Owners of Rock Band games have repeatedly suggested that Harmonix sell music through the games -- imagine being able to purchase MP3s of Rock Band songs, iTunes-style, from the Rock Band Music Store. At CES 2009 today, Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopoulos gave the keynote at Billboard’s “Digital Music Live” session, and he assured us that the company had given the idea some serious thought -- though he doesn’t seem to be entirely sold on it yet.
Directly selling songs to consumers would “change the tenor” of the relationship that Harmonix and publisher MTV have forged with the record labels, Rigopoulos said, but regardless, he claims that he’s “very much” interested in the idea of selling package deals -- i.e., offering a version of a song that’s playable in Rock Band along with a listenable audio file.
Rigopoulos also dropped a tidbit on Rock Band 3 -- namely, that we won’t be seeing it this year. “We’ve actually made a choice to break out of the annual release cycle for Rock Band this year,” he explained, “partly because the annual cycle places limits on the choices you can make as a developer. We’re trying to take a long term view.” In addition, he noted, Harmonix is putting all its efforts toward the previously announced Beatles game, which is due out this fall.
When asked about distributor EA’s stance on the lack of a Rock Band game (read: potential cash cow) in 2009, Rigopoulos explained that EA was willing to let Harmonix control its own IP: “Well, I’m sure they’d take [Rock Band 3] if we gave it to them, but they know how important this series is and they’re willing to give it the time it needs.”
Hey Activision, are you listening? This is how to ensure quality in your franchises, as opposed to milking them to death.
[Via Ars Technica and Crispy Gamer]
Contest:
7:20 PM on 01.07.2009
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I'm actually relieved that there won't be a Rock Band 3 for a while.
I was a tad disappointed with RB2 because it simply didn't add enough to the game to make it worth calling it a sequel. They added a few extra pieces of clothing, they fixed the UI and cleaned up the whole experience. But for a sequel, I expected much more.
I hope they blow us out of the water with #3.
I can wait as long as they need.
Now please release rock band 2 in Mexico before I hit Harmonix's offices with infinite wrath.
Also it's nice to see a company that's not sequel raping its IP (I'm looking at you Activision)
Thank you Harmonix for not milking the shit out of my favorite music game.
By the time RB3 comes out, hopefully instruments will be the best of quality (with new bells and whistles) and can justify an upgrade!
...Though, Activision's basically become the new EA, so balance has been restored to the gaming world.
I would be happy if they managed to make it fully legal, but as far as im concerned, if i buy a song on rockband i have no moral issue with pirating the song if i just want to listen instead of play.
So there will be no new Rock Band game in 2009...I wonder how many different Guitar Hero's there will be?
Nobody's forcing you to buy Rock Band 2 unless you want the new songs that come on the disc and the slightly enhanced features. Unlike with GH2, GH3, etc, all Rock Band DLC works with both versions.
Lolz that is the shit right there. Hey Activision, you just got served. Ya'll might as well drop the curtains cause your Fucking done son....