In the latest tale of giant-company-buys-smaller-studio, Epic Games has acquired Harmonix — a "monumental" deal that will welcome the 26-year-old Rock Band developer into Epic's growing stable of studios that also includes Rocket League developer, Psyonix.
In a developer blog published on Tuesday, 23rd November, Harmonix answered a few questions that their fans might have, confirming that they would continue to support Fuser, Rock Band, and other games with DLC, servers, and new seasons:
What does this mean for Rock Band DLC?
Nothing. We’ll be continuing on with our existing DLC plans… and there are lots of great tracks coming as we wrap up 2021 and push into next year!
Will you keep doing Rivals Seasons?
Yup! We’ve got a fun Season 25 already planned and plenty of ideas for Season 26 and beyond.What about FUSER events?
No change there either!Does this mean more Rock Band instruments will be made?
This is not in our current plans.Will FUSER and your other games still be available on Steam?
Yes, all our games will remain available on Steam and console.What about the servers for [INSERT HARMONIX GAME HERE]? Will those be taken offline?
We aren’t planning to change the way we support any of our older games.
Epic's own blog confirms that Harmonix will "[continue] to support existing titles including Rock Band 4."
As for what Epic plans to do with Harmonix's legacy as a creator of musical and rhythm games, that's still a secret — but Harmonix state that they'll be working on "musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite". Epic describes it as part of their expanding metaverse plans:
"As we work to build the metaverse, this expertise is needed to reimagine how music is experienced, created and distributed."
Alain Tascan, Vice President of Game Development at Epic, said: “Together with the Harmonix team we will transform how players experience music, going from passive listeners to active participants.”
Could this be similar to the Ariana Grande concert held recently — but more interactive? Only time will tell.
How are you feeling about this latest video game acquisition? Let us know in the comments.
Comments 33
they really wanna own everything don't they
Ah yes, Fortnite... The greatest video game of all time...
That's a weird combination but fair enough I suppose. Not like they were getting much in the way of work, might as well get the devs paid.
I have been a Harmonix fan for a long time, and I remember they had to fight to retain creative control of their projects after breaking away from EA.
Very sad, then, to see Epic Games snatch them up and repeat the cycle.
They made some of the most influential rhythm music series ever, and now they're reduced to making Fortnite content. Harmonix deserves so much better.
I never like Fortnite.
I never like rhythm games by Harmonix.
Epic + Harmonix = Really Terrible combination in my opinion
Still i think BEMANI games by Konami are way much better than Rhythm games by Harmonix.
Not the catchiest subtitle you guys have come up with, but hey, at least you tried!
@CharlieGirl is it really stealing if they agreed to being bought?
Harmonix was always an interesting take on being a dev company. Can't say I'm excited about Epic buying them though as I don't play fortnite.
Edit : For clarification the comment originally said that Epic is stealing their creative control.
Monkey's Paw:
"I'd like Harmonix to develop another music game."
"Okay, Harmonix will now be exclusively developing music for Fortnite."
I can't say I ever get excited by companies being bought out anymore...
Can't wait for my favorite character, Rock Band, to be in Fortnite.
Singularity.
"This is not in our current plans."
No, I'm... I'm fine. No, you're crying hot angry tears.
Fortnite was kinda neat when it first came out but eventually seems like they destroyed it.
Not really what I wanted to hear at all. Love Harmonix’s output over the years but clearly Fuser wasn’t a big success.
Rock Band still gets updated?
@Angelic_Lapras_King Weekly! 2 or 3 new DLC songs every week since 2007.
It has a smaller community now than it did then, but WOW is it ever a dedicated community.
Captured by the maw known as fortnite, Tragic.
Add playable Rock Band instruments to Fortnite
Rest In Peace another talented game developer
Sad news, although I'm sure the guy that owns 51% of Harmonix is crying his eyes out with joy.
@Slowdive They made Jazz Jackrabbit?! Man, that drummed up some memories.
@Xaessya Add the Duke of Gravity to Fortnite.
Edit: man, I can never get images to embed properly here. https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/rockband/images/f/f9/Duke_of_Gravity_Rock_Band_2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150909203005
So, Epic bought PsyoNIX who made ROCKet League; now they bought HarmoNIX who made ROCK Band… hmm… [puts tinfoil hat on]
I’m honestly very pumped about this. After everything that Harmonix dealt with under EA, I expect the deal Alex made with Epic is pretty dope. As a huge Rock Band fan, I expect a new game/rebranding in the next year or two. I can hear Immigrant Song playing now...
@Xaessya I’d be cool with a rockband guitar back bling and pickaxe
And another studio sent to the Fortnite mines... I wonder how long it'll be before Harmonix's games are pulled from Steam?
Hmm interesting, hope they bring more to Fortnite than just more of the music event things, as they've yet to showcase anyone I have any interest in listening to in those.
Terrible news. Epic is the new EA.
Buying game devs to not do what they are good at anymore. It's the same as shutting down the developers.
Epic already ruined Zen Studios and Factor 5.
They definitely weren't the first ones that came to mind when I thought of companies that could have acquisitoned them. This makes me curious of their future.
@CharlieGirl Does Harmonix really deserve anything, haven't they proved themselves to be sell outs in the end.
@Ventilator Factor 5 died looooooong before Epic hired the talent.
@Not_Soos it was the end of the work day, gimme a break 😅
@Fiskern They had a break for a few years after their PS3 failure, and then they came back. Later Epic bought them.
Epic wouldn't need their talent if they were dead.
But yes, they were kind of dead for years.
Last thing they did in 2021, were by releasing the overpriced Turrican games part 1.
Probably sold so bad they they delayed part 2 which should have been released already.
80 bucks in total for only 8 Turrican games with no upgrades.
At the same time Capcom released 32 arcade games for only 40 bucks.
Factor 5 really messed up the pricing.
Tap here to load 33 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...