They told us at Leipzig that no song in the game would be a cover and they would all be master tracks. They also said that they were making loads of exclusive music deals in the battle to win back the hearts and minds of gamers that were stolen by Rock Band. Well they didn’t add that last bit that was mine. Now they’re trying to do the same with the instruments by featuring several of the most influential instrument and equipment brands in the music industry. Gamers can score in-game sponsorships and gear from Ampeg, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian cymbals, Vox and Zildjian drumsticks.

In addition to featuring products, the game lets virtual bands play on the same stage as many of their favorite musicians with digital re-creations of Amoeba Music, Live Nation’s House of Blues Sunset Strip and San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player “Battle of the Bands,” which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PS3. The Wii version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated 12+ by PEGI and 12 by the BBFC.

Now I saw the game at Leipzig and it’s cool. The guitar is light years better than the previous one but we haven’t been able to play with all the bits and bobs and it seems like they’re more interested right now in keeping companies away from Rock Band than they are in bettering the game experience for us. I’m not saying the game experience hasn’t improved, but I’m saying it seems like they’re trying to take all the toys for themselves.

Will it work? Who knows. Both brands have a strong market presence but now it’s like a "they did it we need to do it" situation.