MTV expected more from Rock Band in Europe

In an exclusive interview with MCV, MTV’s general manager and executive VP Scott Guthrie has admitted that the publisher is not satisfied with the performance of the Rock Band franchise in Europe.

The honest answer is no,” Guthrie admitted when asked if he was happy with the performance of The Beatles: Rock band in Europe. We were expecting higher sales.

We got caught in a few things that happened last year. It was a tough economy; there was a lot of competitive products out there, and I think Beatles probably had softer sales than it would have if some of those things weren’t in play. Overall we were pleased with the sales. I think that we underestimated the competition and they took mind share away from us.”

However, Guthrie still thinks the music genre has a big future – and that Rock Band can rise to mirror the success it has had in the US and claim market leadership in the sector.

What has happened is that people now have the plastic peripherals in their homes,” he added. I think that is where we are in the evolution of music games. Most people have their instruments and they are only looking to buy the software. Music games are still significant in the marketplace – they’re the number two genre behind shooters.

We have a long way to go, and we are playing catch-up – we were not the first people in the market and we’re up against not just a formidable opponent in Activision, but also Sony with the SingStar franchise. There are several things in play here – but we absolutely believe we can be the market leader.”

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