Kurt Cobain Announced As Playable Character In Guitar Hero 5

All right, this is where my usual positivity battles against my 80’s, grunge influenced childhood.

Activision have announced that Kurt Cobain will be playable in Guitar Hero 5 as one of the five exclusive in-game artists & to be honest, I’m not sure how that sits with me. Part of me says it doesn’t really matter anymore & that it was inevitable so have a table spoon of cement & HTFU, but still part of me thinks that this isn’t exactly in-keeping with Courtney Love’s public announcement to fans back in 2006 when she sold 25% of her Nirvana shares (but not simply to the highest bidder or so she claims), ”We are going to remain very tasteful and true to the spirit of Nirvana while taking the music to places it has never been before.” But we never really fell for that anyway did we?

Since earlier this year pictures aimed at shocking Nirvana fans & people in general who have an ounce of humanity in them have already begun circulating (see below) & people have already voiced strong opinions against these.

Admittedly, I could be being a tad bit precious however these developments have for me put a bit of a pall on what is otherwise sure to be another great game from Activision & game developers Neversoft Entertainment as the new playlists look great & GH has always guaranteed a fun night in. As ever, I’ll leave it to you to make up your own minds & to help you do just that, here are the latest details on Guitar Hero 5:

Remembered as one of the most iconic artists in the history of alternative rock, Kurt Cobain’s enduring legacy continues with his video game debut as one of five exclusive in-game artists in Guitar Hero(R) 5. The former lead singer and guitarist of Nirvana will be featured as a playable character, performing two of the band’s hit singles from their 1991 genre-defining album Nevermind: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and a special, previously unreleased live recording of “Lithium.” The band’s breakthrough hit and one of the greatest rock songs of all time, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” helped define the 1990s and will speak to a whole new generation in Guitar Hero 5.

“Kurt Cobain is one of the most recognizable frontmen in rock ‘n’ roll history and it’s an honor to have two of Nirvana’s masterpieces included in Guitar Hero 5,” said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs for Activision. “This is the first time the original recording of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ has ever been licensed in an entertainment property and we’re thrilled to offer Guitar Hero(R) fans exclusive access to the unreleased live version of ‘Lithium.’”

Guitar Hero 5 features the strongest, most varied set list to date comprised of master tracks from more than 80 of the hottest bands of today and the biggest classic acts; including Kings of Leon, The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Santana, Vampire Weekend, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, plus more than 25 artists from a variety of music genres that will be making their music video game debut. Among the first-time-ever features of Guitar Hero 5 are: Party Play, where players can jump in or drop out of gameplay seamlessly; RockFest, a comprehensive competitive experience available featuring five new head-to-head modes playable online or in your living room; and the ability to play the entire set-list from the first time the game is turned on.

Guitar Hero 5 refines the player experience, enhances the art style and redesigns core features such as GH(TM)Music Studio, making it the most accessible, fun-to-play and authentic experience for seasoned music gamers as well as first-time players. New innovations such as Band Moments, where bands are rewarded for hitting special note streams together and song challenges where gamers are tasked to play through a song a specific way, add a new competitive layer of excitement and accomplishment to the music rhythm genre.

Taking Things Too Far.