When Rock Band 4 came out, all I could do was lament the loss of the keyboard accessory from the prior game. Over time, I would learn to love the basics again and re-acclimate to the guitar, drums, and vocals that made the series popular in the first place. Little did I know that it would basically be the only massive rhythm game in town for 10 years.
Although Rock Band 4 and Guitar Hero Live fought it out back in 2015, only one victor remained. Guitar Hero Live was scrubbed from existence by Activision, while Rock Band 4 remained as an institution and platform for a decade later. While it’s not nearly as strong as it once was, I’m still busting it out at parties and for the occasional solo session.
Rock Band 4 Started As A Game And Became A Platform
Now It’s Basically On Ice
At launch, many people weren’t sure that Rock Band 4 would last. It was up against its old rival once again, and the 1.0 edition of RB4 lacked some basic quality-of-life features and modes. Over time, Harmonix would slowly build upon the game’s foundation, amid truckloads of DLC song releases.
Life was good if you were a Rock Band fan, especially if you had been following along with prior entries, bringing your DLC in along the way. I got to a point where I had over 1000 songs on demand, a setlist that has entertained countless party guests for the last decade.
Rock Band 4 wasn’t perfect, but that counts for something. A lot of the game’s momentum came from the passion within Harmonix itself, which seems to be mostly focused on the rhythm elements of Fortnite these days. I wouldn’t count on Harmonix, now a subsidiary of Epic Games, to bring this series back anytime soon.
The Hope For Another Rock Band Or Guitar Hero Is Slim
You Never Know
With that in mind, the audience for AAA rhythm games waxes and wanes, and rights issues make distribution a nightmare, especially as time passes. In 2024, Harmonix announced that they were ending Rock Band 4 DLC releases after eight years of support. Most recently, the studio shared that the game would be delisted entirely from Xbox and PlayStation digital storefronts. This came basically at the game’s 10th anniversary point, which is one heck of a way to celebrate.
As far as Guitar Hero goes, that series died in 2015 with Guitar Hero Live, the same year Rock Band 4 was released. It was a nasty battle, but in the end, Activision turned tail and ran from the competition, and declined to revisit the series that once gave Rock Band a run for its money. With Microsoft in charge, it’s possible we’ll see the revival of Guitar Hero one day beyond the occasional lingering machine in arcades.
Maybe one day we’ll get a revival, and a new generation of plastic instrument-buyers will be born. For now, Rock Band 4 is still alive, provided that you already bought it or still own the physical disc.
- Released
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October 6, 2015
- ESRB
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T For Teen due to Lyrics
- Developer(s)
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Harmonix
- Publisher(s)
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Harmonix
- Engine
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Forge Engine
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
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Rock Band
- Number of Players
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1-6
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Unsupported
