The Beatles: Rock Band Microsoft Press Conference Impressions

We check out the first official gameplay footage of The Beatles: Rock Band, complete with shaggy beards, psychedelia, and giant rabbit costumes.

Since its announcement in October last year, The Beatles: Rock Band has become one of the most anticipated games of 2009, set to make the Fab Four's music accessible to fans and gamers alike.

Today at Microsoft's E3 press conference Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos and president of MTV Networks Van Toffler revealed the opening cinematic for The Beatles: Rock Band, as well as 10 tracks from the game. The footage doesn't stray too far from what we've come to expect from the Rock Band games, with some new additions, such as multiple vocals in song tracks and extremely accurate motion-capture depicting the band's onstage mannerisms.

The trailer began with the CG versions of The Beatles playing in a basement (The Cavern, Liverpool, 1963) and quickly moved to a shot of them fleeing from screaming fans as "A Hard Day's Night" played in the background. The onscreen Beatles looked very similar to their real-life counterparts--in the same artistic style as previous Rock Band characterizations. Background visuals appeared highly stylized.

The trailer moved on to the Sgt. Pepper era of The Beatles' career with "Here Comes the Sun" and "I Am the Walrus", accompanied by psychedelic onscreen visuals, a giant elephant and an army of drums marching on legs, and a shot of the band dressed up in giant rabbit costumes.

We finally got to see some gameplay footage, revealing three vocalists singing simultaneously on the same track. We can probably guess this feature has been added to accommodate Beatles harmonies. Behind the track highway, there was also footage of The Beatles playing on stage, in various locations, such as the rooftop of Abbey Road, under the sea for "Octopus's Garden" and in a recording studio. The band members' mannerisms were also very realistic; for example, Paul and John often sang together on the same mic.

The artwork on the individual and band performance indicators also changed; for example, it depicted floral patterns for The Beatles's Sgt. Pepper era. The CG Beatles also aged extremely accurately--one shot revealed John wearing his signature round glasses and shaggy hair, while the other Beatles sport very scruffy beards.

The Beatles: Rock Band will include 45 songs, including the 10 tracks announced during the press conference. The game also featured replicas of the band's real instruments, including John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 guitar, Paul McCartney’s Hofner bass, George Harrison’s Gretsch Duo Jet guitar, and Ringo Starr’s drums with classic black oyster pearl finish, as well as a Ludwig-branded Beatles kick drum head. It's out September 9, 2009.

Stay tuned for our full hands-on impressions from E3 2009.

67 Comments

  • megarobotoman

    Posted Jun 18, 2009 4:43 pm PT

    @ Koruptshin

    I, in fact, have every Beatles album on my ipod and Im not 50. I'm 23. I collect their vinyls and have posters of them. I'm sorry you have such a closed mind.

  • jnewco81

    Posted Jun 17, 2009 1:12 pm PT

    I've been listening to The Beatles since I was 16, absolutely love them. Most modern music sucks balls by comparison

  • Illuve

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 5:05 pm PT

    I gotta say.. you guys seem pretty concerned and bothered for "not caring" especially the ones that keep showing us how intelligent they are by adding, "oh, and this song... wasn't even when that guy was there singing in that one time the band was still together when I wasn't even alive... yeah it was a different time period and uh... Yoko Ono sucks! I know so much more than everybody else especially the people making the game... but this game sucks and beatles' music sucks, in fact, I don't even care actually..." thats what you sound like. Your little keyboards are clicking away and all I hear is... wah wah wah clickity clack i'm a big wanker...

  • Nekotenma

    Posted Jun 11, 2009 5:11 pm PT

    Koruptshin, Yes I do have Beatles on my iPod, and no, I'm only 20. The Beatles are loved by many, so I think you're just being overly-biased right now. I'll talk to you when you take your head out of your ass.

  • Koruptshin

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 5:15 pm PT

    DOES ANYONE HAVE BEATLES MUSIC ON THEIR IPOD i mean come you have to be 50 years old to be excited about the beatles

  • SQUALL20XX

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 1:10 pm PT

    Not my type

  • Spac3w33d

    Posted Jun 7, 2009 2:45 pm PT

    This doesnt seem like a real game just an add on

  • snax13

    Posted Jun 7, 2009 12:00 pm PT

    This is just getting stupid. This is turning into Madden only there is no new features, and probably never will be. Rockband and Guitar Hero are just BIG, HUGE, CASH COWS. I can safely use the phrase, "That was so 7th grade."

  • SSBFan12

    Posted Jun 6, 2009 7:01 pm PT

    I might rent this game but not buy it.

  • blackace

    Posted Jun 6, 2009 8:00 am PT

    Looks interesting. I like most of the Beatles music. I may have to pick this up. I wonder if my Guitar Hero guitars will work with this game or not?

  • megarobotoman

    Posted Jun 5, 2009 8:28 pm PT

    Oh yea, and "Here Comes the Sun" was from Abbey Road, not Sgt. Pepper.

  • megarobotoman

    Posted Jun 5, 2009 8:25 pm PT

    @danopix

    If you want to learn real guitar then go pick up a REAL GUITAR and take lessons. You seem to forget this is a video game and is meant for casual enjoyment. Folks who play actual music also play rhthym-based games because its FUN. Try to be more open-minded.

  • aok1425

    Posted Jun 5, 2009 5:24 pm PT

    "Here Comes the Sun" was not from the Sgt. Pepper's era, it was long after!

  • SpikedStrider

    Posted Jun 5, 2009 3:57 am PT

    I think it looks awesome, but I am more excited about the Van Halen version.

  • ChidoriBoyU

    Posted Jun 5, 2009 12:03 am PT

    another button mashing music game *sigh* from guitar hero to rockband to the beatles all are the same booooooooring

  • nightsinner

    Posted Jun 4, 2009 2:15 am PT

    I'm sorry you've got to ask how many kids even know who the Beatles are? I just had a seventeen year old ask me who Van Halen was, I don't think this is going to be that popular unless you're like me and you're just a kid that never grew up. And did you see Paul and Ringo at the Microsoft E3 Press Conference? Did the two of them even know a video game was being made with them as the theme five minutes before they hit the stage? Or I guess drugs are really bad for you. You've got to be joking Microsoft???

  • The_Deepblue

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 10:59 pm PT

    Looks great. Big Beatles fan.

  • asian_pride69

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 10:43 pm PT

    Looking forward to playing the Beatles classics...sweet

  • jijieric97

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 6:35 pm PT

    ...

  • Sir_Hobo

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 5:00 pm PT

    Only 45 songs? Hmmm... This will probably still be worth it though.

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