Rock Band 4 Landing This Year, Will Support Past DLC

[Fanghawk]

Rock Band 4 Landing This Year, Will Support Past DLC

Rock Band 4 won't just arrive on modern systems this year - it will also support over 2000 legacy DLC tracks from the last console generation.

Wow, has it really been <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/138127-Harmonix-Says-Gamers-Want-Rock-Band-4>almost five years since the last core Rock Band game? Strange, considering the entire franchise received near-universal praise and is one of the few party games even non-gamers rock out to. Thankfully, we don't have much longer to wait until the Rock Band bus drives into this console generation: Harmonix has announced that Rock Band 4 will launch on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles this year - and supports DLC you purchased on previous systems.

"With Rock Band 4, we're doubling down on the energy and excitement of playing music live with your friends," Harmonix CEO Steve Janiak said in a press release. "Focusing on the core experience that our fans have told us they love allows us to evolve established gameplay in meaningful ways that we can't wait to share with everyone later this year."

Most information about what to expect from Rock Band 4 will be revealed in May, but the biggest detail involves DLC. Outside of the core soundtrack, Rock Band 4 will support over 2000 DLC tracks offered since the franchise started in 2007. Considering Rock Band 3 featured a steady stream of DLC content <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122857-American-Pie-Marks-The-End-For-Rock-Band-DLC>for three years, that could make for an impressive music library. And if you already purchased Rock Band DLC for a last-gen console, you can download it for Rock Band 4 at no charge.

"Since the beginning, we've called Rock Band a music platform. Players responded by downloading hundreds of their favorite tracks, and building a massive library of playable music," Rock Band 4 Product Manager Daniel Sussman explained. "It's important for us to respect those purchases and enable our fans to bring that content over to the Rock Band platform on new generation consoles."

In fairness, the legacy DLC won't necessarily be available when Rock Band 4 launches, but the fact that it's coming is great news for long-time fans. In the meantime, players can start gearing up for music that will be included in the core game later this year. The exact release date will likely be revealed in May.

Source: <a href=http://forums.harmonixmusic.com/discussion/257486/were-ready-for-our-encore-rock-band-4-coming-2015>Harmonix

Permalink

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Dang it! I want Rock Band 4, but I don't wanna give EA my money (Although I would gladly pay Harmonix if they where independent of EA). I also wish it was coming out for the WiiU, but knowing EA it will never come out for it.

I might cave in and give EA my money this time...

 

[Scow2]

Dang it! I want Rock Band 4, but I don't wanna give EA my money (Although I would gladly pay Harmonix if they where independent of EA). I also wish it was coming out for the WiiU, but knowing EA it will never come out for it.

I might cave in and give EA my money this time...

If you don't give EA your money, then EA can't give Harmonix the money it needs to make more Rock Band..

 

[Chatboy 91]

Dang it! I want Rock Band 4, but I don't wanna give EA my money (Although I would gladly pay Harmonix if they where independent of EA). I also wish it was coming out for the WiiU, but knowing EA it will never come out for it.

I might cave in and give EA my money this time...

EA isn't publishing: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/03/05/rock-band-4-is-happening-this-year-details-are-awesome/

When it hits store shelves later this year, Rock Band 4 will do so without the aid of a major publisher. The game will be co-published with MadCatz, however, who is once again lending a hand with hardware and distribution.

I CAN'T WAIT! Being able to migrate all my old DLC to the new title really sells it. Back in the heyday of Rock Band I was playing it daily, and I accumulated about 200 DLC songs. Looking forward to more news leading up to release, and breaking out all the old plastic instruments. And possibly buying new ones!

Long live rhythm games!

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Oh my god, are the new controllers Duo Jets? Want. Should be weird thrashing out Death Angel or something on one of those. Also, I found out the other day that Brian Gibson from Lightning Bolt is a lead artist for Harmonix. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.

Spoiler: The awesomeness that is Lighning Bolt

 

[FPLOON]

...And that makes Game #5 to assure me that my PS4 experience will be money well spent...

Thanks Harmonix...

Spoiler: Can't wait to rock out once again...

http://img0.joyreactor.cc/pics/comment/mlp-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-my-little-pony-%D1%84%D1%8D%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%8B-equestria-girls-958126.gif

 

[popa_qwerty]

Dang it! I want Rock Band 4, but I don't wanna give EA my money (Although I would gladly pay Harmonix if they where independent of EA). I also wish it was coming out for the WiiU, but knowing EA it will never come out for it.

I might cave in and give EA my money this time...

EA isn't publishing: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/03/05/rock-band-4-is-happening-this-year-details-are-awesome/

When it hits store shelves later this year, Rock Band 4 will do so without the aid of a major publisher. The game will be co-published with MadCatz, however, who is once again lending a hand with hardware and distribution.

