Guitar Hero is Out Today. Buy It.

More shameless PR stunt nonsense.

Posted by Staff
SPOnG loves Guitar Hero. We might disagree with our sparring partners over at teenage jazz mag Loaded, who overexcitedly declared it ‘Best game ever. Fact’, but nonetheless, it is a must-have party game. And it is out in the UK today, so we urge all of our UK readers to rush out and grab a copy along with the funny, plastic gee-tar controller.

Of course, no self-respecting games launch is complete these days without the accompanying daft PR stunt. And Guitar Hero has gone one better. Yes, the daftness levels have gone up to eleven, to poorly paraphrase Spinal Tap.

To quote from the release SPOnG’s just been sent: “To celebrate today's release of the stunning Guitar Hero for PlayStation 2, publisher RedOctane yesterday hosted a special public 'PlayStation busking' performance at Leicester Square London Underground station.”

It seems that 25-year-old Luke Albiges from Bournemouth performed for two hours down in the dank, stinking abyss that is Leicester Square tube station yesterday, using a live music kit comprising the replica Gibson SG guitar, a portable power pack, traditional amplifier, PlayStation 2 with Joytech LCD screen, and a copy of the game.

Poor Luke. He must be really down on his luck. The last time SPOnG came across the young fella, he was an up-and-coming games journalist employed by none other than Games TM (the pretend Edge). It seems times are hard for the lad and he is now reduced to busking with a PlayStation Guitar game as an instrument.

The release continues: “Luke's performances required skill and determination as he thrashed out lead guitar parts to over 30 classic rock tunes such as Take Me Out, Ace of Spades and Ziggy Stardust using the specially-developed PlayStation-controller. Just like real guitar, one slipped finger or poorly-timed strum could result in a duff note.”

"Whilst this can never replace traditional guitar playing, we think it nonetheless provided a potential glimpse of the future," says Kelly Sumner, CEO, RedOctane. "Interactive music technology is opening up all sorts of possibilities. We hope some Guitar Hero players will go on to graduate to the real guitar – and, who knows, maybe it will give the PlayStation generation the confidence to become heroes of the Carling stages of the future."

SPOnG plans to start a ‘Help Luke Albiges’ campaign – please pledge your donations in the forums below. Down on their luck ex-games journalists shaming themselves for the PR coin need help as much as the next tramp.

Guitar Hero is out today, priced £49.99. Go and get one, quick. It will sell out. SPOnG has also just heard this morning that UK games industry veteran Chris Deering has joined Red Octane as a Director. Is there any UK games company that doesn't have this multi-tasking grandad on its board of directors?
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Comments

TigerUppercut 13 Apr 2006 03:18
1/2
LOL!
kid_77 13 Apr 2006 10:03
2/2
TigerUppercut wrote:
LOL!

ROLF's MAYO!
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