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Pre-Order Guitar Hero 5, Get Van Halen For Free

You're going to want to JUMP on this offer!


OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY!
OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY!
Man, the competition between Guitar Hero and Rock Band is getting pretty cutthroat. Activision announced today that if you pre-order Guitar Hero 5, or if you pick up a specially marked copy of Guitar Hero 5 during the month of September, not only will you get a copy of Guitar Hero: Van Halen for free, you'll get it "long before it takes the stage in stores." That's pretty vague, though with a current US release date of December 22, you could potentially be playing "Running With the Devil" and hurting yourself trying to do kick-splits in your living room a solid month or two before its street date, at the incredibly attractive price of free.

There's a certain As-Seen-On-TV, too-good-to-be-true vibe to this whole offer, like I'm being conned here, though that might just be my recent overexposure to QVC. Either way, I'm having a hard time getting a read on Activision's motivation here. Is this just a sign of the publisher's willingness to lose a potential sale to really reinforce loyalty to the Guitar Hero platform, or is the publisher uncertain about the sales potential for a Van Halen game? I know both the Aerosmith and Metallica games sold reasonably well, though the luster on the Van Halen legacy has, sadly, been tarnished by the past decade of weird in-fighting and constant personnel changes. With Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony both excluded entirely from Guitar Hero: Van Halen, it's apparent that has bled into the game as well. But hey, that's their problem--all you need to know is FREE GAME! FREE GAME!

Here's the fine print of the full press release.
 

Guitar Hero® is offering fans across the US an unheard of limited time bonus offer.  With every purchase of specially marked copies of Guitar Hero® 5 during the month of September, living room legends will be able to rock out with an advance copy of the unreleased Guitar Hero® Van Halen® (up to a $60 MSRP value), long before it takes the stage in stores.
 
Rock out to over 130 on-disc tracks in two games on September 1 by pre-ordering Guitar Hero 5 now at your local retailer or at http://gh5.guitarhero.com/preorder.php and picking up your copy in September, or by buying specially marked copies of the game at any retailer anytime during the month of September, and take advantage of this limited time offer.
 
Please visit www.guitarhero.com/vanhalengameoffer for full offer and redemption details.

80 Comments

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Ryan

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Edited By Ryan  Staff

OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY!
OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY!
Man, the competition between Guitar Hero and Rock Band is getting pretty cutthroat. Activision announced today that if you pre-order Guitar Hero 5, or if you pick up a specially marked copy of Guitar Hero 5 during the month of September, not only will you get a copy of Guitar Hero: Van Halen for free, you'll get it "long before it takes the stage in stores." That's pretty vague, though with a current US release date of December 22, you could potentially be playing "Running With the Devil" and hurting yourself trying to do kick-splits in your living room a solid month or two before its street date, at the incredibly attractive price of free.

There's a certain As-Seen-On-TV, too-good-to-be-true vibe to this whole offer, like I'm being conned here, though that might just be my recent overexposure to QVC. Either way, I'm having a hard time getting a read on Activision's motivation here. Is this just a sign of the publisher's willingness to lose a potential sale to really reinforce loyalty to the Guitar Hero platform, or is the publisher uncertain about the sales potential for a Van Halen game? I know both the Aerosmith and Metallica games sold reasonably well, though the luster on the Van Halen legacy has, sadly, been tarnished by the past decade of weird in-fighting and constant personnel changes. With Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony both excluded entirely from Guitar Hero: Van Halen, it's apparent that has bled into the game as well. But hey, that's their problem--all you need to know is FREE GAME! FREE GAME!

Here's the fine print of the full press release.
 

Guitar Hero® is offering fans across the US an unheard of limited time bonus offer.  With every purchase of specially marked copies of Guitar Hero® 5 during the month of September, living room legends will be able to rock out with an advance copy of the unreleased Guitar Hero® Van Halen® (up to a $60 MSRP value), long before it takes the stage in stores.
 
Rock out to over 130 on-disc tracks in two games on September 1 by pre-ordering Guitar Hero 5 now at your local retailer or at http://gh5.guitarhero.com/preorder.php and picking up your copy in September, or by buying specially marked copies of the game at any retailer anytime during the month of September, and take advantage of this limited time offer.
 
