The fine folks over at Harmonix will release Rock Band 3 this holiday season. Not only will you get a game with great pedigree, you will also get to play in “Pro Mode”. What exactly is Pro Mode? In Pro Mode, players will be able to “develop actual musical skills” by playing through the three different pro modes. They have also introduced new peripherals to help in the players’ educational endeavors. The drumset will support three extra cymbals and be able to distinguish between tom hits and cymbal hits, they have added a two octave keyboard to the ensemble, and the guitar has also been given an upgrade. So far, there is a “simulated guitar” controller from Mad Catz and an honest to goodness Fender Stratocaster that you can use to learn music while playing through the game. I think it is a noble pursuit on the part of Harmonix to try and put an educational aspect into the game. However, there is a fine line between entertainment and edu-tainment. I guess we’ll see how well Rock Band 3 can walk that line.
