Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360

Developer RedOctance and Publisher Activision have announced at the X06 event being held in Barcelona this week that the next instalment of the extremely popular Guitar Hero series will not just be a PS2 exclusive (like its predecessor), but will also be available to the Xbox 360.

"The gameplay Guitar Hero fans have come to enjoy will now include expanded Xbox 360 capabilities," said Kai Huang, president of RedOctane. "With Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 rock rhythm, lead, or bass guitar tracks with downloadable content and the new X-Plorer controller, designed specifically for the Xbox 360."

RedOctane's head of publishing, Dusty Welch (what a name!) added, "With its large integrated hard drive, Xbox 360 provides an incredible platform for facilitating downloadable content. "We believe there is no better title to feature micro-transactions than a music game like Guitar Hero II, where the content is the basis of your experience. The relationship with the Xbox Live Marketplace creates endless possibilities for exclusive content."

No Australian release date has been announced, but with the game coming to PS2 in November, fans can expect some joy in early 2007.