The release window for Rock Band 2 has gotten narrower. Don’t get your hopes too high about finding a giant box of toy instruments under your tree this year, however. (Unless it’s a box of Guitar Hero: World Tour instruments.) Harmonix has confirmed with Destructoid that the game is set to release in “Late December.”

How late? That’s still a mystery. Some time between the 20th and 31st, I would guess. Either way, the demand for this game will most definitely be greater than the supply. Expect lots of sad faces this Christmas morning.

Destructoid

Rock Band for Wii was ridiculously gimped. Everyone knows that. It was a cash in. Harmonix has learned from its mistakes, though, and seems to be fixing things retroactively.

We already knew the Wii version of Rock Band 2 would feature DLC. What we did not know was that the list of available DLC would be retroactive. Rock Band 2 owners will have access to the full catalog of Rock Band 1 DLC at launch. Not only that, but the ability to use the Guitar Hero III controller with Rock Band 2 has also been confirmed. The gap between the two versions of Rock Band 2 just keeps getting smaller.

IGN

Good news for Rock Band-loving Wii owners. According to USA Today, the Wii version of the game will include the same online functionality as it’s PS360 siblings.

“While unannounced, MTV Games has confirmed that the upcoming Nintendo Wii version of ‘Rock Band 2′ will offer the same online functionality — i.e. song downloads and Internet multiplayer modes — as the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 versions.”

Yes, that includes song downloads. Looks like this will put an end to that expansion disc nonsense.

There are still a few questions left to answer, though. Will Rock Band 2 require a certain amount of storage space to play songs stored on an SD card, like Guitar Hero: World Tour? Will the Wii version allow you to import Rock Band 1 songs like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions? Only time will tell. Or press releases.

USA Today
Via Kotaku

Remember how Rock Band not only came late to the party for Wii owners, but also skipped online play, downloadable content, and customization? It looks like that isn’t going to be the case with the second installment of the series. Good news for prospective buyers indeed. Harmonix representatives have said the game should be:

A much more competitive product.

Sure it isn’t an official confirmation but at least Harmonix has admitted that the original wasn’t quite up to snuff. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. If Rock Band 2 doesn’t change the Wii formula, I’m not afraid to stage an intervention. It’s what friends should do, right?

Wired

One more trailer for tonight. Just like the Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility trailer, we’ve already shown you this trailer. So what’s different? HD! Nothing like viewing one of the year’s most anticipated rhythm games with high quality video.

Enjoy the updated version. I’m gonna go recap the day.

We had the chance to sit down with the folks at Harmonix for a hands on presentation and demo of the upcoming Rock Band 2. As the spokesperson for Harmonix stated, their goal for the Rock Band franchise was to first revolutionize the genre with the first title, and then to perfect their work with its sequel. The new features included in the game that we have seen to day clearly show that Harmonix is trying to give its fans what they want with this game.

Hit the break for our evaluation, and check our Official E3 site later tonight for some exclusive video coverage.

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Fresh out of Microsoft’s showing in Los Angeles, Rock Band 2 is shipping with 84 tracks this fall. Included is a smattering of artists, from AC/DC to Bod Dylan to Guns N’ Roses. The best news, in my opinion, is that all of the tracks are master recording. Well played Harmonix, well played. Full list after the break.

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This is Rock Band. Oh, wait, it’s Rock Band 2. My bad, it looks so similar… Any Foo Fighters fans around here?

GameTrailers

All these video game guitars bother me. They were blatantly just toys to start, but at least they’re making some progress to resembling a real guitar. Fender Strat, Rosewood fretboard, Sunburst finish, realistic looking pick guards, tuning pegs… oh wait, no tuning pegs.

They’re getting better though. Hopefully, we’ll be getting optional full-sized guitars in the future, made with real wood so it actually feels like a guitar, and steel guitar strings over the buttons so that you all develop the same guitar callous that I had. Muahaha. Until then, here’s the Rock Band 2 Strat.

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While Harmonix completely left the Wii out of their Rock Band 2 press release, we can always count on second-hand sources for the scoop. Apparently, instead of being a timed exclusive for the Xbox 360 and then being added only to the PlayStation 3 lineup, the PlayStation 2 and Wii will be getting in on that later action. Translation: the Wii is getting Rock Band 2, and it’s getting it before Christmas.

Of course, none of this should matter if the game’s online capabilities are a carbon copy of the first Rock Band.

Associated Press
via Joystiq