Destructoid interviewed Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos regarding how Harmonix is doing considering the shakeups in the genre over the last few months. 
 
The interview has been cut below for the purposes of keeping with the Rock Band forums and what's going to happen with the Rock Band franchise.

 Talking to folks at Harmonix over the years, I've always gotten the sense that you've been an indie spirit anyhow, even with Viacom. The way you put it, that kind of spirit never went anywhere. But there has to be a great feeling, sort of like the corporate-overlord pressure has been lifted off your shoulders. Does that change the culture at all? Was there a big celebration? 

[Laughs] I wouldn't say that exactly. Certainly, I mean, for 95% of the staff at the studio, their connection to the mothership was actually minimal. They were actually focused on making games all day, every day. But for those people at the studio who were involved with interfacing with the mothership, [they were] sort of dealing with the aspects that all big companies have.

So I think that for some of those folks, definitely there's a great feeling of relief at being able to make decisions and being able to have that freedom, as I said. But for the most part, I think we did a great job over the last four years of preserving that, as you said, "indie spirit" while being a division of a really large company.

So are gamers going to notice any change? 

Well I guess what I will say -- and this is something that really has nothing to do with the split from Viacom and MTV, and everything to do with this moment in time at Harmonix -- right now, the environment here at Harmonix is really a kind of cauldron of creativity. There's a ton of creative engagement and creative excitement around a number of things.

First of all, I'd like to talk a little bit about Rock Band. You know, we continue to be fully supportive of Rock Band 3; we think there's a ton of potential left in the title. It's a gigantic title with a lot of opportunity. There are tons of people still playing Rock Band 2 that haven't tried Rock Band 3 yet, and we're excited about that opportunity. Following the news of the future of Guitar Hero recently, we think there are also a lot of devotedGuitar Hero fans -- who have probably never given Rock Band a try -- who actually have a delight coming [to them] when they try Rock Band 3 for the first time.

We think that the [potential of] Pro functionality in Rock Band 3 has not yet been fully tapped. And you know, the Squier Stratocaster Pro from Fender is actually shipping [this] week, which we're incredibly excited about. There's also a ton of amazing music content that still has not yet made its way onto the platform that we're still actively pursuing and continuing to bring on to the platform.

So as a first point, we continue to be very much devoted to Rock Band 3 as a platform and continuing to nurture and cultivate that over the course of the year.

As a second point, and of greater creative interest, I think that the contraction that's taken place in the band game category -- and people often equate music games with band games, which is something I'll come back to -- the contraction that has taken place, in our point of view, really provoked us to think about how to reinvent this category, in particular the Rock Band franchise.

And you know, the marketplace is clearly demanding something very new. It's clearly demanding a dramatic evolution of the Rock Band franchise, I think, and I think that's actually exciting for us. That's a demand we welcome with great enthusiasm, and there's a lot of creativity here at Harmonix being devoted to a reinvention and refactoring of the Rock Band franchise for the future, beyond Rock Band 3. So that's one big bucket worth touching on.

The third, of course, is Dance Central, which has been tremendously successful for us out of the gate at retail. We're very excited about Dance Central, and the creative opportunity that that franchise affords. The idea of millions of people dancing with our game [who] otherwise wouldn't be dancing is incredibly gratifying for us. So obviously, a lot of our creative attention is being devoted to the future of Dance Central as well.

And then finally, it's just worth pointing out that we have a ton of new game concepts in development, as well. Our new owners are actually being incredibly supportive in that regard, in terms of of new creative development and new IP cultivation, and we have a lot of very cool new ideas in the works right now, looking out beyond both Rock Band and Dance Central. 

Going back to the whole sort of death of Guitar Hero, at least for the foreseeable future: You talked a little bit about reaching out to Guitar Hero fans this year. How do you plan on doing something like that, pulling in these new untapped users this year? 

Well, a number of different ways. Ultimately, it's a communications burden. Particularly if you're dealing with users who have been kind of habituated into another product franchise over a number of years, you know it's incumbent upon us to reach them through various communication channels and let them know that Rock Band 3 is worth giving a try to. I think we have such a compelling offering -- and not just in terms of functionality, but this insanely diverse library of content -- that I think we have something quite strong to offer that audience. I'm hopeful that some of them will give us a try. 

Certainly, Rock Band 3 was a strong offering when you guys released it last year. So there's still a lot there. Does this mean we're not going to see another Rock Band this year, [and that] you're just going to focus on supporting the Rock Band 3 product? 

