Harmonix Continues Streamlining Business, Trades in Alex Rigopulos to GameStop

[hmxhenry]

Harmonix Continues Streamlining Business, Trades in Alex Rigopulos to GameStop

Hey gang,

As many of you know, Harmonix is once again an independent game studio. While this offers us a great deal of flexibility and some amazing opportunities, it also means that we're forced to take a hard look at our current structure to find out what will work best for us moving forward. As of this morning, we will be saying goodbye to our CEO and co-founder Alex Rigopulos, who was traded in to GameStop late last night.

"It was a really difficult decision for us to make," said fellow Harmonix co-founder Eran Egozy, "but once we saw his creator rating on Metacritic, we realized that now was the time to make this move. Plus, his trade in value was awesome. For a "gently used" CEO you can get, like, almost forty bucks in store credit." Mr. Egozy wasn't prepared to make an official announcement about how Harmonix plans to spend that $40 credit, but hinted that management is considering "putting it towards a 3DS, or maybe a pre order on Portal 2, because those both look pretty bad ass."

As for filling the void left by a key member of the senior team, Harmonix Street Team Member John Drake had this to say at a press junket early this morning: "Alex was a visionary at Harmonix, and we could never replace him. With that said, we're replacing him." When pressed to identify potential candidates poised to take over the top spot, Drake spoke to a bold new strategy. "Harmonix is looking for young and hungry talent. Like really young, and really hungry. Babies mostly; we're looking for baby executives." Drake announced that a fleet of Harmonix Headhunters would be "combing nurseries, maternity wards, maybe even pre schools, seeking superior infant labor: our nation's greatest untapped resource." He elaborated, "If that fails, we'll probably just pick someone at random from the forums. I don't know, maybe HeyRiles. He's alright."

The restructuring stretches beyond the senior level and is expected to affect all areas of Harmonix culture. To that end, everyone is pitching in and we'll be hosting a Harmonix wide yard sale on the streets of Cambridge from noon until 5pm on April 1st. We'll be selling off old games, hardware, ideas, fixtures... whatever it takes to get to be where we need to be. Highlights include Eric Pope's hat, a chair Dhani Harrison once sat in, and dirty limericks written by Helen McWilliams for only $50 a piece, which is the going bargain price for creative genius nowadays.

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[kiggidykev]

I don't know, maybe HeyRiles. He's alright.

I wasn't sure it was a gag until right there.

[Catch-22]

Eh, you've had better April Fools gags like all the mods being "banned" or banning the words rock and band. Those were good times.

[kreajan]

Best. Joke. Today. Baby Executives.

[LunaticSoul]

They seriously banned "rock band" from the forums? Wish I was there, ahah! Oh, well. I might try to give Gamestop my father, would really appreciate a discount on MK9.. Brilliant article.

[The Hungry Samurai]

You know whoever picks him up is just gonna have to return him because he's all scratched up, and the download codes on his manual are already used.

[LunaticSoul]

http://www.rockband.com/blog/rbn-april-aotm-lolita

Oh my god, I missed this, AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

[Kuniochi]

If you can wait until September S1ckH4nds and I can possibly offer our infant as CEO. lol

[Jarr3tt88]

Eh, you've had better April Fools gags like all the mods being "banned" or banning the words rock and band. Those were good times.

That was the best lol Either last year or the year before....The mods banned the devs

[Booker]

Best. Joke. Today. Baby Executives.

Just tell me where to send the application

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61297400@N06/5579967476/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61297400@N06/5579381737/