Next-gen project “unlike anything Harmonix has ever done”

News

Luke Albigés

Rock Band developer hiring combat and environment designers for at least one next-gen title

Rock Band Blitz is due to hit XBLA any day now. And with Dance Central 3 just a matter of weeks away as well, you might think that Harmonix might be able to take a bit of a breather and just watch people enjoying its new release. But unfortunately, the world’s leading rhythm action game studio will have no such luck.

According to recruitment posts on Harmonix’s official site, the team is looking to fill no less than thirteen (at the time of writing) positions – an impressive hiring drive when so many firms are making redundancies and closing their doors. Some of the vacant positions aren’t exactly surprising (concept, character and technical artists, for instance) though others are far more intriguing, with the page also advertising for narrative, level and combat designers, among other interesting roles.

Several of the listings refer to ‘a brand new IP on next-generation hardware’, described as being ‘unlike anything Harmonix has ever done before’. Hardly surprising given that the team’s portfolio is almost exclusively made up of music games, but welcome clarification all the same. Another listing also refers to ‘a unique motion-gaming IP’ – use of the word ‘unique’ would suggest that it can’t really be talking about the fourth Dance Central game, so it sounds like the Rock Band team could have even more surprises up its sleeve.

Would you rather see Harmonix branch out in new directions, or stick to what it knows best and make more games like Rock Band and Dance Central? Let us know in the comments field below, and be sure to check out Rock Band Blitz on XBLA – it’s really quite special.

Check out the latest issue of X360 for all the big news as well as exclusive content on all the biggest Xbox 360 games. Available on iPad and other digital devices and at all good newsagents!

[mpu]