Pro Mode attempts to segue players into playing real instruments, and will be bolstered by new instruments, including the brand new keyboard.
Keyboards are headlining the list of new additions for Harmonix's Rock Band 3, which will also feature Pro Mode, 83 new songs, and refined gameplay, according to USA Today.
"With the introduction of keyboards, we get to bring a ton of amazing new music onto the platform, which will help feed the appetite for music for years to come," said Alex Rigopulos, Harmonix CEO.
The new instrument addition will be playable with a keyboard controller, which will essentially be a real keyboard, complete with the ability to function as a MIDI keyboard when hooked up to a computer. The normal mode will feature five colored 'streams' that will focus different sections of the keyboard. As you get into harder difficulties, the streams will move around the keyboard for different parts of the song.
However, the Pro Mode will change up the gameplay considerably. For the keyboards, it will use all 25 keys. Meant to bridge the gap between the game and real instruments, Pro Mode also extends to the guitar, bass, and drums. There will be two new guitar controllers that will function as game controllers and real instruments. Players can use them for normal play, Pro Mode, or for play outside of the game environment. One of the guitars will be a fully functional Fender guitar.
"Our ambition for Rock Band 3 was really to re-energize and reinvigorate the [music game genre] and advance it and move it forward," Rigopulos said.
This package will go along with 83 new songs, which will include Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and The Doors' "Break On Through." Additionally, players will be able to drop in and out of games on a whim, and also changed difficulty mid-song.
No prices have been announced for any of the peripherals, and there is no set release date for Rock Band 3 yet.