I CAN'T WAIT! Being able to migrate all my old DLC to the new title really sells it. Back in the heyday of Rock Band I was playing it daily, and I accumulated about 200 DLC songs. Looking forward to more news leading up to release, and breaking out all the old plastic instruments. And possibly buying new ones!

Long live rhythm games!

That article means nothing just because they have no mega publisher does not mean they will not use the same company for distribution. We will have to see if they continue to use MTV and EA for distribution.

BTW I don't care if they use EA

 

[Adfest]

It makes me happy to hear about the DLC. The absurd amount of money my wife spent on that game's DLC is depressing enough to think about without having to go through it a second time.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

ggggggrrrrrroooooaaaaaaaannnnnnn

I thought we got rid of this! Damn it, the old Rock Bands still exists! This game has nothing to offer! Just release the songs as DLC if its so god damn imperative people play them.

But NO! They're offering the old games as a DLC for the new game! Congrats EA, you managed to find a new barrel beneath the bottom you just broke.
So hey gamers? You know that old game that still works perfectly well on the system you still have that works perfectly well? No you don't, because now you have to buy a new game and we'll be oh so generous to sell you the old games again, because we just love gamers so much.

 

[Sight Unseen]

Dang it! I want Rock Band 4, but I don't wanna give EA my money (Although I would gladly pay Harmonix if they where independent of EA). I also wish it was coming out for the WiiU, but knowing EA it will never come out for it.

I might cave in and give EA my money this time...

EA does not publish Rock Band. EA merely acted as a distributor. Harmonix is an independant company who will likely be self-publishing this game. I have not heard yet whether EA will be distributing RB4 or not. I have a feeling that it will be Mad Catz responsible for that.

 

[Sight Unseen]

Dang it! I want Rock Band 4, but I don't wanna give EA my money (Although I would gladly pay Harmonix if they where independent of EA). I also wish it was coming out for the WiiU, but knowing EA it will never come out for it.

I might cave in and give EA my money this time...

EA isn't publishing: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2015/03/05/rock-band-4-is-happening-this-year-details-are-awesome/

When it hits store shelves later this year, Rock Band 4 will do so without the aid of a major publisher. The game will be co-published with MadCatz, however, who is once again lending a hand with hardware and distribution.

I CAN'T WAIT! Being able to migrate all my old DLC to the new title really sells it. Back in the heyday of Rock Band I was playing it daily, and I accumulated about 200 DLC songs. Looking forward to more news leading up to release, and breaking out all the old plastic instruments. And possibly buying new ones!

Long live rhythm games!

That article means nothing just because they have no mega publisher does not mean they will not use the same company for distribution. We will have to see if they continue to use MTV and EA for distribution.

BTW I don't care if they use EA

They for sure won't be under MTV anymore. Rock Band and Harmonix used to be owned by Viacom Games and published through MTV Games but after RB3 came out they bought themselves out from Viacom and MTV Games and became independant. I think MTV Games has since been shut down.

EA I'm not 100% sure on, but I'm pretty sure that MadCatz will be handling the peripherals and distribution for the game like they did in the latter years of Rock Band 3.

Apologies for the three consecutive posts, but I didn't see all of these comments immediately but wanted to address all three.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

ggggggrrrrrroooooaaaaaaaannnnnnn

I thought we got rid of this! Damn it, the old Rock Bands still exists! This game has nothing to offer! Just release the songs as DLC if its so god damn imperative people play them.

But NO! They're offering the old games as a DLC for the new game! Congrats EA, you managed to find a new barrel beneath the bottom you just broke.
So hey gamers? You know that old game that still works perfectly well on the system you still have that works perfectly well? No you don't, because now you have to buy a new game and we'll be oh so generous to sell you the old games again, because we just love gamers so much.

All the songs and DLC from the old games will be free for the new game. Adding to the existing songs in this game. So I'd say that's a pretty fucking awesome deal. Plus it's a new generation and there hasn't been a RB game in years. I'd tell you to actually read the article and watch the video because EA is not involved in the production of the game, but you probably won't.

 

[Vivi22]

Wow, has it really been <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/138127-Harmonix-Says-Gamers-Want-Rock-Band-4>almost five years since the last core Rock Band game? Strange, considering the entire franchise received near-universal praise and is one of the few party games even non-gamers rock out to.

Nobody who was around when Guitar Hero and Rock Band over saturated the market actually finds that weird.

 

[Sight Unseen]

ggggggrrrrrroooooaaaaaaaannnnnnn

I thought we got rid of this! Damn it, the old Rock Bands still exists! This game has nothing to offer! Just release the songs as DLC if its so god damn imperative people play them.

