Speaking to GameDaily, brand manager Will Kassoy has questioned the ability of Harmonix's to steal the rhythm-music crown from the series they created. Kassoy told the website he remains unconvinced by the game's mass market appeal and ease of use.

"I think some of the early signs we've seen might make [Rock Band] a little more complex than some of the things that make Guitar Hero so great, which is its accessibility and ease of play for everyone," he explained. "If you go beyond the game to just really mass market consumers, people haven't heard about Rock Band yet and the fact that it's only on next-generation platforms is going to be a little bit limiting."

Activision will launch Guitar Hero III later this year on a number of platforms, around which time it will go head to head with the EA/MTV-backed Rock Band, out on the and PS3.

"We'll compete, obviously, on who's got the better tracks and who's got the better and who's first to market and who had the brand and who actually built the thing. That'll all come out in this Fall, and the market will help decide," contends EA's Frank Gibeau, subtly teasing Activision with reference to Harmonix's departure from the Guitar Hero series, the name of which is owned by Acti.

By Luke Guttridge

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