Disney: ‘Music games don’t need pricey peripherals’

Discussing the unique appeal of new Disney title Ultimate Band – which doesn’t come with a peripheral – Hopper said that many consumers didn’t have the space or inclination to buy a fake guitar with their games.

“I don’t think [you need to buy a new [peripheral with music games],” he said. “How much space do you have in your home for new peripherals? I’ve got guitars falling out of storage closets.

“There could be a limit on what people want to buy unless the games keep getting cooler. It’s the nature of the modern consumer. We are surrounded by choice. Our job is to give them games they didn’t know they wanted.”

Hopper went on to discuss Ultimate Band’s chances of putting a dent in Rock Band and Guitar Hero’s market share.

He added: “Guitar Hero and Rock Band are great games. But we’re going after a different segment and we think it’s complementary. You can enjoy those games as well as our new game. We don’t think we’re direct competitors.”

Ultimate Band will be released on Wii and DS next year.