Harmonix developing "multiple new music games"

By Robert Purchese Published 4 November, 2011

That aren't Dance Central, Rock Band.

There are "multiple new music games" in development at Harmonix that "won't resemble" either Rock Band or Dance Central.

That's according to paraphrased comments made by chief operating officer Florian Hunziker to Bloomberg.

If those games are as successful as Hunziker thinks they will be, then Harmonix profits should double. No small feat, when you consider Hunziker's prediction that 2011 will be Harmonix's most profitable year ever. In money terms, that means around $100 million revenue for the 200-person company.

Harmonix had tremendous success with Guitar Hero, and obscured success with Rock Band - the developer has sold 100 million music downloads since 2006, despite sluggish game sales.

But the company's real turning point came with Kinect and Dance Central - the sequel to which launched last month.

Wrote Johnny Minkley in Eurogamer's Dance Central 2 review: "In short, it's unquestionably the best dance game available on Kinect, and a successful, evolutionary step forward that will certainly please those who loved the original."

Such success suggests Harmonix will stick with Kinect for its new games - the developer evidently has a friend in publisher Microsoft Studios.

Yet Harmonix is, once again, an independent developer. Therefore Harmonix can, theoretically, do what Harmonix likes.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (6) Latest comment 7 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • HurbleBurble #1 7 months ago

    'Yet Harmonix is, once again, an independent developer. Therefore Harmonix can, theoretically, do what Harmonix likes.'

    Are you getting paid per use of the name?

    Glad to see Harmonix coming out on the upside though. Wish them nothing but success.

  • layleeloo #2 7 months ago

    Theyre already (thankfully) dead.

  • wez_316 #3 7 months ago

    Dance Central 2 charting at 40 and 32 across the first two weeks of release does not seem to suggest a runaway success. Kind of strange that this is suggested seeing as I remember EG making a big deal out of the low chart entry position.

  • Toothball #4 7 months ago

    @EddieMink

    They near enough did with Rock Band on the PSP and DS. It's not quite as hypnotic without all the neon, but the mechanics are there and the Rock Band look works quite well with them.

    Not that I'd complain if they were to make a new one.

  • Mister-Wario #5 7 months ago

    Cowbell Hero?

  • Ironic_War_Criminal #6 7 months ago

    @wez_316

    Most of the sales of Dance Central 2 will probably come around Christmas when Kinect Sales start picking up (As Micrsoft are pushing it as a package game).

    Harmonix are suprisingly profitable still though. RB3 DLC still sells a lot and they have admirably said that the RB series is on hold as a disc game until they have some new ideas and a refresh of the formula.

    (Also Activision were still paying them royalties for Guitar Hero and DJ Hero due to Activision using their patents so even though they were competing with them, they also made a good bit of money out of them as well)