William Johnson's Current Events Entry for September 4, 2009

All Together Now: Play the Game, Mom

On September 9^th, 2009, one of the most anticipated releases in video game history will happen. The name of the release should tell any doubters or skeptics about the wide-ranging impact of this release in The Beatles: Rock Band. While the writer of this article, Seth Schiesel, speaks about his theory that releases of similar games like the different issues of Guitar Hero and previous Rock Band editions have brought classic rock to the teen demographic more than anything else, the game is not necessarily just for them in many different ways.

This release, he claims, is a watershed moment for the gaming industry as it is among the first releases that seeks to connect a divide of anywhere from one to two generations. Parents and grandparents who already play WiiSports or participate in WiiFit activities with their younger kids while often unconsciously bridging other gaps in the entertainment process will now be able to combine the experience of playing in concert with the music that the baby boomer generation grew up with in their years.

The release is planned on the same day that a massive box set of the music of The Beatles. I find that as no coincidence whatsoever, but as a way of working to help reemphasize the fact that because great songs and great musician’s works live inside of us, they never die. If this integration of bringing the youth medium of video games with the older medium of listening to classic rock of their day is a negative to some because it takes a video game, that’s understandable, but wouldn’t one then want to get the attention of the upcoming generation through this medium if that were the case? If they wanted to get a point across with the new crop of kids, is there any better place for them to go than to tap into what they consider as their medium?