Music games have always been a part of gaming history.  From early days of MIDI sound boards to the expensive Beatles Rock Band, gamers have been fascinated with playing a rhythm on their consoles.  But recently, several prolific musicians have spoken out against these games, despite the amount of royalties it generates for their colleagues.  Namely, Jack White and Jimmy Page, legendary guitarists in their own right, and White specifically said, "It's depressing to have a lable come and tell you that ['Guitar Hero'] is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music."

I have been critical of music games in the past but not because of the musical experience but because of their asking price.  It's debatable whether a gamer will venture to try real instruments as a direct influence of music games but one thing we can most like agree on, is that music games have hit a plateau in its innovation.

Activision is releasing DJ Hero in the coming year but without any real hands on time with the game, it is still unclear if innovation is where that game will excel at.  So the question for the masses is this: is the the end for music games or is there still life left in these old strings?  Vote and comment!