In the short term this year, I think we're going to be focusing on cultivating Rock Band 3, which means reaching out to new audiences, [and] bringing some really compelling new content onto the platform. Running with the Rock Band Pro functionality, which can really start to be fully realized now that the Squier is coming to market. There's a lot of development to be done over the course of this year, with new content for Rock Band 3.

So that's what we're focusing on in terms of what's in the marketplace this year. And then beyond this year, as I touched on, there's some far more fundamental reimaginings of the Rock Band franchise that we're thinking about right now.

When Activision recently put the Guitar Hero franchise to bed -- you guys were doing stuff prior toGuitar Hero [and] you were very successful, but that was kind of a turning point -- what was your gut reaction to hearing that news? 

Honestly, the very first reaction was that of, you know, feeling sympathetic for the folks that were being put out of work that day. We went through a reduction of force ourselves. It's a very painful thing to let people go, and it's a painful thing to see people lose their jobs. So that was kind of the first reaction.

You know, the second reaction, of course, was that I think it's further evidence that [this] game category is in need of evolution and reinvention, and as I said previously, we take that at Harmonix as a rallying call, and I think we're excited to rise to it. And of course, on some other level, it's an invitation for us to reach out to those Guitar Hero fans and give them an opportunity to try something new. 

With that in mind, it's obvious that the band category is certainly cooling off, at least as far as consumers are concerned. Have you looked at other avenues and opportunities, especially for those Pro modes, like educational opportunities? 

We have very much thought about that. There's not so much I can say about it today, but suffice it to say we think there's a ton of untapped opportunity along that [route]. 

Considering that [Dance Central was more commercially successful than Rock Band 3], is Dance Central the main focus of the studio right now? 

Well, I wouldn't say -- I mean, look: it's our top-selling product right now, and I would say the largest single development team at the studio is hard at work on Dance Central, without being able to be too much more specific than that. But, we do continue to have significant resources devoted to Rock Band -- both in near term and far term of Rock Band -- and we also have significant resources devoted to a number of new IPs and new game concepts in development as well. So there's actually quite a lot of work underway here on a diverse variety of projects.

That kind of leads into my next question. I mean, you guys have been making music games for 10 years. The original vision was sort of always to get non-musicians the chance to experience, play, and connect with music in new ways. I feel like you've accomplished that. Obviously, you feel there's more work to do in that space. But what? I mean, where do we go from here? 

We do feel that there's more to do in that space, and that doing more involves reconception of what music games mean, and what other ways there are to connect people with music -- and to connect with other people through music -- that haven't really been explored yet. So it's an important frontier of creative [research and development] for us. 

You said that now is a good time to reinvent Rock Band, but I think that was a big message withRock Band 3 last year, especially with the Pro modes. You tried to shake things up a little bit. Do you feel that you were successful in that? 

I feel like [we were] creatively successful. I feel that paradigm for merging instrument learning with gameplay was successful from a design standpoint. I don't think that we have yet achieved the full potential of that in terms of its distribution into the world. And I think as I said earlier, we expect that's something we'll cultivate over a long period of time through multiple different channels, including alternative channels, like you touched on. I think we'll continue to build on that in [a] kind of slow-burn and slow-growth way for quite some time. 

So if Activision came to you in three years and said, "We need you to revive the Guitar Herofranchise," would that be something that you'd be interested in doing?"

Well, I mean, you'd have to ask me again in a few years, depending on the way the world looks at that point. I mean, I will say the fact that we have been competitors with Activision in the band game genre in the past would not close our minds about the opportunity to work with them on the right project in the future.

Do you think maybe you could have "saved" Guitar Hero, had you continued to work with Activision? Do you think maybe they handled that series wrong, or that Harmonix could have done better to help nurture that series over the years?

Well, I don't know about that. I'm not inclined to critique Activision's management of the Guitar Herofranchise. I think that Harmonix had its own opportunity to manage a rock performance simulation franchise, and we're for the most part happy with what we were able to accomplish creatively over the last couple of years. We'll leave it at that. 

In hindsight, has what they [have] done with the Guitar Hero series had any impact on sales or the perception of the Rock Band product? 

Yeah, it's possible that it did. But as I said again, I'm not inclined to go there in terms of, kind of, critiquing the competitive dynamics between the franchises over the last few years. 

What can you say definitively about what we can expect from Harmonix over the next 12 months?

I think, yeah, definitively, there's not too much I can say.

