Where did this idea of buying more and more plastic come from? You could buy the game alone, not just bundled with hardware. 
 
I don't think the decline can be attributed to "hardware burnout" alone, and that it is being burnt out on the game style as a whole. A lot of people have been playing "press 5 buttons in time" for quite a few years now, and they just don't find it as infectiously addictive as they did when it was new and fresh and exciting to learn. 
 
I don't see how making it more complicated (real instruments) would reinvigorate the genre, simply because part of what makes the games great is that there is a much gentler learning curve in picking up a plastic instrument compared to a real one. Real instruments would also make the cost for entry considerably higher, and many people already found that rhythm games were simply too expensive to justify (full band kits and all that). 

Why is this blog under the Rock Band heading when it's Guitar Hero that has gotten the axe? 
 
I don't agree that people are burnt out on the hardware.   As Scapegoat said, the smart people buy the game alone, using previous hardware.  Over the course of the years sure, I have amassed a few guitars here and there.  Within reason though, and because we went from PS2 guitars, to 360 Wired Guitars, to RB Guitars (wireless) to GH's wireless Guitars.
 
People are burnt out from fucking 11 XXXX Hero games in a year and a half.  And one of the things you did get spot on was GH's model of buying a new game every time.  I agree.  While I was a fan since the first, it was really starting to tick me off by the time I had GH, GH2 on both PS and 360, GH:Rock the 80s, and GH3.  The only one I ever plug in anymore is GH: Metallica. 
 
As for the part about games allowing  the use of real life instruments, that already exists.  It's called Power Gig, and if you haven't heard of it, that probably shows how well it's done for itself. 
 
As for myself, no, I don't find that I HAVE to go home and play whatever music game like maybe I did a few years ago.  But it's still a great party activity.  And honestly, Rock Band is also decent for keeping my voice in shape for singing.

Consider this regarding Power Gig:  Guitar Hero started out with only Guitar and Bass parts too.  Though since Power Gig isn't doing well, I doubt they'll expand to the other instruments. 
 
I agree with on some of the problems with Rock Band.  I don't like the whole pro mode thing, really.  I mean the idea behind it is cool.  It's the pricing model I'm not fond of. 
  
Also yes, the lack of keyboard support for the older songs (without paying to upgrade the song, IF the upgrade is even available) has made it so that my keyboard pretty much just collects dust. 
 
The characters in GH I kinda liked.  I think maybe its because I played since the beginning.  I didn't like some of the changes they made to them though throughout the games.  I remember I was very disappointed in Pandora for a game or two, and even Casey for a game or two.  Though yes, I often preferred to customize my own character.  GH's character customization wasn't too bad either.  In fact, I found that I preferred their character customization more in some regards. 
 
As to the future of Rock Band, I don't know that I agree with what people are saying in the other thread about the music selection of DLC.  I usually find a pack a month (or the equivalent number of songs) that I want to download.  And there are some real gems in the RBN as long as you're not strictly looking for stuff you've heard of before.  I don't even have HALF of the DLC available, and we still have plenty of music to have fun with.  My fear though, now that I think about it, is that HMX might do away with their weekly DLC content and just have the game supported by RBN.  If this does happen, then we'll know that there are problems.

This topic is making me feel like everybody is forgetting that Rock Band 3 can use real instruments.... =/

" @CL60: I think it's that no one does.  I've never tried plugging our bass or guitar in.  But that's because I play RB to have fun, not to feel like I'm practicing.  =/ "

" This topic is making me feel like everybody is forgetting that Rock Band 3 can use real instruments.... =/ "