Earlier this morning we received some unfortunate news regarding Harmonix. Around 35 employees have been let go from various departments at the Rock Band and Dance Central dev as part of a restructuring plan that, according to an official statement, will bring the studio “into alignment with [its] current product development plans.”

Harmonix hasn’t made its next title public yet, but the studio was named on a short list of potential Nintendo 3DS developers at E3 last year. As a side note here, according to a Joystiq report, no plans for Rock Band or Dance Central DLC, or even other future projects, have been affected by this development.
  

Harmonix is restructuring our organization to bring it into alignment with our current product development plans. Unfortunately, this means reducing the number of full-time staff. We sincerely appreciate the work of each and every one of these employees. Harmonix is working to ensure that those affected are well taken care of as we make this change.

Earlier this morning we received some unfortunate news regarding Harmonix. Around 35 employees have been let go from various departments at the Rock Band and Dance Central dev as part of a restructuring plan that, according to an official statement, will bring the studio “into alignment with [its] current product development plans.”

Harmonix hasn’t made its next title public yet, but the studio was named on a short list of potential Nintendo 3DS developers at E3 last year. As a side note here, according to a Joystiq report, no plans for Rock Band or Dance Central DLC, or even other future projects, have been affected by this development.
  

Harmonix is restructuring our organization to bring it into alignment with our current product development plans. Unfortunately, this means reducing the number of full-time staff. We sincerely appreciate the work of each and every one of these employees. Harmonix is working to ensure that those affected are well taken care of as we make this change.

Shame.

ugh. poor guys 
*edit* Damn it. I should have went for a single word instead of 3. Damn us quest whores.

Awww man. 

thats too bad

Bummer. All the best to those who got laid off.

Sad but inevitable. 
Shame I entered this whole plastic instrument thing a little late and everyone had already left the party. 
Thats what happens when you over saturate.

Hopefully John Drake gets out of this ok. If worst comes to pass, he can always get a job as a country music star.

Hooray for the games industry!  Maybe one day all the devs out there will realise they are the masters of their own destinies and get jobs which aren't so exciting but are so much more secure.
 
Good luck to those affected. Get a proper job  this time.

Apparently MTV is getting out of the publishing games buiz as well....so Harmonix might not even be able to release that 3DS game...

This is what happens when you make nothing but shitty music 'games'.

" Hopefully John Drake gets out of this ok. If worst comes to pass, he can always get a job as a country music star. "

Wonder how many will file lawsuits against Harmonix for bonuses unpaid as a result of alleged unpaid bonus owed by MTV

" @Enigma777 said:

" Hopefully John Drake gets out of this ok. If worst comes to pass, he can always get a job as a country music star. "

John Drake went to Harvard.  He'll do fine, even if he does get laid off, which he probably won't. "

Shitty.

Well, I'm glad the DLC isn't affected by this. I need more metal tracks. 

" @MrGtD said:
 the world, needs more John Drake. "

This really sucks, hopefully everyone let go will land on their feet quickly.

Does this mean Whisky Media can have their music website run by Drake and Pope yet? No? 
 
Just kidding, hope their jobs are safe and sucks for those being let go.

Bummer

" This is what happens when you make nothing but shitty music 'games'. "

Lame

That sucks, really hope they are able to get through the changes and continue to make great games. 
 
Harmonix are one of the few studios I actually give a damn about. 

major bummer...

so are going to see more of Eric Pope's reviews on screened

Good, now the superior music game series Guitar Hero can live on.

As a massive HMX fan, I must say I'm not too worried. Although it is sad for the people that got laid off, It is probably marketing and QA Testers left over from Rock Band 3 and Dance Central. It is a shame, but definitely not the end of rock band, dance central or harmonix.

" Good, now the superior music game series Guitar Hero can live on. "

Part of me wishes that John Drake gets fired and then hired by Whiskey Media.

Huh? I've never touched a single one of their games and never will, but I thought their shit was supposed to be like . . . more popular than sex or something?!

" Sad but inevitable. Shame I entered this whole plastic instrument thing a little late and everyone had already left the party. Thats what happens when you over saturate. "

" Apparently MTV is getting out of the publishing games buiz as well....so Harmonix might not even be able to release that 3DS game... "

It's a shame, good luck to all those involved in finding new work.

Damn.  

As for market oversaturation... talk to the *** Hero franchise.  Rock Band has released 6 stand-alone titles since it started in 2007 (not including the track packs or the ACDC pack).  The Guitar Hero franchise has released nearly twice that many, has only been going two years longer, and that doesn't even include the Band Hero and DJ Hero crap.
 
Mind you, I've been a fan of both franchises, and I started with the very first GH game back on PS2 when it was still new.  I'll keep supporting both franchises.

I wish them well though I've been privately wondering how Harmonix can remain viable only putting out music games.  Not a genre that interests me so my perspective is skewed I guess.

Thats a shame but I guess it's understandable considering they won't be working on Rock Band 4 any time soon and from what ive seen Dance Central doesnt require such a big team, hope the people who got layed off find a new job soon.

" Does this mean Whisky Media can have their music website run by Drake and Pope yet? No?  Just kidding, hope their jobs are safe and sucks for those being let go. "

Good luck to all affected. Especially Jaunty Drake and Pope.

:(

" This is what happens when you make nothing but shitty music 'games'. "

Oh no!  Who will make shitty applications that pretend to be games, which I would never play anyway, now? 

More unemployed game devs in my city :(

lets hope for the best

Harmonix makes some of the best cooperative/party games around. Wish Harmonix and those let go the best.

This is a little sad. They have always been my favorite developer. 

" This is what happens when you make nothing but shitty music 'games'. "

Condolences go out to all who got laid off. John Drake better not be one of them.