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2 CommentsGame designer Dan Teasdale departs Twisted Pixel
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 12, 2013 04.12.13
Game designer Dan Teasdale left Twisted Pixel Games today for a new project that's "incredibly unique and amazing," he announced on his Tumblr page today. "The last couple of years have been a blast, and I'm going to miss everyone here at Twisted Pixel tons," said Teasdale, adding that "the upcoming slate of Twisted Pixel magic is as fantastic as you'd expect." His next project will remain secret for the time being, but Teasdale said it is "a shift" from his career to this point. Teasdale, a 15-year veteran of the game industry, joined Twisted Pixel in July 2010. He served as lead designer on The Gunstringer and worked on the Windows 8 port of its DLC, The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles, as well as an unannounced title. Prior to his time with Twisted Pixel, Teasdale spent more than four...
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14 CommentsHarmonix's tour of Pearl Jam and Japan games, music licensing and more Rock Band history
By Samit Sarkar on Mar 25, 2013 03.25.13
"We are here not to bury Rock Band, but to praise it," began Aaron Trites, community manager for Harmonix Music Systems, at the Rock Band panel during PAX East 2013. But in eulogizing the Rock Band franchise — last month, Harmonix announced its regular schedule of downloadable song releases would end on April 2 — the studio also put to rest some longtime questions about incidents in its five-and-a-half-year history, and gave its fans some closure. After noting they would try to tread carefully, lest they draw the ire of the studio's legal team or burn bridges with the music industry, the four Harmonix panelists launched into a fascinating hour of discussion about everything that went into the bulk of making Rock Band happen: licensing songs for use in the game. The studio also shed...
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14 CommentsRock Band's final song will be Don McLean's 'American Pie'
By Jenna Pitcher on Mar 21, 2013 03.21.13
The last downloadable track for Rock Band will be Don McLean's "American Pie" and will be available along with the final update on April 2, developer Harmonix revealed at its pre-PAX East Rock Band Night. The developer revealed last month that the weekly release of new songs added to the Rock Band library will draw to a close April 2. The support of the title ends so resources can be allocated to "several new titles in development." Harmonix said that over 275 consecutive weeks more than 4,000 songs have been released on the Rock Band platform.
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5 CommentsOingo Boingo's 'Weird Science,' Toto's 'Rosanna' join Rock Band catalog next week
By Samit Sarkar on Mar 08, 2013 03.08.13
The final four weeks of Rock Band DLC songs will kick off with Oingo Boingo's "Weird Science" and Toto's "Rosanna," developer Harmonix announced today. Oingo Boingo wrote "Weird Science" for the 1985 film of the same name, while Toto won a Grammy for the 1982 hit single "Rosanna." Each song will be available March 12 with keyboard support for $1.99 on PlayStation 3, 160 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360 and $2 on Wii. Players will also have the option of paying an extra dollar for Pro Guitar/Bass mode on "Weird Science." Harmonix announced last month that April 2 would be the last date for weekly Rock Band song releases.
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2 CommentsRock Band Music Store adding playable tracks from The Flys, Queensrÿche and Staind
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Feb 22, 2013 02.22.13
Tracks by '90s post-grunge group The Flys, '80s heavy metal band Queensrÿche and rock group Staind have been added to the Rock Band Music Store, Harmonix announced today. North American players can grab four new tracks on Feb. 26 for all platforms, while European players on PlayStation 3 can download them on Feb. 27: The Flys: "Got You (Where I Want You)," with a support for a Pro Guitar track Queensrÿche: "Silent Lucidity," with keyboard support Staind: "It's Been Awhile" and "So Far Away," the latter with support Each song costs $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points, 200 Wii Points). Songs eligible for an update to add a Pro Guitar/Pro Bass section can be upgraded for $0.99 (80 Microsoft Points, 100 Wii Points). All tracks are compatible with Rock Band 3 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and...
