Dear Harmonix

[loykie]

"Thanks to the immense success of Rock Band, Harmonix has received a $208.7 million bonus in "performance based earnouts" from MTV Games and parent company Viacom. According to Viacom's most recent financial statement, Harmonix was set to receive a bonus in the event of exceeding the expectations of MTV Games. The condition was a part of MTV Games' acquisition agreement with Harmonix back in 2006. Since MTV Games payed $175 million for Harmonix, I'm thinking that they've definitely made their money's worth on both sides of the deal."

Good for you guys. Now before you guys get too wrapped up in purchasing gold plated ferrari's with in-dash cristal fountains. Maybe you could toss out alittle fan appreciation. The DLC needs some help. I appreciate the six-pack
although Im no dead fan. Past that 3 songs just is not enough. I have not been playing rock band very much anymore. I just need a break from the same songs over and over again. Its like an i-pod with 58 songs on it. So since you guys get enough complaints from too many short bus dwelling folks around here. (you know which ones) Im just simply saying Thanks for a great game, Thanks for the great support, Thanks for at least keeping DLC coming weekly, And your welcome for the money.
Now how bout throwing us lowly fans alittle something. Perhaps someting downloadable?

-a fellow Pats fan.

[Apples]

Flawed logic.

[Viserys]

They are throwing you something downloadable, in the form of 3 songs a week. You're not entitled to anything at all :(

[Magnet]

So all that money is supposed to suddenly make them magically license and code the songs faster now so that they can put out more per week?

Um. Okay.

[xxpigxx]

maybe more money for better songs?

[Apples]

Bonus money of that nature goes to *shareholders* for their personal bank accounts--the company doesn't get it.

[jeccaneko]

So all that money is supposed to suddenly make them magically license and code the songs faster now so that they can put out more per week?

Technically, they could. More money = ability to afford to hire more programmers. More programmers = more stuff done.

...well, when they don't goof off by doing stuff like having rubberband battles in the middle of the office on work time. (Can you tell I've worked with programmers?)

[loykie]

I post a laughable thought. this is what i get.
Do you honestly think a multi-million dollar corporation like this, owned by another multi-million dollar corporation who is owned by a multi-billion dollar conglomurate doesnt have DLC sales projections, schedules, earnings estimates, licensed and to be licensed tracks and so on ready to go well into 2010? You really believe the goal here is NOT to maximize profits? You really believe right now they're scrambling to get April's done? A couple of guys working overtime in the basement?
to quote you "um. ohkay."

[Magnet]

Do you honestly think a multi-million dollar corporation like this, owned by another multi-million dollar corporation who is owned by a multi-billion dollar conglomurate doesnt have DLC sales projections, schedules, earnings estimates, licensed and to be licensed tracks and so on ready to go well into 2010?

Yeah. I honestly don't think they have licensed songs for 2010 yet. Color me crazy, I know.


You really believe the goal here is NOT to maximize profits?

I don't recall saying that I believed that, actually.


You really believe right now they're scrambling to get April's done?

Considering Harmonix has stated that the DLC process takes about 3 months, I'd guess that they're scrambling to get June's done right now. But they could easily be ahead of or behind schedule at any given time.


A couple of guys working overtime in the basement?

I don't think they'd be in a basement. Harmonix moved into a rather nice new building not too long ago, but I doubt they wanted the basement space. I could be wrong though. Harmonix might chain up lazy programmers and sound engineers in a basement in some abandoned warehouse if it becomes necessary.

[loykie]

Hate to burst your bubble, but one of my jobs is earning projects. companies 1/10th HMX's size are years out. Its all about the dollar plain and simple. Oh and they did take the basement. Its a recording studio. true story.
But in the end none of us work there so who knows.

[Steef]

Flawed logic.

Agreed!

@Thread Starter - There's a lot of content... plus more every week!

[CENACHAINGANG54]

Ok here is a little something I know. First off to the op you should know people are going to take a thread or post and make of it what they will. The one bad thing about this forum is that you cannot post anything fun or express a feeling without being attacked!

With that being said, as a business man myself, I do agree with him about how business works. If you think HMX and MTV went into this thing without having things like DLC mapped out on paper and knowing when they wanted to release things and who they were going to get, you are crazy! Even VanZandt was tossing out names in the early going at G3.

So since everyone always wants proove, here is the latest of what DLC holds for us. Although the list can always change, this is what it is so far.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_in_Rock_Band#Downloadable_songs

This will give you all the songs that are released so far and some info on some that is suppose to be out on the 25th which metalica is named.

Also from the same source this was also interesting.

On February 13, 2008, a user on the scorehero.com forums claimed to have viewed the contents of one of the files internal to the "(Arguably) Punk Pack 02" released the previous day.[21][22] In the file (which is included in all DLC song releases) was a list of song titles, including all 58 on-disc songs and the title of every downloadable song that had been released at the time. The list also included a number of titles for songs that had not been released or announced. The list did not have any artists associated with the song titles.

As gaming sites began to report this list, Harmonix and MTV released the following statement:[23][24]
“ This list of Rock Band DLC that was discovered within the files of a recent DLC pack is unconfirmed and subject to change. Please stay tuned for confirmation of Rock Band DLC closer to their release. ”

The file included in the March 11, 2008 DLC introduced one new song ("Misery Business").

The following song titles were those that had not been confirmed prior to discovery of the file. Unless otherwise noted, they have not been officially confirmed for release.
Song title
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
"Alabama Getaway"
"Beetlebum"
"Brown Sugar"
"Casey Jones"d
"China Cat Sunflower"d
"D.O.A."
"El Scorcho"d
"Franklin's Tower"d
"Hysteria"
"I Need a Miracle"d
"Misery Business"
"Pinball Wizard"
"Received Your Letter"
"Rock 'n' Roll Star"
"Sex Type Thing"d
"Still Alive"d
"Sugar Magnolia"d
"Through the Monsoon"
"Truckin'"d
"Why Do You Love Me?"d
"Wrathchild"
"Zero"

Like it said a file was leaked and as you know some of these songs we now have.