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Posted on: Apr 01, 2008
Guitar Hero 4 Controller Unveiled
WORDS BY: OXM Staff
If three is a magic number, what does that make four? If you’re going by the controller designed for the next chapter in Activision’s Guitar Hero dynasty, only one word will do: Fantastic!
“Our customers don’t want to buy new guitars with every new release,” says Paolo Fril, head of research and development for Guitar Hero publisher RedOctane. “We know that many GHIII players opted not to get the wireless Les Paul and simply used the GHII X-Plorer controllers they already owned. So, for Guitar Hero 4, we really needed a radical reason to make people upgrade.”
Introducing the Guitar Hero Fourplay
That radical reason – shown here at OXMonline.com exclusively – is a quad-necked monstrosity based on Guitar Hero II’s X-Plorer controller, currently nicknamed The Fourplay. “For the first time in franchise history, GH4 will incorporate four-player guitar showdowns,” says Fril. “It was only logical to extend that multiplayer functionality to the controller, too.”
When activated, the Fourplay illuminates the Xbox 360’s entire Ring of Light, registering as four distinct wireless controllers. “But it’s not,” says Fril with a grin. “That’s the beauty of it. We found a way to make one controller into four, and four into one.” Fril adds that the Fourplay will be compatible with previous Guitar Hero games as well as the forthcoming Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, but in a limited capacity. “We’re not going to go back and patch the games to support the third and fourth necks,” says Fril, “but you can use the top two necks in the previous games as a two-player double-necked controller. You just have to enjoy the really, really close company of player two.”
The guitar is still deep in development; Fril says the extra set of buttons high on the neck aren’t final because “we may throw a few more on there before we’re done, and we’ve considered putting a few buttons on the back of the neck, too.” Fril is confident that the final production model will be “well under” the protoype’s current weight of 27 pounds, and notes that RedOctane and Activision both want the unit’s retail price to be “as far below $350 as we can get it.” Of course, Fril feels that will be money well spent. “Basically, you and your friends never need to buy another guitar controller again,” he promises, adding, “Take that, you Harmonix bastards.”
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 09:25
Posted by Gamer_Nub
lol nice, but i think if ur playing with ur best mate it might look just a bit gay playing that close, might be good for u and ur girlfriend, kool concept tho i like it with the buttons near the bottom on the neck so wen u do those crazy solos :D GH4 will be awsome
Fri, 04/11/2008 - 13:25
Posted by geek24
hi hi hi hi hi lol just stop gater hero an kep makeing rock band
Wed, 04/09/2008 - 23:58
Posted by AOD 1GAMANATOR1
Thats a cool concept. but i have a hard time with one neck:)
Tue, 04/08/2008 - 20:40
Posted by ghACE614
Ahaha! Thats Pretty Good! Microsoft's April Fools were pretty good too! I actually got all excited about theirs!
Sun, 04/06/2008 - 05:24
Posted by Senor Budd
lol Please put that guitar as a gamer pic in a future OXM disc.
Fri, 04/04/2008 - 11:23
Posted by lgwyant
Great job with the photo editing. I love April 1. :) Your april fools joke was better than some of the other one's I saw.
Thu, 04/03/2008 - 17:48
Posted by Dan OXM
@avanillachild: It's not. But even if it were...would that really be the big giveaway that we were kidding around?
Thu, 04/03/2008 - 16:11
Posted by SilentMerc3nary
rofl @ avanillachild.
Take a joke every once in a while.
Thu, 04/03/2008 - 09:45
Posted by sedington86
It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine...
www.360sync.com
Thu, 04/03/2008 - 04:38
Posted by xbox-361
I cant wait until the day when this comes out. Completley worth the $240.
Thu, 04/03/2008 - 04:03
Posted by AVanillaChild
Wow. Next time you do an April fools joke, make sure the orange button isn't sitting on top of the plastic fret strip...
Thu, 04/03/2008 - 00:58
Posted by DerVorsitzender
April Fools!
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 16:50
Posted by Dan OXM
Spending 70 bucks for a joke...how do you figure?
