Viacom is going to sell Harmonix

Thats a damn shame because RB is the innovator while GH just rides their coattales. Well hopefully this will see them releasing another Frequency/Amplitude game. On the plus side, Im sure those guys are getting tired of trying to innovate in a genre thats getting stale anyway.
 
[quote name='2DMention']There's rumors that it's either Microsoft or Activision.[/QUOTE]

I hope not. I don't want Rock Band to be 360-exclusive (although they do get some advantages now). And Activision? Please God no...
 
Yep, Viacom saw the two week sales figures from the NPDs and announced at this investors meeting that they were selling them. They definitely weren't planning to do this well before RB3 launched.
 
[quote name='hankmecrankme']I think the bubble has popped on this market. Over-saturation like a motherfucker.[/QUOTE]

That and the song list for rock band 3 wasn't good, it wasn't even near decent. Shit was a joke to me really and I don't see the point of them asking people on their website rockband.com for what artists they wanna see if they really just put out their preference(s). My feeling was right all along..
 
Harmonix: Hey, parent company, check it out. We just made the best music game in the history of music games.

Viacom: You're fired.
 
My Reaction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKss2uYpih8

That and the song list for rock band 3 wasn't good, it wasn't even near decent. Shit was a joke to me really and I don't see the point of them asking people on their website rockband.com for what artists they wanna see if they really just put out their preference(s). My feeling was right all along..
Click to expand...
I disagree with that. Rock Band 3 probably had one of best setlists in awhile with a variety of music for everyone. Remember, this is Rock Band. Not Metal Band, Grunge Band, Punk Band, etc.
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']Yep, Viacom saw the two week sales figures from the NPDs and announced at this investors meeting that they were selling them. They definitely weren't planning to do this well before RB3 launched.[/QUOTE]
My sarcasm senses are tingling....

Yeah, this has way more to do with the steady decline of the music genre (thanks Activision!) and what a complete disaster Beatles Rock Band was than the success (or lack thereof) of RB3.
 
Some info from JohnD of Harmonix.
Regarding potential publishers, it’s premature to discuss specific publishers at this time, though we look forward to working with Viacom to find the best home for our studio. Please keep speculation about that to a minimum in this conversation.

Many of you have asked about DLC. To be clear, our earlier statement that we will continue to support our existing franchises holds true and work at the studio is not affected by this announcement. RB DLC will continue unabated. We’re excited to confirm that The BeeGees are our next DLC pack.

Some of you have been chiming in about our different partners and what this announcement means for [the Fender Squier/Mad Catz Hardware/EA Distribution]. Those partnerships are unaffected by this announcement with regards to existing titles.

Most importantly, the Rock Band and Dance Central will continue to be worked on at Harmonix for the foreseeable future. We’re not leaving them behind.

More to come!
Click to expand...

http://www.rockband.com/forums/show...se-to-Questions-about-Viacom-Selling-Harmonix
 
[quote name='Amblix']Good news hopefully, Microsoft needs the 1st party devs![/QUOTE]
Yeah good news if you own it on Xbox, what about the OTHER customers who spent a good investment on the Wii or PS3? I think EA will be making a deal with Harmonix seeing how they already publish the game for 3 platforms.
 
I have to wonder how stupid Viacom is. RB has pulled in money for quite a while and a failure or two would NOT be enough for someone sensible to sell Harmonix.
 
[quote name='Sarang01']I have to wonder how stupid Viacom is. RB has pulled in money for quite a while and a failure or two would NOT be enough for someone sensible to sell Harmonix.[/QUOTE]

Stupid. They did jack squat to market the game in Europe, and it sold like what, 7,000 copies there?

But yeah, Rock Band 3 is not to blame here, this was in the works for a while. And shake your fists at those Activision a-holes who crowded store shelves with giant pieces of garbage (literally--retailers HATE those enormous boxes) like Tony Hawk Ride, Band Hero, and DJ Hero.
 
A Part of me keeps thinking if Rock Band 3 did half as much advertising out the ass as Activision does with Guitar Hero then I think we wouldn't have this problem.
 
GH is a worthless gimmick but I did like how they kind of strayed away from that with GH5. But they take the "hero" in Guitar Hero too fucking seriously and gave us another pos in Warriors of Rock.

Hopefully there will be a RB4.
 
[quote name='intoxicated662']That and the song list for rock band 3 wasn't good, it wasn't even near decent. Shit was a joke to me really and I don't see the point of them asking people on their website rockband.com for what artists they wanna see if they really just put out their preference(s). My feeling was right all along..[/QUOTE]

Just because you say the same thing over and over in multiple threads doesn't mean you suddenly go from being wrong to being right.
 
Well, RB3 bombed as expected per new NPD stats.

Number 10 combined SKU did 225k for all systems.

RB3 came in at number 15, so you can imagine...
 
I don't think the Rock Band business plan requires them to sell a shit ton of copies up front, as they have the DLC that keeps money flowing in all the time. Also 225k is a pretty good start and it'll get better as the holiday season continues.
 
One week is plenty, that's where 90% of sales are made.
And yeah, way less than 225k sold.
A huge difference compared to the second game.
It won't chart at all next month.
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']Ah, I thought you said it was #10. But still, the money isn't in the discs, but the DLC.[/QUOTE]

The entirety of the DLC sales have brought in at most $105MM (75MM songs x $2 each x 70% after XBL fees) for Harmonix over the last three years. It's less than 10% of their total revenue.
 
[quote name='jkanownik']The entirety of the DLC sales have brought in at most $105MM (75MM songs x $2 each x 70% after XBL fees) for Harmonix over the last three years. It's less than 10% of their total revenue.[/QUOTE]
They've made a billion dollars in revenue?
 
[quote name='seanr1221']140K across all platforms :/

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=24452136&postcount=1169[/QUOTE]

And now we see the reason Viacom is selling.

On another note, DJ Hero 2 (which is also another great rhythm game, despite it saying Activision on the box) only did 59K, as also seen in that link.

I think the whole plastic instrument rhythm games genre is drawing to a close, or at the very least a hiatus.
 
I don't really care for RB3 that much. I much rather play RB2 with my stage kit and better menus. But I can't play the Doors DLC on RB2 :(
 
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