It's the end of an era. As gamers usher in the next generation of consoles they must also say goodbye to some of the mainstays that permeated previous console life cycles, both new and old.
Among the casualties we have witnessed thus far include Nintendo Power and G4 (which is soon to be come the Esquire channel), and now there is a new one to add to the list: Rock Band DLC. Totaling some 275 consecutive weeks of release, DLC track packs for Harmonix's beloved rhythm game have been one of the few constants in an industry where developers close down nearly every month. Unfortunately, even for Rock Band, the time has come to shut it down.
Harmonix broke the news earlier today, revealing that April 2nd will be the fateful day the music dies. With Harmonix reportedly working on future projects — most likely a Dance Central for next-gen platforms — production on Rock Band track packs has slowed in recent months.
As a result, the developer is only in possession of content that will last for the next two months. In the mean time, Harmonix will be rolling out new individual tracks for Rock Band Blitz — their downloadable title released late last year — along with new Pro guitar upgrades for Rock Band 3. Those releases, however, will be considered small potatoes compared to the yet unannounced tracks Harmonix has in the pipeline.
They wouldn't say whom, but in their announcement the developer revealed they have some tracks in the pipeline from artists that have never before been featured in a Rock Band game. Considering this is the last hurrah for the rhythm game franchise, it's hard to imagine a big name like Led Zeppelin finally making an appearance, but one can dream.
With the door being closed on the current generation of Rock Band, questions will soon arise regarding the future of the franchise in the next-gen. While fans would love to see what whacky instrument peripherals Harmonix can create to leverage the PS4 or Xbox 720's improved processing abilities, enthusiasm for the franchise as a whole has dropped off significantly — siphoned off for the gyrations of Dance Central. This may not be the end for the Rock Band franchise, but rather a "see you later."
Are you sad to hear that Rock Band DLC track packs are coming to an end April 2nd? Did you even know Harmonix still released DLC for this franchise?
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Source: Harmonix