What I can say is that we absolutely remain committed to the Rock Band franchise, and in the short term that definitely means remaining committed to Rock Band Pro and to bringing really compelling new content to the platform. Without being able to be specific, I'll say that we of course remain very much committed to the Dance Central franchise. And there's a hell of a lot of new creative work being done on new IPs that we're pretty fired up about.

Rhythm games are dead.

Are they coming out with "The Rockband" instead of Rock Band 4?

" Rythym games are dead. "

Awesome interview. 
 
It's encouraging that Harmonix seems to be not only looking to keep Rock Band going, but are looking at new IPs as well. I hope they succeed in their future endeavors. 
 
I need that pro squier.

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

not a chance the genre is dead. "

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

not a chance the genre is dead. "

Agreed. There's not a chance that the genre is dead.  Thank you, come again. "

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

not a chance the genre is dead. "

Agreed. There's not a chance that the genre is dead.  Thank you, come again. "

nice on you for using my poor grammar as the only way of defending your lost franchise. :D "

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

not a chance the genre is dead. "

Agreed. There's not a chance that the genre is dead.  Thank you, come again. "

nice on you for using my poor grammar as the only way of defending your lost franchise. :D "

Hey, I had to take that easy opportunity.  Now, I don't know why you insist on claiming the genre is dead. You obviously don't care for the games. Why wasn't your initial statement sufficient? Why do you feel the need to come back again and again just to tell me--someone who wants to see the genre live on--that it's not going to happen? Not to mention you're doing this with no other opinion than "I don't think they have what it takes".  Be an optimist. It's often better for everyone. "

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

not a chance the genre is dead. "

Agreed. There's not a chance that the genre is dead.  Thank you, come again. "

nice on you for using my poor grammar as the only way of defending your lost franchise. :D "

Hey, I had to take that easy opportunity.  Now, I don't know why you insist on claiming the genre is dead. You obviously don't care for the games. Why wasn't your initial statement sufficient? Why do you feel the need to come back again and again just to tell me--someone who wants to see the genre live on--that it's not going to happen? Not to mention you're doing this with no other opinion than "I don't think they have what it takes".  Be an optimist. It's often better for everyone. "

there you go pre-judging me. I loved Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, RockBand, but after that I started to feel cheated. Paying 60 bucks for pretty much a DLC pack. oooh new cotumes, new songs whatever if i wanted that I could have gotten them DLC style. Why charged me full price for a few new songs and outfits that's just lame.  and you kept coming in here trying to say it's not dead, so we are both just as guilty of that.  I am an optimist. But why put a new saddle on a dead horse... it's not going anywhere. "

" I think that first of all, while I was a GH fan, the GH franchise is what ruined the genre.  But I don't think it's time to count the genre down and out yet.  Was it a passing fad that will be less popular now?  Sure.  Will it be completely dead?  Nope.  Really, what you're saying is no different than the people that come out and say OMG THIS NEW GAME IS GONNA KILL THIS OTHER GAME!  Often that's not the case.  While the new game, in some cases, does take the more popular spot, support for the previous game continues, as there's still money in it for the companies involved, and there's still enjoyment in it for those that still play it.  If the genre were dead, as you apparently need to stress with every post, then Harmonix wouldn't bother to continue putting out DLC because there would be no money in it for them. "

It's all about dubstep now, they might as well innovate.

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Caligula said:

" @JJWeatherman said:

" @Aus_azn said:

" @Caligula said:

" Rythym games are dead. "

Band based rhythm games lack innovation. I don't think Harmonix has what it takes. "

Harmonix invented band-based rhythm games if you don't remember. They very clearly have the potential to innovate, as they've shown every step of the way. "

not a chance the genre is dead. "

Agreed. There's not a chance that the genre is dead.  Thank you, come again. "

nice on you for using my poor grammar as the only way of defending your lost franchise. :D "

Hey, I had to take that easy opportunity.  Now, I don't know why you insist on claiming the genre is dead. You obviously don't care for the games. Why wasn't your initial statement sufficient? Why do you feel the need to come back again and again just to tell me--someone who wants to see the genre live on--that it's not going to happen? Not to mention you're doing this with no other opinion than "I don't think they have what it takes".  Be an optimist. It's often better for everyone. "

there you go pre-judging me. I loved Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, RockBand, but after that I started to feel cheated. Paying 60 bucks for pretty much a DLC pack. oooh new cotumes, new songs whatever if i wanted that I could have gotten them DLC style. Why charged me full price for a few new songs and outfits that's just lame.  and you kept coming in here trying to say it's not dead, so we are both just as guilty of that.  I am an optimist. But why put a new saddle on a dead horse... it's not going anywhere. "

