PixlBit

Jason analyzes the recent sale of Harmonix, and what it means for the future of rhythm game sales.

A few months ago, Viacom sold off rhythm game developer Harmonix for a reported amount of fifty dollars. The most shocking aspect of this trade is that Viacom originally bought Harmonix for $175 million. Apparently the trade gives Viacom about $150 million in tax benefits, which is quite a hefty number, itself, but still, it seems like this is a major failure on Viacom's part, which reflects as a failure on the part of Harmonix, itself. A little while later, Activision reported that they will not publish a new Guitar Hero or DJ Hero game in 2011 after disappointing sales of the previous entry, simultaneously halting future DLC for the two franchises. The once-popular music gaming genre appears to have come to a screeching halt after oversaturation and the companies' failure to understand the market.

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Harmonix has officially left the Guitar Hero series in the dust.

Harmonix continues to impress with their latest mainline entry of the Rock Band series. Rather than revolutionizing the genre through complete and total change, they have managed to keep the same general structure while adding the brand new Pro mode that brings players closer than ever to truly playing the instrument they are emulating. As a matter of fact, if players choose to take on the Expert variant of Pro mode, they will actually be truly playing the exact notes that comprise the song. Couple this with keyboard support and an eclectic set list and you have the best rhythm game available on the market.

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Who knew Rock Band 3 was headed to the DS? I didn't.

A surprise for me at Harmonix's/MTV's area was Rock Band 3 on the DS. I actually had no idea it was being made for the platform, and had very little idea of what to expect, though I had a hunch it would be like Amplitude or the iPhone Rock Band, both games I've never played.

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With a family-friendly presentation and construction, players looking to enjoy a proper Rock Band game with their kids now have the perfect offering.

Rock Band is a young franchise, but has already been through many iterations. Given the widespread appeal of the game, many different track arrangements have been released to satisfy all musical preferences. Though all of these arrangements exist, the challenge level of the games have never reduced to appeal to a younger crowd. As such, Harmonix and Traveller's Tales have teamed up to create Lego Rock Band. The game still features an equivalent challenge level for adults while including easier modes and settings for kids.

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