Please visit www.guitarhero.com/vanhalengameoffer for full offer and redemption details.

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DragoonKain1687

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Edited By DragoonKain1687

Wow, still not going to buy GH 5 though

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PLWolf

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Edited By PLWolf

I'm on board, just ordered GH5. I like this deal a whole lot.
 
So I'll have this, Van Halen, and The Beatles: Rock Band. Lots of music gaming for me the rest of this year. Can't wait.

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BlackIrish05

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Edited By BlackIrish05
@DragoonKain1687 said:
" Wow, still not going to buy GH 5 though "
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toowalrus

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Edited By toowalrus

I may do this just for Van Halen... I know, surprising, eh?

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dj

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Edited By dj

Too bad I'm basically done with rhythm games at this point. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. 

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rinkalicous

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Edited By rinkalicous

What with the vast amount of DLC for both Rock Band and Guitar Hero, my guess is they just want you locked in (dammit, QVC lingo is bleeding into my everyday sentences) with GH DLC so people won't want to defect to Rock Band.

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church069

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Edited By church069

While the deal is tempting, I'm still going with the Beatles: Rock Band for my music game this year.
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FunExplosions

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Edited By FunExplosions

I'm boycotting this complete shit and sell-out series of games. Bought Guitar Hero II, had some fun, won't play Guitar Hero again. Anyway, I hate the fucking bands they're choosing for the exclusive games. Aerosmith? Metallica? Van Halen? They sure love that money.
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AgentofChaos

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Edited By AgentofChaos

Damn you and your filthy puns!

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Anilones

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Edited By Anilones

Activision must be **** scared about TB:RB to make this promotion.

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ConciseCabbage

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Edited By ConciseCabbage
@DragoonKain1687 said:
" Wow, still not going to buy GH 5 though "
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ahoodedfigure

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Edited By ahoodedfigure

The puns!  I'm mellllting.

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NMC2008

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Edited By NMC2008

Beatles RB will tank, I pre-ordered this as soon as this deal popped up.
I find it funny that people think there are a huge amount of Beatles fans that also play video games, let alone a rhythm game, crazy.

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RoyaleWifCheese

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Edited By RoyaleWifCheese

No, thank you. I will stick with Beatles.

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Kajaah117

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Edited By Kajaah117
@DragoonKain1687 said:
" Wow, still not going to buy GH 5 though "
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birchman

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Edited By birchman

Two bad games in one, wowie!

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Afroman269

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Edited By Afroman269

Pass

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TheGreatGuero

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Edited By TheGreatGuero

Good deal, but I think I'm over it. I do really love Van Halen though, and have considered getting that game, but eh... I don't know, dude. I do plan on buying The Beatles Rock Band... Hmm... yeah, I'm kind of stumped here.

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Heartagram

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Edited By Heartagram

I already wanted GH5 from the set list and the promise of a more guitar focused game this sold me even more

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chewii101

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Edited By chewii101

Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess.

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RHCPfan24

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Edited By RHCPfan24

Oh shit, this is now a pretty good deal. Shit. Why am I considering it? DAMN YOU ACTIVISION!!! I WILL STILL TRY TO RESIST.

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akumasan

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Edited By akumasan

I wonder what the odds of getting this offer in the UK is? I'm betting slim to none.

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Ravage

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Edited By Ravage

SOLD!
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CL60

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Edited By CL60

Holy snappin'

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AngryKraut

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Edited By AngryKraut

No thanks

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spiceninja

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Edited By spiceninja

That is an amazing deal but it makes me wonder if they're doing this because Van Halen is a bare bones game that isn't worth the $60.

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dethfish

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Edited By dethfish

I might have to pre-order GH5 now. It comes with a free game, there can't be a better deal than that.
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FightMeNerd

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Edited By FightMeNerd
@DragoonKain1687 said:
" Wow, still not going to buy GH 5 though "
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sociald1077

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Edited By sociald1077

I'm down with this. Basicly thats 130 songs for 60 bucks, best deal yet in the fake plastic rock genre. Also means that I can now now not feel nearly as bad for buying The Beatles game as well. 3 rythem games this fall was pushing it, but 2 plus 1 free is better.
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BrainSpecialist

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Edited By BrainSpecialist

Have to say, this is an amazing deal. Still prefer RB to GH, going to hook up the midi port from the GH kit to an electric drum kit, and have THE BEST ROCK BAND KIT EVER. Fact.