" @melcene said:

" I think that first of all, while I was a GH fan, the GH franchise is what ruined the genre.  But I don't think it's time to count the genre down and out yet.  Was it a passing fad that will be less popular now?  Sure.  Will it be completely dead?  Nope.  Really, what you're saying is no different than the people that come out and say OMG THIS NEW GAME IS GONNA KILL THIS OTHER GAME!  Often that's not the case.  While the new game, in some cases, does take the more popular spot, support for the previous game continues, as there's still money in it for the companies involved, and there's still enjoyment in it for those that still play it.  If the genre were dead, as you apparently need to stress with every post, then Harmonix wouldn't bother to continue putting out DLC because there would be no money in it for them. "

there is no money it for them. that's why they are trying so hard to push this new garbage on gamers. sure there will still be people who play these games. I still play old games. but most people move on to bigger and better things. "

" @Caligula: I think that first of all, while I was a GH fan, the GH franchise is what ruined the genre.  But I don't think it's time to count the genre down and out yet.  Was it a passing fad that will be less popular now?  Sure.  Will it be completely dead?  Nope.  Really, what you're saying is no different than the people that come out and say OMG THIS NEW GAME IS GONNA KILL THIS OTHER GAME!  Often that's not the case.  While the new game, in some cases, does take the more popular spot, support for the previous game continues, as there's still money in it for the companies involved, and there's still enjoyment in it for those that still play it.  If the genre were dead, as you apparently need to stress with every post, then Harmonix wouldn't bother to continue putting out DLC because there would be no money in it for them.  Finally, are you even familiar with Rock Band 3?  Certainly it isn't just a glorified DLC pack, with the new pro modes and keyboard support.   But in addition, you could say the EXACT SAME THING about most shooter franchises, for example.  Paying 60 bucks for a new map pack and maybe some new weapons.  OOOOH. "

You're right, Guitar Hero didn't change a ton between 1 and 2, but Rock Band changed dramatically over the course of its lifetime. Harmonix could probably do it, they have a ton of creativity.  "

" @Caligula said:

" @melcene said:

" I think that first of all, while I was a GH fan, the GH franchise is what ruined the genre.  But I don't think it's time to count the genre down and out yet.  Was it a passing fad that will be less popular now?  Sure.  Will it be completely dead?  Nope.  Really, what you're saying is no different than the people that come out and say OMG THIS NEW GAME IS GONNA KILL THIS OTHER GAME!  Often that's not the case.  While the new game, in some cases, does take the more popular spot, support for the previous game continues, as there's still money in it for the companies involved, and there's still enjoyment in it for those that still play it.  If the genre were dead, as you apparently need to stress with every post, then Harmonix wouldn't bother to continue putting out DLC because there would be no money in it for them. "

there is no money it for them. that's why they are trying so hard to push this new garbage on gamers. sure there will still be people who play these games. I still play old games. but most people move on to bigger and better things. "

If there were no money in it for them, they wouldn't bother doing it.  I think you missed that point.  Actually, you seemed to miss all of the points of my post. "

bbbbbbass

These games aren't going to have the mainstream appeal like they used to but Harmonix will cater to the crowd that still likes them, and God bless'em for that. I hope they continue to put out quality games and DLC.

So back to the original topic 

"  @JJWeatherman: you sir, are an asshole. (especially if grammar can twist your panties in such a not) :P  have a nice life being a dick. "   

" @Caligula: Have a nice life struggling to string a coherent thought together.   ...I'll save you some time.  "Coherent" means logical and consistent. "

" @Wrighteous86 said:

" @Caligula: Have a nice life struggling to string a coherent thought together.   ...I'll save you some time.  "Coherent" means logical and consistent. "

FUCK YOU :D  is that coherent enough. "

" @Azteck said:

You're right, Guitar Hero didn't change a ton between 1 and 2, but Rock Band changed dramatically over the course of its lifetime. Harmonix could probably do it, they have a ton of creativity.  "

Actually, one of the biggest changes was that between 1 and 2, the franchise came to the next gen of consoles, which allowed us to have DLC in the first place. "

@melcene: I love Rock Band despite every attempt I had to hate it.  With a group of friend's, it's a fun experience.  I'm a little skeptical at their ability to reignite consumer interest, though.  I think their DLC model was genius, but if Rock Band 3 didn't capture consumers with the great innovations they included (namely Pro Mode and making it more playable in a party setting), then I'm not sure that anything they do in the future will work, either.  And, in retrospect, the keyboard was a bit pointless.  A nice addition, but it didn't add much to the franchise. "

" @Caligula said:

" @Wrighteous86 said:

" @Caligula: Have a nice life struggling to string a coherent thought together.   ...I'll save you some time.  "Coherent" means logical and consistent. "

FUCK YOU :D  is that coherent enough. "

Well, you had no punctuation in your first sentence and followed it with an inane emoticon, and your second sentence wasn't capitalized and you ended a question with a period, so at the very least, you're consistent. "

Let's get off the petty personal arguments, people. There's a better topic at hand than "User Rambles vs. Fuck You," and I'd rather not see it suffer because certain people need to cool down and let things be.
 
