White Stripes make Rock Band debut next week

Harmonix and MTV Games will release a three pack of tracks from The White Stripes and singles from The Damned and Kasabian will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.

Tracks from No Doubt and Dropkick Murphys will be available for download next week for Rock Band Unplugged on PSP.

Sadly, no LEGO Rock Band content mentioned unless I am missing something here, which Is highly doubtful. Anyway, here’s the completel list:

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 10) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 12):

- The Damned – “Smash It Up (Part II)” 

- Kasabian – “Club Foot”

- The White Stripes – “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground”

- The White Stripes – “Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine”

- The White Stripes – “Icky Thump”

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Nov. 12):

- No Doubt – “Excuse Me Mr.”

- Dropkick Murphys – “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”

Jesper Kyd scores Assassin’s Creed II

If you didn’t know, Jesper Kyd has created the soundtrack for Ubisoft’s upcoming third-person stealth action game, Assassin’s Creed II. Kyd scored the first game’s soundtrack and hopes to bring the same kind of magic to the follow-up - an atmospheric score that offers a “new direction and crafts an immensely diverse, melodic and progressive musical palette featuring acoustic and symphonic orchestrations with emotional depth and diversity.” Sounds fanciful and footloose. The original score was recorded with a Hollywood orchestra and choir at the Capitol Studios. The Assassin’s Creed II Original Soundtrack will be available for digital download from popular music stores on November 16th.

The game is scheduled to launch on November 17th, 2009 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC. For more information about Assassin’s Creed II, visit www.assassinscreed.com.

Ubisoft’s Jam Sessions 2 in stores this week

Ubisoft has released Jam Sessions 2 for the Nintendo DS and DSi at retailers across the U.S. Jam Sessions 2 is a guitar game developed by Plato that attempts to make improving your guitar skills fun and rewarding.

Each song in the game play mode serves a different role in advancing players’ guitar skills and songwriting abilities. By progressing through the songbook, players can learn techniques that will help them play the guitar and write songs. Armed with their new skills, players can then play, create and share their original music with others.

Jam Sessions 2 is rated E10+ by the ESRB and has an MSRP of $29.99.

KORG DS-10 Plus coming in early 2010

Cavia Inc. is developing KORG DS-10 Plus for DS and DSi in conjunction with Procyon Studio, which will be published by XSEED in North America in early 2010, it was announced today. KORG DS-10 Plus builds on KORG DS-10 with new upgrades and improved performance that utilize the special features of the DSi.

KORG DS-10 Plus is a revamped version of the famous music-creation program offering per-track MUTE/SOLO built into the SONG mode, and EDIT/PLAY enabled for all modes within the SONG mode for further improved real-time performance. The touch-screen controls of Nintendo DS are utilized to provide an authentic feel and operability across a dual-screen layout and the 6-track/16-step sequencer enables control and a wide range of musical possibilities. Up to eight units can be linked via wireless connection to play together or to exchange sounds and songs.

Nintendo DSi owners can enjoy additional improvements including 12-voice polyphony, 4 tracks for the analog synthesizer simulator, 2 drum machines and more. Also available exclusively when played on the DSi are 2 effects layers, essentially giving users the functionality of two original KORG DS-10’s in one.

Queen headlines LEGO Rock Band

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games today announced that LEGO Rock Band will feature the likeness of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Queen. Appearing in the game as LEGO minifigures, front man Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor will be rocking out to their hits “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions.”

Guitarist Brian May seems excited about it: “This is IT! I wanna play!,” he said. “When do I get my toy LEGO man?” Right on, we say.

Today also marks the release of the Queen pack for the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content, featuring 10 of the band’s most loved songs including Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, Fat Bottomed Girls and the Queen/David Bowie collaboration, Under Pressure. In addition, Queen will release Absolute Greatest on Nov. 17, featuring 20 of the band’s biggest hits.

LEGO Rock Band is scheduled for release holiday 2009.

The Sims 3 World Adventures star power

The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack for the PC and Mac, coming this November, will feature over a dozen additional artists who will lend their Simlish voice stylings to The Sims 3 World Adventures including GRAMMY winner LeAnn Rimes and hot rising stars Fefe Dobson, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Katie Melua, Esme Denters, Evan Taubenfeld, Madina Lake, and more. A list of these songs can be found right after the break.

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Tyler Bates scores Army of Two: The 40th Day

EA Montreal announced that film composer Tyler Bates will be creating the score for the third person co-op shooter sequel ARMY OF TWO: THE 40TH DAY. Bates is best known for his work on the films 300 and Watchmen, is crafting a score that will highlight the co-operative battles gamers and their friends will face in what EA hopes is the first major video game release of 2010.

With more than 50 films and 15 years experience, Bates is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after composers. In addition to Watchmen and 300, he has scored hit films such as The Day the Earth StoodStill, Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween 2, and Showtime’s hit comedy series “Californication”.

ARMY OF TWO: THE 40TH DAY will ship on January 12, in North America and January 8, 2010 in Europe. The game will be available for the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PSP.