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ashogo

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Edited By ashogo
@NMC2008 said:
" Beatles RB will tank, I pre-ordered this as soon as this deal popped up. I find it funny that people think there are a huge amount of Beatles fans that also play video games, let alone a rhythm game, crazy. "
You're kidding, right? The Beatles are universally loved, of course there are a huge amounts of fans that also play games.
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Ouroboros

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Edited By Ouroboros

Amazing deal, coming from a RB fan - probably wont sway me, primarily because im broke and jobless due to a layoff but i can see this making a lot of sales.

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SgtReznor

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Edited By SgtReznor

I'm actually surprised that they've done a GH:VH at all. 
 
Are Van Halen really that popular on a mainstream level to warrant their own game? They certainly aren't/weren't in Australia

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skrutop

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Edited By skrutop

I'm calling it; "Desperate People" by Living Colour will be launch DLC for GH5.

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MaddProdigy

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Edited By MaddProdigy

wtf so i get....two MORE guitar hero games. and they probably won't even have seriously different features. sweet! double the plastic instruments to pile on the growing collection

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HairyMike87

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Edited By HairyMike87

I would do this to get Van Halen and then just sell GH5. But then again, why give them the satisfaction of the purchase.

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MeatSim

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Edited By MeatSim

Well you can't beat free games but I still have no interest in Guitar Hero.

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Daftasabat

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Edited By Daftasabat

Van Halen for free, i'm still thinking it's overpriced :)

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NMC2008

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Edited By NMC2008
@ashogo said:

" @NMC2008 said:

" Beatles RB will tank, I pre-ordered this as soon as this deal popped up. I find it funny that people think there are a huge amount of Beatles fans that also play video games, let alone a rhythm game, crazy. "

You're kidding, right? The Beatles are universally loved, of course there are a huge amounts of fans that also play games. "
 

 We'll see, September NPDs will be very interesting to say the least.
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Burrobean

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Edited By Burrobean

Wow, this has a sort of "Going Out of Business, Fire Sale" vibe to it.  Do they really want to turn an entire game into a purchase incentive?  I guess a little figure or art book wasn't gonna be enough.  Still, given how flat-out greedy and evil Activision has been lately, a sweet deal like this is a pleasant change.  Too bad it also has a slight air of desperation.
 
I'm still not biting, though.  My money's going to Beatles Rock Band, and I'll either rent the new GH games or buy them for cheap later on.  (I got GH World Tour for 20 bucks brand new)

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citizenkane

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Edited By citizenkane

This is a sweet deal.  Too bad I don't care for either game or any game in that genre.

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Earthborn

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Edited By Earthborn
@Daftasabat said:
" Van Halen for free, i'm still thinking it's overpriced :) "
I second this. In the case it's already been seconded. Thirdsies.
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jeffgoldblum

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Edited By jeffgoldblum

Im good with my Beatles RockBand which will actually be supported with DLC instead of being abandoned the next time Activision finds a shiny new band to play with.

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ht101

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Edited By ht101

I will skip this because I don't care for the Guitar Hero franchise anymore and the fact that no Sammy Hagar is in GH:VH, I am still not buying it.

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Naikori

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Edited By Naikori

Guitar Hero 5 doesn't intrest me. Nor does Guitar Hero: Van Halen.
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toowalrus

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Edited By toowalrus
@SgtReznor said:
" I'm actually surprised that they've done a GH:VH at all. 
 
Are Van Halen really that popular on a mainstream level to warrant their own game? They certainly aren't/weren't in Australia "
Maybe they aren't that popular, but they are that good. Eddies guitar will be a blast to play, and I sing Dave's lyrics even without a guitar hero game...
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yindotrunks

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Edited By yindotrunks

Seems like a great deal to me.  I'm much more interested in this deal than a game featuring songs from just one band that I don't even particularly like.

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JamesF

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Edited By JamesF
@DragoonKain1687 said:
" Wow, still not going to buy GH 5 though "