Harmonix creating next-gen Rock Band game with EA

By Tom Bramwell Published 2 April, 2007

Sing, strum and drum.

Harmonix will apply the skills it acquired developing Guitar Hero to a new series created in conjunction with owner MTV and Electronic Arts called "Rock Band".

Unveiled in USA Today, Rock Band is a mixture of rhythm-action disciplines and karaoke, set to appear on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this Christmas.

There will be four instrument-based controllers (lead and bass guitars, a drum kit and a microphone), and online support will include the ability to form bands with people in other countries.

You'll also be able to buy songs online, and those used in the game will be performed by the original artists rather than cover bands.

Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos tells USA Today that Rock Band "takes the core promise of Guitar Hero and expands it tenfold".

"We'll be covering a great breadth, from metal to classic rock to Southern rock to everything in between," he adds.

Expect to hear more on Rock Band very soon, with an EA announcement anticipated today.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • GrandpaUlrira #1 5 years ago

    Sounds expensive...

  • Zerimski #2 5 years ago

    Look at the date on the USAToday article.

  • masterson #3 5 years ago

    Yeah because it must be a joke right?
    I mean it's not as if EA/MTV/Harmonix would be likely to do an expanded version of Guitar Hero is it? :D

  • Toothball #4 5 years ago

    So this is why they're having someone else make Guitar Hero games. Is anyone still going to play those? I'm sure they'll be fun and all, but against the rest of the band?
    Edited by 1 at 02/04/07 @ 09:12

  • brooza #5 5 years ago

    Looking at the date, I'll wait for another confirmation

  • Tonka #6 5 years ago

    I wonder what the drumkit will look like.
    This? -or-
    This?

  • Toothball #7 5 years ago

    What's wrong with the date? Today is the 2nd, not the 1st?

  • bauhaus #8 5 years ago

    RAWK \M/

  • Zomoniac #9 5 years ago

    It should look like this. They should allow for the use of triggers or mic recognition. That's my baby, btw :)

  • Eighthours #10 5 years ago

    I'm currently deleting expletives. This is going to be amazing.

  • bonker #11 5 years ago

    Southern rock?

  • Freelancepolice #12 5 years ago

    lynyrd skynyrd are an example of southern rock, possibly spelt wrong as well

  • Myre #13 5 years ago

    Best game announcement ever?

  • Wendelius #14 5 years ago

    The USA Today article was published on the 1st of April which, you'll have to admit, is not the best date to announce a new game on. Will wait and see. Not convinced.

  • Eraysor #15 5 years ago

    Four instruments?! I see a Steel Battalion price tag for this one.

  • McBradders #16 5 years ago

    Finally!

  • grussbarbar #17 5 years ago

    No Wii support? :( :(

    Apart from that, it seems like a cool concept. Although I'm not too sure if the singing part is a good addition. That might be taking it a bit too far...

  • HairyArse #18 5 years ago

    /dribbles down leg

  • Wayne #19 5 years ago

    You would need some amount of room in your living room!!!
    And if Guitar Hero is £50, how much will it be for two guitars, a mic and a drum set?

    I find this very difficult to believe.

  • Toothball #20 5 years ago

    Why is it hard to believe? Wouldn't Eurogamer be risking their reputation if this story was false? And why would USA Today make up a story about Guitar Hero for a joke, when they cover all sort of other news?

    Of course, if this is false I will be disappointed. But so far I don't see much to doubt.

  • Scientist #21 5 years ago

    "And why would USA Today make up a story about Guitar Hero for a joke, when they cover all sort of other news?"

    Exactly. If it were an April Fool joke it would be lost on the majority of the readers (too special interest). It's USA Today, not "In-jokes-for-conspiratorially-minded-gamers" Today.

  • PlugMonkey #22 5 years ago

    You would need some amount of room in your living room!!!
    And if Guitar Hero is £50, how much will it be for two guitars, a mic and a drum set?

    I find this very difficult to believe.

    Have you ever played in a band? Minimum entry level is normally that you own one of the required instruments, not all of the required instruments.

    Well, one of the required instruments or a van, obviously.

  • Wayne #23 5 years ago

    I don't think it's a fair comparison. Being in a band and playing video games.
    Let me know when Gibson start making joypads.

  • Toothball #24 5 years ago

    Not a fair comparison? The game is about being in a band. Plus, with the online features they've mentioned, owning one "instrument" should be a very feasible option. There's likely to be "musicians" all over the place looking for a band. They don't even have to be in your living room.

    I'm getting more excited about this with every post.
    Edited by 1 at 02/04/07 @ 14:48

  • Erinan #25 5 years ago

    Now that would be a very mean April fool.

  • PlugMonkey #26 5 years ago

    I don't think it's a fair comparison. Being in a band and playing video games.
    Let me know when Gibson start making joypads.

    No, you're right. Gibson don't make joypads and therefore there is absolutely no possible way you could play this game without owning each of the instruments yourself.

    *rolls eyes*

    Promise me one thing. If you get this game, can you put a video of your one-man-band act on youtube? I can't think of any other reason why you would need all the instruments yourself.

  • Zerimski #27 5 years ago

    OK, EA press release has just hit. It's not a joke.

  • Toothball #28 5 years ago

    @PlugMonkey

    "I can't think of any other reason why you would need all the instruments yourself."

    Actually, I'm already planning to buy all of the instruments myself. It's never hard to rustle up an evening of Guitar Hero amongst my friends, so finding a band isn't going to be any harder.

    That's assuming that you can fit four people onto one console, which most games seem to forget these days. It will be great to find band members all over the world, but to overlook band practice with your friends in Real Life (tm) would be quite distressing.
    Edited by 1 at 02/04/07 @ 14:48

  • PlugMonkey #29 5 years ago

    but to overlook band practice with your friends in Real Life (tm) would be quite distressing.

    Amen to that. I'd be pretty disappointed if it was online only.

    I'll probably collect them all eventually, as I generally travel the countryside offering a video game demonstration service to my friends (Have Wii, will travel!), but much like a 2nd guitar for Guitar Hero - it's not completely essential to begin with. In the early stages it will be more a case of co-ordinating with my mates as to who buys what rather than us all buying one of everything.

  • ronuds #30 5 years ago

    EA will find a way to screw this up.

  • Freelancepolice #31 5 years ago

    Well i'm sure a lot of people will already own a guitar. It's the drum kit that actually might bump the price up (singstar mics don't retail for that much)

  • tancredo #32 5 years ago

    What EA, Harmonix or God should tell us is if we will be able to use the 360 Guitar Hero Controller or if Rock Band will come out with their own exclusive set of instruments.
    It would be a pain to actually have to buy different controllers for the two games.
    Edited by 1 at 03/04/07 @ 10:45