Harmonix to make announcement at Microsoft's E3 Press Conference (Dance Central 3)

[samjjones]

The more likely scenario would be Activision buying the IP from Harmonix or reaching some sort of publishing agreement and just making Rock Band games.

Think about it: why develop the next GH to have real guitars, keyboards, harmonies, and maybe even some sort of user generated content marketplace on par with the RB network?

After all that work, you would basically have a Rock Band game, except you would be YEARS behind in terms of content. So you introduce real guitars, vocal harmonies and keyboards... Meanwhile RB has hundreds (maybe even thousands by then) of songs with harmonies and keys, and at least hundreds more with real guitar and bass charts.

I'm not sure what else they can really add to a music game other than a DEEP story line, which would be amazing. As a Yes fan, I would love to be the bassist who kicks other members out and maybe gets tweets and emails generated by the game telling me to get the "real singer" back! Imagine the possibilities!

I think there is more value in the "Guitar Hero" name than there is in "Rock Band".

Guitar Hero would benefit greatly by exposing RB's library of DLC to it. RB would benefit greatly by the GH name and ACTV's physical production.

I don't think HMX has any intention of selling the IP, and I don't think ACTV would buy it. But a parternship agreement could produce the same effect with less liability.

[SirDavidTLynch]

What about fans who prefer Rock Band because of the visual design? What if Guitar Hero wants to keep the manbearpigs earning 40 stars on a song? There's a reason Harmonix don't include notes within sustains on guitar (even though they exist on keys) or open notes on basic bass, so would they have to start authoring those? Would pro drums be replaced with Guitar Hero drums? If Activision aren't interested in keyboards and pro modes, does support for those end?