Could Harmonix really be releasing the “next-gen” version of ROCK BAND this year? Rumors have been swirling since last fall that ROCK BAND 4 (though that may not be the title) is in-the-works, and last week it appeared that the waters were being tested when the ROCK BAND Music Store on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 “sprung to life” after nearly two years of dormancy following the final DLC release back in April of 2013 (which I wrote about here). New tracks from AVENGED SEVENFOLD and ARCTIC MONKEYS arrived for ROCK BAND alongside FOO FIGHTERS’ “Something From Nothing” (aka the “Chicago” song from SONIC HIGHWAYS), presented in the classic vocals/guitar/bass/drums format of earlier releases. So the question is… do YOU want a new ROCK BAND game? And if so, would you make your voice heard?
If you’ve ever played and loved the ROCK BAND franchise, please take this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7Z2SHPN. The folks at Harmonix know that there’s already a community of a few hundred thousand people that are still playing ROCK BAND games regularly on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (hence that’s where the DLC went – none for Wii, etc.), but they have some important questions regarding what players would want in the next-gen platform for the (formerly next-gen) current-gen systems like Xbox One (which I need to get) and Playstation 4. Take the survey.
My Take: WE NEED A NEW ROCK BAND GAME.
After playing the first ROCK BAND at a party in 2007, I was sold – a convert to music gaming after being an “anti-GUITAR HERO” guy without even playing it. From that point on, I’ve covered the music gaming genre for multiple websites, right through the Fall of 2010 (where massive overkill essentially stalled the genre) and through the end of DLC in 2013. Those plastic instruments brought people together and forged a connection with music that people are missing… and new players have yet to experience. It led to music discovery, and inspired players to make the jump into real instruments. ROCK BAND taught me how to play drums – real drums – after being a guitarist for 20+ years. Millions enjoyed ROCK BAND at it’s peak (remember when bars and such held tournaments?), and it’s time to bring that back.
Fingers are crossed that E3 brings an announcement of more ROCK in our future… I just hope that everyone and their brother doesn’t try to jump in and overkill it like last time. Harmonix was the best, and I have no doubt that they will be again.
Stay tuned…
