Ubisoft hannounced the new Rocksmith 2014 Edition, the next installment of the hit Rocksmith brand that has taught 1.4 million people worldwide how to play guitar. Rocksmith 2014 Edition will be available in October, and allows players to plug any real guitar or bass directly into their Xbox 360, the Sony PlayStation 3, PC or Mac to begin their musical journey.
The first Rocksmith is already the fastest way to learn guitar according to a national study by Research Strategy Group Inc. Another study conducted by Toluna Group reported that 95% of Rocksmith players say it improved their guitar skills. In Rocksmith 2014 Edition players will experience an even more efficient and enjoyable method of learning guitar.
With a completely redesigned interface and all-new features, Rocksmith 2014 Edition is tailored to better teach the key elements of guitar playing, and to make learning faster and more fun than any other method. A new fully customizable “Riff Repeater” lets players select any section of a song they want to play, and adjust the difficulty and speed on-the-fly. A new “Master Mode” makes playing by memory more approachable and new “Guitarcade” mini-games have been created to hone specific guitar skills. With these flexible and deep practice tools, it’s never been easier for players to play their favorite songs on guitar or bass.
Rocksmith 2014 Edition also features a new track list with more than 50 hit tracks, including “Stone” by Alice In Chains, “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan, “The Chimera” by The Smashing Pumpkins, “Don’t Look Back In Anger” by Oasis, “ultra soul” by B’z, a famous pop-rock Japanese band. Many more hits will be announced in the coming months.
On stage at E3, Ubisoft demonstrated Session Mode, a groundbreaking technology that enables players of any skill level to play guitar with a virtual band that jams along with them. Players can select the style of music and the particular instruments they’d like to accompany them and the rest happens dynamically, adapting live while they play.
Jerry Cantrell of multi-platinum rock band, Alice In Chains said, “Rocksmith’s new Session Mode feature is one of the most innovative music technologies in recent history and gives you the experience of playing with a real band that actually adapts to you. The new Rocksmith 2014 Edition teaches real techniques for players of all skill levels.”
“Focus groups confirmed Rocksmith as one of Ubisoft’s best-loved brands, with high player satisfaction scores confirming it is highly effective and enjoyable,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Ubisoft. “We are bringing Rocksmith back and better than ever, it’s a brand we want to continue to build.”
Rocksmith 2014 Edition will retail for $79.99. Any players that already own the Rocksmith Real Tone Cable can save $20 by pre-ordering the “No Cable Included” Version for $59.99. Additionally, everyone who pre-orders any version from select U.S. retailers will get “Cherub Rock” by The Smashing Pumpkins as a free bonus song which will be downloadable when the game is available.