One thing I've always wanted to see Rock Band do is separate all the parts of a band out into their own tracks. Is a band just a bassist, vocals, guitar, drums, and/or keyboard? Fine, then nothing changes. But what if a band has more than one guitar? Let me choose which one I want to play. This'd be especially handy if Harmonix ever goes back to The Beatles for another go-round (they probably won't, but I'd love to see it). Same deal with vocals. Don't always separate it out into its own part -- give me the option to sing or harmonize while playing and have it credit to my profile, rather than the guest account I'm using to do both at once.
 
I doubt that's even close to the level of innovation Harmonix is looking into, but it'd be a nice touch for the next generation of systems and their rhythm games, if nothing else.

The one thing I really want and know I'll never get?  A Beatles transfer code.

" Let's get off the petty personal arguments, people. There's a better topic at hand than "User Rambles vs. Fuck You," and I'd rather not see it suffer because certain people need to cool down and let things be. One thing I've always wanted to see Rock Band do is separate all the parts of a band out into their own tracks. Is a band just a bassist, vocals, guitar, drums, and/or keyboard? Fine, then nothing changes. But what if a band has more than one guitar? Let me choose which one I want to play. This'd be especially handy if Harmonix ever goes back to The Beatles for another go-round (they probably won't, but I'd love to see it). Same deal with vocals. Don't always separate it out into its own part -- give me the option to sing or harmonize while playing and have it credit to my profile, rather than the guest account I'm using to do both at once.  I doubt that's even close to the level of innovation Harmonix is looking into, but it'd be a nice touch for the next generation of systems and their rhythm games, if nothing else. "

"  One thing I've always wanted to see Rock Band do is separate all the parts of a band out into their own tracks. Is a band just a bassist, vocals, guitar, drums, and/or keyboard? Fine, then nothing changes. But what if a band has more than one guitar? Let me choose which one I want to play. This'd be especially handy if Harmonix ever goes back to The Beatles for another go-round (they probably won't, but I'd love to see it). Same deal with vocals. Don't always separate it out into its own part -- give me the option to sing or harmonize while playing and have it credit to my profile, rather than the guest account I'm using to do both at once.  I doubt that's even close to the level of innovation Harmonix is looking into, but it'd be a nice touch for the next generation of systems and their rhythm games, if nothing else. "

" Let's get off the petty personal arguments, people. There's a better topic at hand than "User Rambles vs. Fuck You," and I'd rather not see it suffer because certain people need to cool down and let things be. One thing I've always wanted to see Rock Band do is separate all the parts of a band out into their own tracks. Is a band just a bassist, vocals, guitar, drums, and/or keyboard? Fine, then nothing changes. But what if a band has more than one guitar? Let me choose which one I want to play. This'd be especially handy if Harmonix ever goes back to The Beatles for another go-round (they probably won't, but I'd love to see it). Same deal with vocals. Don't always separate it out into its own part -- give me the option to sing or harmonize while playing and have it credit to my profile, rather than the guest account I'm using to do both at once.  I doubt that's even close to the level of innovation Harmonix is looking into, but it'd be a nice touch for the next generation of systems and their rhythm games, if nothing else. "

Four player Gitaroo Man here we go.

" One thing I've always wanted to see Rock Band do is separate all the parts of a band out into their own tracks. Is a band just a bassist, vocals, guitar, drums, and/or keyboard? Fine, then nothing changes. But what if a band has more than one guitar? Let me choose which one I want to play. This'd be especially handy if Harmonix ever goes back to The Beatles for another go-round (they probably won't, but I'd love to see it). Same deal with vocals. Don't always separate it out into its own part -- give me the option to sing or harmonize while playing and have it credit to my profile, rather than the guest account I'm using to do both at once.  I doubt that's even close to the level of innovation Harmonix is looking into, but it'd be a nice touch for the next generation of systems and their rhythm games, if nothing else. "