Coming in March 2011, the Fender Squier Stratocaster will go on sale. This guitar is designed to be used with Rock Band 3 and is an actual working guitar. Reports are that it will retail for around $280 which isn’t a bad price for a working Fender guitar/video game controller.
If you are like me, who got the itch to play guitar after playing some of the Rock Band/Guitar Hero titles, look no further as this will help kill two birds with one stone. Not only can you score your Microsoft points, but you can also learn your power cords as well. Best thing is, you can unhook from the game and go straight to your amp for real life rock and roll. Look out Brett Micheals, here we come.
“This groundbreaking partnership with Fender ushers in a new era in rhythm gaming, providing countless music fans their first opportunity to enter the world of real musicianship,” said Alex Rigopulos, CEO and Co-Founder, Harmonix Music Systems. “The Rock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster will allow players to enjoy the addictive fun of the rhythm gaming with Rock Band while simultaneously developing skills on a real musical instrument, helping to close the gap between simulation and reality.”
Rock Band Pro is available in all modes of Rock Band 3, and features tutorials and a variety of difficulties, including Easy, meaning that real instrument performance is within reach of any player, no matter their experience level.
“We’ve heard countless stories about how Rock Band has inspired folks to pick up and learn to play guitar,” said Mark Van Vleet, SVP of Business Affairs at Fender. “This instrument and the Rock Band Pro gameplay contained within Rock Band 3 are uniquely poised to open the doors of musical enjoyment for music lovers around the world. Quite simply put, this is a huge step forward and a momentous occasion in guitar instruction and music entertainment.”
The Rock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster uses technology built into the neck and fingerboard of the guitar to track finger positions in real time. The guitar also transmits strum data for the six individual strings, allowing the game to give feedback to players as they make the leap from rhythm game rocking to real world skills. Players can unplug from the fun of Rock Band 3 and plug directly into an amp to rock for real.