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14 CommentsWeekly Rock Band song releases ending in April
By Samit Sarkar on Feb 18, 2013 02.18.13
Harmonix's weekly schedule of new songs being added to the Rock Band library will end in April as the studio transitions to "other projects," the company announced today. The last weekly update of songs will come on April 2, with "what we feel is an appropriate track for the final release," said Harmonix. "We have managed to maintain a consistent release schedule for a staggering 275 consecutive weeks, releasing over 4,000 songs for the Rock Band Platform, but in recent months we've scaled production down as we've transitioned resources onto other projects," Harmonix said. The studio added that it has "several new titles in development" and needs developers on those projects to "usher these new games along." Those requirements prevent the company from maintaining a less frequent,...
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4 CommentsExtreme's 'More Than Words' leads Valentine's Day Rock Band 3 DLC
By Samit Sarkar on Feb 08, 2013 02.08.13
Rock Band 3 developer Harmonix is adding five hit ballads to the game's music library next week for Valentine's Day, including Extreme's acoustic gem "More Than Words," the company announced today. Extreme's number-one single from 1990 will be joined by four other well-known love songs from the '70s and '80s. The group of Valentine's Day tracks includes a 2009 re-recording of "Love Hurts," the awesomely bad Nazareth song, as well as Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." Peter Cetera's 1986 hit "Glory of Love," which appeared in The Karate Kid Part II, and REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You" round out the five-song set. The songs won't be bundled; each track will be sold for $1.99 on PlayStation Network, $2 on the Wii Shop and 160 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live. Harmonix is including a Pro...
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6 CommentsAerosmith six-pack coming to Rock Band next week
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 25, 2013 01.25.13
A six-pack of Aerosmith songs will be added to the Rock Band library next week, Harmonix announced today. Aerosmith's Greatest Dimension Pack features songs spanning the band's career from the early 1970s through the present. It includes a live recording of the band's breakout hit, "Dream On," as well as the original version of "Walk This Way," not the later recording with Run-D.M.C that appeared in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith's campaign. Two of the songs, "Legendary Child" and "Lover Alot," are singles from 2012's Music From Another Dimension!, the band's most recent studio album. Here's the full list: Aerosmith - "Dream On (Live)" Aerosmith - "Sweet Emotion" Aerosmith - "Walk This Way" Aerosmith - "Back in the Saddle" Aerosmith - "Legendary Child" Aerosmith - "Lover Alot" Rock...
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6 CommentsSongs from Living Colour, Quiet Riot, Soundgarden, Kelly Clarkson coming to Rock Band 3
By Samit Sarkar on Jan 18, 2013 01.18.13
Next week's Rock Band 3 DLC drop consists of four songs, one each from Living Colour, Quiet Riot, Soundgarden and Kelly Clarkson, Harmonix announced today. Living Colour's "Cult of Personality," which also appeared in Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band Blitz, will bring its unforgettable riff to the Rock Band DLC library next week. Quiet Riot's anthemic "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" will also be available, along with Soundgarden's '90s hit "Spoonman" and Kelly Clarkson's fist-pumping pop tune "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)." Each of the four songs will be sold in the Rock Band Music Store Jan. 22 on Xbox 360 (160 Microsoft Points), PlayStation 3 ($1.99) and Wii ($2). Pro Guitar and Pro Bass expansions are available for an extra dollar on "Cult of Personality" and "Spoonman," while...
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0 CommentsRock Band store expands with 'Jessie's Girl' and Rick Springfield track pack
By Dave Tach on Jan 11, 2013 01.11.13
No more wishing that the Rock Band Music Store had "Jessie's Girl," as a press release from Harmonix announced today that three Rick Springfield tracks are coming Jan. 15. The Rock Band 3 and Rock Band Blitz-compatible tracks include: "Jessie's Girl" "I've Done Everything For You" "Don't Talk to Strangers" "Jessie's Girl" (which was released for Wii and as part of Rock Band Blitz last year) and "Don't Talk to Strangers" will include support for keyboards, and players can buy $0.99 Pro Guitar and Bass expansions for "Jessie's Girl" and "I've Done Everything For You." As a bundle available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii, the "Rick Springfield Track 01" will cost $5.49 (440 Microsoft Points). You can also purchase each song individually for $1.99 (160 MSP). The tracks will come...
