Happiness is...Beatles version of 'Rock Band'

As a member of the old-people-who-used-to-play-in-rock-bands demographic, I've never found much appeal in Rock Band or its competitor/predecessor Guitar Hero. But they obviously have a lot of devoted fans, including, apparently, "the only Beatles in the world" (and the others' designated heirs).

On Thursday, Rock Band creators MTV Music-Harmonix teamed up with Apple Corps and announced a forthcoming video game that will let you play along with Beatles songs. The game won't merely be another Rock Band version or Track Pack, but will rather be an entirely new game that will presumably work with the Rock Band peripherals. Album art will be prominently featured, as will the original mixes, presided over by Beatles engineer George Martin's son Giles (who also worked on the Beatles/Cirque du Soleil tie-in project, Love).

Personally, I'm hoping for an interactive Yellow Submarine portion and a new Rock Band keyboard so I can try to play "Hey Bulldog."

It doesn't seem like there'd be much overlap between a band that broke up nearly 40 years ago and a new video game, but generation after generation keeps reclaiming the Beatles as its own. My friends' 7-year-old daughter has been obsessed with them for some time--she could tell John songs from Paul songs from George songs when she was only 4, and watches Beatles movies alongside Hannah Montana flicks.

The game will come out late next year, in time for the holidays.

[cp3rcraze]

What respect MTV Music-Harmonix has for the Beatles... Really, making a different "game" for one artist band. I still think making a new track(s)for the existing Rock Band game will be more sensible instead of Rock Band players to buy a new game to play the Beatles.

[mavalos88]

Well it's not just a regular band. Come on lol, we've been waiting ages so the beatles would allow their music to be in digital format. Besides they might make the songs exportable. It's too early to tell.

[Rama Yudhistira]

The Beatles is a great band of all time.
So It's great see and play this game.
I've been waiting here.
Hope It's feels just like it should.

[Dylan_Wisor]

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith didn't do very well. What makes anyone think Rock Band: The Beatles will fare any better?

Cue the people saying that the Beatles are just a better band. It may be true, but irrelevant.

[solitare_pax]

Why are the surviving Beatles bothering to do this, when they won't put their music on iTunes? Not that I care - I bought their CDs and suffered through the "Lost Lennon Tapes" radio program of the 1980's.

Oh wait - there is more big money to be made. Silly me.

[jskrenes]

I might get it if comes with a viola bass version of the guitar controller.

[drmatt87]

If Aerosmith got their own Guitar Hero then the Beatles should get their own system... I hate these games that try and make you fell self accomplished cause you can hit colored buttons on a plastic instrument... Even so I will consider buying this for the Beatles (or Michael Jackson cause he owns the rights to about 90% of their songs).