Harmonix Buys Itself From Viacom

[Logan Westbrook]

Harmonix Buys Itself From Viacom

The music game developer says it is grateful for all the help that Viacom gave it, but is excited to be striking out on its own again.

Just weeks after putting the music game developer up for sale, Viacom has found someone who wants to take Harmonix of its hands, and despite names like EA and Activision buzzing round, Harmonix has not become the plaything of a big publisher.

Instead, Harmonix's new owner is Harmonix-SBE Holdings LLC, an affiliate of investment management company Columbus Nova. This move makes Harmonix a privately owned, independent studio, as it was before Viacom purchased it in 2006. Neither company has disclosed the value of the sale.

Writing on the Rock Band [http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211766] website, Harmonix's John Drake said that Viacom had been a great home for the developer for the last four years, and thanked everyone at the company who had worked with Harmonix in making games like Rock Band [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RS8HG6/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d2_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0EYGH37JG2S8VX7AS2WK&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846] and Dance Central [http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Central-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0HBOI/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1293130403&sr=1-1] possible.

Drake said that very little would change from the consumers' point of view, and that Harmonix would continue to support its previously released titles as it had always done. He also said that Harmonix had a few unannounced projects it was working on that he thought people would be very excited about.

Source: Rock Band Forum [http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211766]

(Thanks to [user] Tempest Fox[/user] for the tip.)


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[ultimateownage]

And then they go bankrupt because no one wants music games anymore.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

nah, i think this is a good thing. there's still a market for music games, they just have to be done without a big corporation mentality. i.e. they need innovation and quality, not gimmicks and expensive peripherals.

 

[Mrsoupcup]

And then they go bankrupt because no one wants music games anymore.

Exactly, music games could have become a genre, but they saturated the market and it became nothing but a fad.

Edit: By they I mean Harmonix and Activision.

 

[Rainboq]

Good to hear that game developers can be independent from the monolithic corporate giants again!

*wishes for Blizzard to break off from activision*

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

this is certainly intriguing

 

[Quiet Stranger]

If I remember correctly Viacom are a bunch of assholes so good for them (them as in Harmonix)

 

[William Dickbringer]

Dance Central is kick-ass. I accept no comments against it. Let it be final.

I second this notion tons of fun with friends and family

 

[Throwitawaynow]

I've been playing rock band 3 for several months now, and I love the new peripheral you know the things people are constantly crying about the keyboard. If they make a RB4 and it has a bunch of keyboard songs I will buy it.

 

[Maze1125]

And then they go bankrupt because no one wants music games anymore.

Considering Dance Central is selling bajillions, I think your analysis is probably a bit off.

 

[jackanderson]

He also said that Harmonix had a few unannounced projects it was working on that he thought people would be very excited about.

Please be a new Frequency/Amplitude game! Please! Please!! PLEASE!!!

 

[Jumplion]

Good for them, I wish them the best of luck in the world of independence. Let's see what they come up with.

 

[malestrithe]

This is a good move for companies.

If you don't like your evil corporate master, strike out on your own and become your own evil corporate master.

 

[AeroZeppelinSevenfold]

Yes! This sounds good for harmonix. I hope that we can see even more innovative music games.

I want frequency and amplitude again!

 

[Dexiro]

And then they go bankrupt because no one wants music games anymore.

People want music games, they just don't want another guitar hero/rock band rehash.

 

[tautologico]

Good to hear that game developers can be independent from the monolithic corporate giants again!

*wishes for Blizzard to break off from activision*

Have you checked Blizzard's size as a company? Blizzard IS a corporate giant. It is also connected but not subject to Activision.

 

[emeraldrafael]

well, thats a positive step for the economy.

Thats not even joking, thats being serious. Now, that being said I hope they can continue to produce, otherwise they just doomed themselves and will be back where they just left again.

 

[D Moness]

I think it is the best step for Harmonix. This way they can keep developing the games they want to without any company from above telling them to do it differently

 

[BabyRaptor]

*wishes for Blizzard to break off from activision*

What dreams may come, right?