Harmonix Sold, Becoming Independent

A few weeks ago we reported that Harmonix, the company behind the Rock Band franchise, was up for sale. In a press release from Viacom, it has been confirmed that Harmonix has been sold. The buyer was Harmonix-SBE Holdings LLC, an affiliate of Columbus Nova, LLC but the press release did not discuss the financial aspects of the deal.

Harmonix, Rock Band Creator, For Sale

Several outlets have begun reporting that the company behind the development of the once popular franchise Rock Band, Harmonix, is up for sale. Viacom President and CEO Philippe Dauman stated the reason for the sale being Viacom’s desire to remain focused. Dauman stated, “Our decision to exit this business strategy is to focus on what we do best, and that's creating world class entertainment.” He went on to further reiterate the official reason Viacom was dumping Harmonix as, “the console games business requires expertise we don't have. For us, this is all about focus."

The Doors Get First Rock Band 3 DLC Honors

The folks at MTV and Harmonix have announced that The Doors will be the first DLC for Rock Band 3. On top of the hit "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" which is included with the game and featured in the opening scene, there will be another 12 tracks available for download when the game launches. Harmonix also announced that anyone who plays online in the first week will receive a free three song pack that includes "Light My Fire", "Riders On the Storm" and "Touch Me". Those three songs also incorporate the ability to use the new "pro" instruments that require you to form the actual chords and key structures used in the real life versions of the songs.

Dance Central Official Track List Revealed - Get Ready to Jungle Boogie

Harmonix and MTV Games have announced the full track list of all the games on the retail disc for Dance Central. I wish Guitar Hero and Rock Band games would come out with a list this fine. I have never been so sold on a music game as I have after seeing this list. It's a 90's girl's dream date. It's pretty varied in what you could ask for in terms of dance music from the goddess Lady Gaga, to some more electronic-style Cascada, hip hop moves from Soulja Boy (questionable how this made it in, but it'll definitely make for some hilarious Youtube clips), and some of my favorites like Jungle Boogie, Dip it Low and a little jam you may know: That girl is poiiiiiiiiison!

Check out the full dance track list below!

Bon Jovi DLC for Rock Band 3

Confirmed by Harmonix yesterday afternoon, Bon Jovi's new "Greatest Hits" album will be available on Rock Band 3 as downloadable content. Unfortunately for those who were thinking that the DLC will be the "Ultimate Collection", don't hold your breath. Harmonix has already put a foot down on that possibility, saying not to expect a multi-disc album.

Keyboard No Longer Included in PS3 Rockband 3 Bundle

Due out on October 26, Harmonix's Rock Band 3 will be coming out on multiple consoles, including the Xbox 360, the Wii, and the PS3. The rhythmic music video game has become a fan favorite with its list of popular rock songs and playable instruments, allowing players to have their choice between the bass, guitar, drums, microphone, and keyboard.

The latest installment in the Rock Band series, the 25-key midi keyboard, was supposed to be included in the $130 bundle. Though the Xbox 360 and the Wii will be receiving the whole package, the PS3 has been left in the dust, in North America, at least.

Harmonix Comments on Rock Band 3 Setlist Leak

Harmonix has issued a video starring John Drake and Daniel Sussman saying that the Rock Band 3 setlist leak is "not confirmed" and is "misinformation." They said they "have not announced anything beyond the 38 songs" for Rock Band 3 yet. Unless you hear the news on rockband.com, "you should know, it's not confirmed news." Of course, "communications professionals" would never leak all the songs. Nope. Check out the video below, and we're working on writing out the setlist they just confirmed for you. UPDATE: Full list below the video!

Harmonix Reveals 6 More RB3 & 3 More Dance Central Tracks

Harmonix had been dropping hints of some of the artists featured in their upcoming Rock Band 3, and they finally revealed more tracks yesterday. During the MTV Games panel at Comic-Con, Harmonix named six more tracks headed for the title, which includes songs by artists such as Marilyn Manson and The B-52s. Also with the six RB3 tracks came the news of three tracks in Dance Central.

Dance Central DLC Will Cost More Than Rock Band DLC

Think you'll be spending as much on Dance Central DLC as you did on Rock Band DLC? Well, perhaps you will reconsider when you learn that additional songs for Dance Central will cost more than the typical $2 per song price for Rock Band songs. Joystiq reports that Dance Central project lead Kasson Crooker has said the process for creating Dance Central DLC is more complex and different than from producing Rock Band DLC, and therefore more content will be more expensive.

Green Day: Rock Band Releasing This Summer

From the same people that brought you the award winning The Beatles: Rock Band comes a full standalone music video game featuring the Grammy Award winning group Green Day. Harmonix recently announced that the upcoming Green Day: Rock Band title will be releasing on June 8, 2025 across the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Wii. This summer gamers will be able to experience 47 tracks, rare access to t