Harmonix Trademarks 'Vidrhythm,' Refuses to Say What That Is

Ever since Harmonix made it known that the Rock Band franchise was taking 2011 off (outside of the usual DLC pipeline), many have speculated as to what the newly independent studio might be focusing its developmental efforts on instead. Dance Central 2 is obviously one of those in-development projects, but word has swirled for a while now that Harmonix had some other, original ideas kicking around.

One of those appears to be Vidrhythm, a name recently trademarked by the studio with an "intent to use" filing. What is Vidrhythm? I have no idea, but it's a thing that exists, according to Harmonix Communications Director and noted rage enthusiast John Drake, who confirmed to us that this is most definitely a project currently under development, and that "it will be awesome." So, hey, you heard it here first.

Now feel free to spend the next several hours constructing what the combination of Vid (one can presume it being short for "video") and rhythm both signify. I'm personally hoping for something in the vein of Make My Video. Bring back Marky Mark!

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Cautiously interested...

Buckner and Garcia's new game? ;)

Vidrhythm: Final Fantasy?

Oh my.  Vidrhythm and Theatrhythm both in the same day?  What's next?

Dancing and singing at the same time to music videos.

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

@l3illyl3ob said:

Oh my. Vidrhythm and Theatrhythm both in the same day? What's next?

New trend in video games. Word+ Rhythm. Rhythmrhythm.

I own the copyright on titles with the name "Rhythm" in them. I'm going to make a lot of money today.

Why is Alex writing about Harmonix...

OH MY GOD ALEX IS A SPY

Next up: Cinerhythm. 

Hope you like Kinect because

@Methodis said:

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Best use of first post ever.

First Theatrhythm and now Vidrhythm? Are you FUCKING kidding me game industry?

They're porting the Rock Band engine to NEMO

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

haha great quote from John Drake.

Perhaps a spiritual successor to Vib-Ribbon?

What is with awkwardly combining words with "rhythm"?

I hope it's a device that vibrates crotches.

@DrFidget said:

Perhaps a spiritual successor to Vib-Ribbon?

Oh my god, yes please!

@DrFidget said:

Perhaps a spiritual successor to Vib-Ribbon?

Oh my god, yes please!

@RE_Player92 said:

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

What story are you referring to? 

@DrFidget said:

Perhaps a spiritual successor to Vib-Ribbon?

Thanks, I couldn't remember what this name was reminding me of.

Vidrhythm. Videos created by rhythm. A game that visualizes rhythms. A game where you have to create rythms and use them in videos, or vice versa. That's my thoughts on it.

@Hailinel said:

@RazielCuts

@RE_Player92 said:

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

What story are you referring to?

I am curious to know this as well.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-03/business/29733744_1_noncompete-video-game-harmonix-music-systems

Game of the year 2012, confirmed

Who cares?

@Hailinel said:

@RazielCuts

@RE_Player92 said:

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

What story are you referring to?

I am curious to know this as well.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-03/business/29733744_1_noncompete-video-game-harmonix-music-systems

@OldGuy said:

@yoshimitz707 said:

@Hailinel said:

@RazielCuts

@RE_Player92 said:

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

What story are you referring to?

I am curious to know this as well.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-03/business/29733744_1_noncompete-video-game-harmonix-music-systems

It's a non-compete clause. Tough cookies. If he got an offer to work at, say Bungie, no worries. But he was going to work at a company that makes product that would directly compete.

Agreed. Maybe I'm just naive, but this doesn't sound like that big of a deal.

He almost immediately got another (non-video game related) job.  It's kind of disingenuous to say that Harmonix forced him to be unemployed for a year.

This is only the second worst portmanteau using the word rhythm I've heard today. I might have to sleep on my belly tonight in case monkeys fly out of my butt.

@Slaker117 said:

@OldGuy said:

@yoshimitz707 said:

@Hailinel said:

@RazielCuts

@RE_Player92 said:

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

What story are you referring to?

I am curious to know this as well.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-03/business/29733744_1_noncompete-video-game-harmonix-music-systems

It's a non-compete clause. Tough cookies. If he got an offer to work at, say Bungie, no worries. But he was going to work at a company that makes product that would directly compete.

Agreed. Maybe I'm just naive, but this doesn't sound like that big of a deal.

yeah, i didn't feel like this was a big deal either. I think it just sucks that he was offered a job at the competing company and wasn't allowed to take it because of the Non-Compete clause. But as much as it sucks, businesses have to protect their most valuable assets any way possible.

That non compete stuff seems pretty reasonable. But I'm an HMX fanboy.

@Beforet: I dunnorhythm.

You use a keyboard with different video clips bound to the keys, and each clip has a sound track. You press the keys in rhythm to create music that results in a music video. You then watch the video and promptly never play the game again.

Hot on the heels of Theatrhythm, Harmonix knew they had to grab this trademark before it was too late.

EXPLAIN THIS SHIT, NAVARRO. YOU WORKED THERE

@notdrew said:

@Slaker117 said:

@OldGuy said:

@yoshimitz707 said:

@Hailinel said:

@RazielCuts

@RE_Player92 said:

@Methodis

I look forward to the next game by a company who forces a man to go unemployed and look for a job for a year because they are scared of other companies stealing their entirely original games.

Yeah I read that story too, real shady stuff.

What story are you referring to?

I am curious to know this as well.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-03/business/29733744_1_noncompete-video-game-harmonix-music-systems

It's a non-compete clause. Tough cookies. If he got an offer to work at, say Bungie, no worries. But he was going to work at a company that makes product that would directly compete.

Agreed. Maybe I'm just naive, but this doesn't sound like that big of a deal.

yeah, i didn't feel like this was a big deal either. I think it just sucks that he was offered a job at the competing company and wasn't allowed to take it because of the Non-Compete clause. But as much as it sucks, businesses have to protect their most valuable assets any way possible.

After the whole fall-out with Activision and losing their grip on the Guitar Hero IP, you can understand their interest in protecting themselves from any problems with staffers potentially jumping ship and taking Harmonix know-how, ideas, and potentially technology to competing developers.

Also, dude signed a contract that said he couldn't work for any company making a rhythm game for a year, and boo-hoo he is being expected to honor that contract. I think it is disgraceful that he made it into a news item to begin with.

@Stahlbrand: Agreed.

im gonna start reading books.

@Methodis: Uhhhhh, whut? Are you talking about HMX? If it's in relation to that article that came out, I think the quote in there was pretty straightforward...is that what you meant?

Make My Video spiritual successor or bust.

What an idiotic name

I'd love some type of sequel to Frequency or Amplitude.
 
Here's hoping!

2012 - the year of the RHYTMS.

So Vidrhytm = Video + rhytm? Kinect game?