Activision may be able to throw their fat rolls of cash at bands like Metallica and Aerosmith, but there's one man who was approached by the company and turned them down: Prince.
Yes, the man who is perhaps the greatest living American says in an interview with Tavis Smiley that Activision once approached him over the series (presumably for downloadable content), offering cash money in return for licensing rights.
And Prince said no dice.
"I ain't mad at them. I hear it made, like, $2 billion and they came to us and offered us a very small portion of that. But I just think it's more important that kids learn how to actually play the guitar", he told Smiley.
"It's a tough instrument — it's not easy. It took me a long time, and it was frustrating at first. And you just have to stick with it, and it's cool for people who don't have time to learn the chords or ain't interested in it, but to play music is one of the greatest things."
"To create something from nothing is one of the greatest feelings, and I would — I don't know, I wish it upon everybody. It's heaven."
Don't get mad. It's Prince.
Prince [Travis Smiley, via Superannuation]