But NO! They're offering the old games as a DLC for the new game! Congrats EA, you managed to find a new barrel beneath the bottom you just broke.
So hey gamers? You know that old game that still works perfectly well on the system you still have that works perfectly well? No you don't, because now you have to buy a new game and we'll be oh so generous to sell you the old games again, because we just love gamers so much.

All the songs and DLC from the old games will be free for the new game. Adding to the existing songs in this game. So I'd say that's a pretty fucking awesome deal. Plus it's a new generation and there hasn't been a RB game in years. I'd tell you to actually read the article and watch the video because EA is not involved in the production of the game, but you probably won't.

Caveat: The DLC will be free for anyone who had already purchased it in RB3 or prior. It'll almost certainly still be paid DLC for everyone else who didn't buy it already.

Wow, has it really been <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/138127-Harmonix-Says-Gamers-Want-Rock-Band-4>almost five years since the last core Rock Band game? Strange, considering the entire franchise received near-universal praise and is one of the few party games even non-gamers rock out to.

Nobody who was around when Guitar Hero and Rock Band over saturated the market actually finds that weird.

I don't find it weird, but it deeply saddened me when rock band died. They weren't nearly as bad with oversaturation as Guitar Hero was. At one point there were EIGHT main console and THREE DS guitar hero games in the span of two calendar years.

This was what the 2008-2009 Guitar Hero Release Schedule looked like:

June 22, 2008- Guitar Hero: On Tour (Nintendo DS)
June 27, 2008- Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
October 26, 2008- Guitar Hero: World Tour
November 16, 2008- Guitar Hero: On Tour: Decades (Nintendo DS)
March 29, 2009- Guitar Hero: Metallica
June 9, 2009- Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits (Nintendo DS)
June 16,2009- Guitar Hero: Smash Hits
September 1, 2009- Guitar Hero 5
October 27, 2009- DJ Hero (Not technically guitar hero but it included guitar compatibility for its songs)
November 3, 2009- Band Hero
December 22, 2009- Guitar Hero: Van Halen

That's ELEVEN games in just over a year and a half. That's fucking ridiculous.


Rock Band did at most two per year and all of their songs from all of their games (except Beatles) were playable through the most recent game. Rock Band was more of a platform to deliver a variety of songs to all be played in one spot. The side games were almost like expansion packs that could be disregarded if not interested, but would greatly (and cheaply for what they gave) expand your library if you liked the songs. By comparison, here is ALL of the Rock Band games that were released.

November 20, 2007- Rock Band
September 14, 2008- Rock Band 2
November 16, 2008- AC DC Live Track Pack ( this was only an 18 song expansion, only made because AC DC doesn't trust digital downloads)
June 9, 2009- Rock Band: Unplugged (PSP only)
September 9, 2009- The Beatles: Rock Band
November 3, 2009- Lego Rock Band
June 8, 2010- Green Day: Rock Band
October 26, 2010- Rock Band 3
August 28, 2012- Rock Band Blitz ( an Amplitude-like arcadey spinoff game that used your existing rock band library)

So while Rock Band did contribute some to the oversaturation of the genre, the fault lies mainly with activision who tried to pull off releasing 6 guitar hero games per year.

 

[sageoftruth]

I'm pretty sure that franchise died long ago. Someone call the Council of Mages! Necromancy is afoot.

 

[CD-R]

I just hope they include a tutorial like the one they had in two. I used to bring rick band around to parties and the tutorials in two perfect for teaching new people how to play. For some reason in three they left them out. If I wanted to teach someone how to play rock band I had to switch three out and put two in.

 

[Paragon Fury]

Sweet. I love Rock Band, and getting the DLC will be real nice.

Though I doubt my neighbors will be as appreciative as I am.

 

[Ophiuchus]

Also, I found out the other day that Brian Gibson from Lightning Bolt is a lead artist for Harmonix. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.

Spoiler: The awesomeness that is Lighning Bolt

Yup. If we could get some Lightning Bolt in Rock Band, that'd be pretty much the best. (Also check out Megasus, another Brian Gibson band, who've been featured in GH/RB games in the past.)

So yeah, I'm totally down for some more Rock Band. I didn't think I would be, because I played it way beyond ridiculous amounts in the past and completely burned out on it, but I picked up RB3 again this afternoon and it was great. I guess taking a couple of years out is just what I needed. The fact that existing DLC will carry over is fantastic.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

Wait... this year? It looks as though they only just started.

I'm really excited for this. I love the Rock Band series, and I still pop it in now and again, although my guitar controller recently gave in, so I might need a new, shiny peripheral. (Also I want some Tokyo Jihen songs, please.)

However, Activision just recently announced that they are resurrecting the Guitar Hero franchise, which has me worried. That's what caused Music games to die for a bit in the first place. I hope they at least learn their lesson and don't release 20 games a year.

 

[Objectable]

So, will the Beatles songs also carry over?