No, those are high-quality source photograph combined with Gary's photoshop wizardry. So props to him, he ran with it.
The VH guitar is all paint, no tape, and very real. It's detailed here.
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 16:46
Posted by bobcatmtn420
How about a tutorial to make our guitars look like Van Halen's? I Love the frankenstein look....
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 09:05
Posted by cart00nstrip
Dan, you so silly! The hardest thing for ME to believe is that you spent over 70 bucks just for a lackluster joke! Nice attempt, tho'...
gt: cart00nstrip
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 03:30
Posted by Burton0873
I really love the Van Halen guitar in the bg.
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 03:00
Posted by bluesbrothersfan
I will be fooled on wretched April Fool's Day once, and that already happened. Besides, it doesn't even look ergonomically fun to play.
BTW, the only thing that did fool me was a joke by ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, where they said that the last 16 seconds of the Kansas/Davidson game had to be replayed.
And don't even get me started on Major Nelson's sorry attempt...
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 02:45
Posted by RPG Player01
Ha Ha, nice April Fools, but seriously that would be an awesome controller!
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 02:14
Posted by cenahk
at least there isnt a 6th color
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 01:43
Posted by Solitce
Hahaha. Good editing. I gotta show my friends this. the best part is they'll believe it.
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 01:13
Posted by Son_of_Azarel
Sweet Frankenstein tape job on the explorer.
I like how you guys used the GH2 controller as a model rather than the LP. Activision is going to kill the franchise just like TonyHawk.
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 00:58
Posted by ryan_mully_31
O i just realized that was Dan in the picture haha
Death Awaits x
[IMG]http://gamercard.oxmonline.com/Deathbat661.png[/IMG]
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 00:56
Posted by ryan_mully_31
Haha i thought this was real but im like, "there is no way in hell 4 people could fit on that thing at the same time" ahha, good joke OXM, love the podcast p.s.
Death Awaits x
[IMG]http://gamercard.x360a.org/Deathbat661.png[/IMG]
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 00:38
Posted by tbl2020
at first look i was like WOAH
then i realized...
Wed, 04/02/2008 - 00:14
Posted by Dan OXM
Sedington: Yes, you can have my hat. This is where I got it.
http://www.dube.com/hat/tall-juggling-hats.php
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 23:53
Posted by HippieFuzz3
Have you guys heard of the four new XBox Accessories...
Their supa sick crazy!!!
*Sarcastic*
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 23:43
Posted by Confirm4Crit
Nice
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 22:51
Posted by sedington86
Can I have your hat?
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 21:07
Posted by saggin good
Wow even if it's not real I think ya'll just made activision lose all the GH fans.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 20:51
Posted by ATLien4evr
The guitar looks so gay!I mean damn what happen GH! It looks so nerdy!Honestly
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 20:50
Posted by Axe Argonian
Haha...I thought it was real at first,but when I noticed the comments,I learned that this was false. Honestly,though,Microsoft's Inside Xbox feature was the best joke today. Still,I wait until today is over.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 20:44
Posted by ATLien4evr
Damn, thats one ugly ass guitar! How the hell are you supposed to play on that thing! Its a April fools joke I bet!
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 20:38
Posted by hornerboy73
hey man dont be talkin crap about guitar hero
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 20:04
Posted by thedude8591
Nice April fools joke and Guitar Hero sucks. That guitar looks so retarded.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 18:58
Posted by THE RPG NERD
Nice. April Fools be damned, we need this guitar controller.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 18:43
Posted by Bubba L
Ok that has to be the worst April Fool's joke ever. I mean come on that's just easy not to believe.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 18:06
Posted by ezilylost13
I say..... SHENANIGANS!
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 17:35
Posted by AstYak
Amazing.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 17:26
Posted by JasonPWhite
April is the funniest month, breeding
Comedy out of teh internetz, mixing
Truth and falsehoods, stirring
Tired forum trolls with light, airy laughter.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 16:52
Posted by Goon360
The future looks awesome indeed...and heavy.