Xbox 360 and PS3 owners have been enjoying the new songs, improved instruments, and added features of Rock Band 2 for over two months now. To this point, Wii and PS2 rockers have been left out. We have a bit of good news for half that group, namely the Wii owners. The Wii version of Rock Band 2 will be shipping on December 18th, which means if you're lucky, you can be playing it on Christmas Day. The Rock Band Forums have the official news, coming from Harmonix themselves.
It's unknown what the lengthy delay was all about. Likely, it was the inclusion of a full online World Tour mode, plus the launch of downloadable content for the Wii. It appears that maybe the Wii can indeed keep up with the more robust online features of the Xbox 360 and PS3, at least when a top notch developer is on it. Check out the full press release after the break.
Hi Everyone:
We just announced on Friday that we'll officially be shipping out the
Wii™ version of Rock Band 2 on December 18th. This is just 2 months after
our September 14th launch on Xbox 360, and we're really pleased with the
game we were able to put together.
As most of you know, we're avid readers of our forums, and we place a
lot of stock into what our fans think. We've seen that many users in the
Wii community have been unhappy with the period of time between Rock
Band's release on other platforms and on Wii. We want to apologize
for the delay in getting RB2 onto the Wii and to reaffirm that we
believe that Wii is an amazing and unique fit for Rock Band 2, and one
that we care deeply about getting right.
The extra time we've spent on RB2 Wii has resulted in the definitive
full band experience on that platform. In addition to a fully functional
online world tour, updatable battle of the bands, robust character
creation, and a DLC catalog that will be growing exponentially after
launch, we've maintained the highest standard in 4-player collaborative
game play, allowing you to rock to over 100 amazing songs just by
purchasing Rock Band 2. Also, we can confirm that this game is
compatible with other existing instrument controllers available for
Wii for both guitar and drums. Even if you've picked up another full
band game, you can grab Rock Band 2 in its standalone software format,
buying individual instruments and the disc itself to customize your
band. We believe we’ve created an extraordinary game with the help
of Nintendo, and we think that you'll all be very pleased when you get
your hands on it.
This game could not have been completed without the tireless efforts of
our partners at Pi Studios in Houston, who literally worked through a
hurricane to bring this game in before the holidays. It was a sight to
behold, and anyone waiting for Rock Band 2 for Wii (or PS2 for that
matter) owes them a big thanks. Their efforts, combined with our
internal Rock Band team and Nintendo, are what made the game the best
Wii game available in full band gameplay this holiday. Going forward, it
is our ambition to release future games on Wii simultaneously with
releases on the other platforms.
We're going to continue to watch these forums to see how you're enjoying
the game and how we can best support you moving forward. With the launch
of our DLC catalog (which will work seamlessly with an SD card) and
ongoing online support (with new battles posted consistently), Rock Band
2 brings the living breathing world of rock to Wii in full effect.
We know you will enjoy it.
Yours,
Harmonix
Source: Rockband.com