe Activision is currently seeking ways to increase production and fulfill consumer demand,” Kreher noted in his commentary to clients.

 

Of Guitar Hero II publisher, Kreher also re-iterated, “We continue to believe ATVI is poised for market share gains in first half fiscal ‘08 based on momentum from Guitar Hero and solid prospects for movie-supported franchises including Spiderman and Shrek.”

 

Kreher’s queries on whether next-gen hardware was available at each of the 100 GameStop stores revealed results tying in with recent anecdotal information: “Our questions on hardware availability continue to reflect high demand for the Wii. Of the stores we contacted, none had a Nintendo Wii available. Our survey also found PS3s and Xbox 360s in all 100 stores.”

 

Kreher has also said that, according to his retail checks, the retail Wii drought isn’t expected to end any time soon: “We were told by 5 GameStops that they expected to receive orders this week.”  The stock problems couldn’t be narrowed specifically to either high demand or short supply, he explained.  “Most of the outlets we talked to explained that they go extremely fast once they are received — people even follow the delivery trucks to the stores.”

 

“Most of the sales associates did not have a clue when the next shipment would be in, explaining that sometimes when the packages get off the trucks they are surprised to find Wiis inside.  We have heard from numerous stores that sometimes they will receive 10 units, then the next shipment only 2 units.  It is very volatile and unpredictable.”

 

April 17, 2007

Red Octane reps have confirmed that the latest in its Guitar Hero franchise will be focused on online play and downloadable tracks, and it will hit every major platform.

 

Red Octane founder and president Kai Huang said that Neversoft would be working to bring the features to Guitar Hero III, the latest in the franchise expected to be released for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, and the PS2 by the end of the year.

 

In an interview with GameSpot, Huang also confirmed earlier suspicions regarding a handheld version of the game, saying the company was “looking at a DS version, for early next year.”

 

Last September, Activision chairman and CEO Robert Kotick said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia XV Conference that Guitar Hero will be released “on every significant new format.”  The game was also recently announced to be in development for mobile phones by San Francisco mobile developer Hands-On Mobile.

 

Huang added that new Guitar Hero developers Neversoft would be “focusing on online play, of course, and that includes both co-op and competitive modes. We’re looking at more downloadable content, and more music, because we know that’s one of the things the fans want–as soon as they finish playing Guitar Hero, they want more music.”

 

Huang also told IGN that for the Wii version of the new game, while Red Octane was “really excited about the Wii game because there are so many options for the Wii remote,” players would still “play the game with a guitar peripheral and it will be similar to a guitar you’ve seen in the past.”

 

On former Guitar Hero developer Harmonix’s recently announced Rock Band, now positioned as an MTV- and Electronic Arts-backed competitor to the Guitar Hero franchise, with additional drumming and vocal features and full online play, Huang said,  “I was very excited to hear about Harmonix and EA working on the game Rock Band.  I think Guitar Hero was really the first big game that defined the music rhythm genre… So we’re excited that Harmonix is working on it.  They’re a fantastic developer, we’ve had a great relationship working with them in the past, and we know that they’re going to do a great job with the game.”