Rock Band to be localized in Japan, future JP song tracks as DL content possible!!!

[Gerry]

http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2008/06/02/harmonix-localizes-rock-band-for-japan/

We know that many of you aren't happy with Harmonix lately, but the company is making an honest effort to appeal to gamers in Japan. In fact, for the Japanese version of Rock Band, Harmonix is teaming up with Q Entertainment, who's responsible for games like Lumines, Meteos, and Rez HD.

Hoping that Q Entertainment will add some eastern appeal to the game, Harmonix is aiming to completely localize it for Japanese audiences. Aside from the things that Q will bring to the table, this also means that the title will feature Japanese music and bands. Perhaps this will help Rock Band succeed in Japan where Guitar Hero couldn't.

Now, if only Harmonix showed the same dedication to English-speaking Wii owners, we might not have such an uprising on our hands.

http://kotaku.com/5012315/rock-band-turning-japanese-with-q-entertainment

Well here's an interesting turnabout. Harmonix and MTV are partnering with the company that brought us Lumines and Rez to bring social rhythm and music game Rock Band to Japan, the birthplace of rhythm and music games. Announced this weekend during the MTV Video Music Awards in Japan, the new game will feature all of the gameplay of Rock Band with added Japanese elements, assets, and most importantly - music. As long as it works with all the standard North American peripherals I plan on importing the living hell out of this game.

And what better company than Q Entertainment to handle the localization? I'm hoping this alliance between Harmonix and Q is only the beginning of what could be a very fruitful relationship for the developers and gamers alike. Hit the jump to read the full press release while I queue up my J-pop Winamp playlist and get incomprehensible for a bit.

Rock Band Goes to Japan

Harmonix and MTV to Partner with Q Entertainment for Rock Band: Japan

CAMBRIDGE, Mass - June 2, 2008 – Harmonix Music Systems, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), announced today that they will team up with Q Entertainment, a leading Japanese music game designer, to bring the best-selling music videogame Rock Band to Japan. The two studios will work together to develop the title, marking the first US-originated rock music game to be heavily localized for the Japanese market. The game will feature Japanese musical acts as well as other localized assets.

Rock Band’s return to the birthplace of rhythm games will
benefit from Q Entertainment’s experience designing progressive and engaging games many of which have a heavy focus on integrating music elements into gameplay. Since its founding in 2003, Tokyo based Q Entertainment has become a leader in rhythm oriented titles, including the critically acclaimed music and luminary action puzzle game series Lumines,and the recently released Extend Every Extra Extreme (E4) and Rez HD for Xbox Live.

Today’s announcement was also featured Saturday at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Japan, where a Rock Band trailer was presented.

The US-version of Rock Band was also prominently featured backstage and at the afterparty, giving Japanese attendees a taste of what’s to come in the newly announced title.

Rock Band, which has sold over 3 million units in North America and Europe, is an all-new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music. The game challenges players to put together a band and tour for fame and fortune, mastering lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals.With more master recordings than any other music game, Rock Band features some of the world’s biggest rock artists and spans every genre of rock ranging from alternative and classic
rock to heavy metal and punk.

Rock Band is a true music platform, with over 12 million songs sold as downloadable content since its initial release. There are currently over 140 songs available for download in the Rock Band Music Store and Harmonix continues to release new music every week.

Since its North American release in 2007, Rock Band has garnered over 40 awards including Game Critics Award: Best of Show E3 2007and three awards at The 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards including Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, Family Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com .

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/06/02/rock-band-expands-to-japan/

PS3 Fanboy-favorite multiplayer music game, Rock Band, is heading to Japan. The ensemble peripheral game will be "heavily localized" for the Japanese market, which will undoubtedly mean the addition of playable Japanese songs in the Rock Band lineup. It's unclear at this moment whether or not Japanese language content will be made available as DLC in other territories, but considering the wide availability of European tracks on the Rock Band Store, we wouldn't be surprised. If only Rock Band featured SingStar-like video production, you'd be able to see all of us make fools of ourselves singing J-Rock songs. Be thankful that we won't subject you to that.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/rock-band-heads-to-japan-with-help-from-q-entertainment/

Harmonix and MTV are bringing Rock Band to Japan with some help from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment (Lumines). According to the press release, "The two studios will work together to develop the title, marking the first US-originated rock music game to be heavily localized for the Japanese market." No clue on what that heavy localization will entail.

It has been little over a week since a Harmonix rep was asked about the possibility of seeing Japanese content in Rock Band. At the time, the rep said an official announcement on future DLC plans would arrive in "a little over a week." So, the question remains: How does one program instrument tracks for a Genki Rockets song?

Thats all I can find at this time.

So what would people like to see as JPRB DLC?

I'd Like to see:

激動 (Gekidou) by UVERworld
"Daybreak's Bell" by L'Arc~en~Ciel
"Chu-Bura" by Kelun
"Rewrite" by Asian Kung Fu Generation
BLUE BIRD by Ikimono-gakari
Sky Blue Days" (空色デイズ, Sorairo Deizu) by Shōko Nakagawa
Colors by FLOW
and Hitomi no Tsubasa by Access.

What about you guys? =)

 

[EllySeiko]

honestly, anything by Ayumi Hamasaki, or Berryz Koubou. or Winds. i'm sure there is more i like, but i usually only listen to the good stuff with a friend of mine, and i can never remember what's playing or who's singing it ^^;