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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Rock Band 4 not coming to Wii U because "the audience is not there"

oniyide on 08 March 2015
MikeRox said:
oniyide said:

it isnt obvious at all becasue the little bit of party games that have been released on Wii U havent been doing too hot. Very non Ninty games on the system have been doing well and thats kind of the point. 

I'll take it one step further and say this whole genre and style is kinda dead and im not quite sure why they are trying to bring it back. It wont do great anyhwere.


I actually think Rock Band 4 will do well for Harmonix, there are lots of people such as myself who will be getting it just to bring my playlist over to the PS4 (or XB1). I currently keep my PS3 just for Rock Band because I do still enjoy playing the game.

The way Harmonix are doing it is perfect. A single release is all the generation needs, and then all the extra content via the store. That was one thing I really preferred with Rock Band last gen, porting your tracks out to the sequel. But yeah, why bother with a sequel at all really? (That was more an EA requirement I think, I'm sure Harmonix themselves would have been happy just rolling it all out as DLC)

I don't think the genre will ever hit it's lofty heights of 2007-2009 again, but there will definitely be an active enough userbase (and likely some newcomers) to make it worth while for a small independent studio.

2015 is looking like a fantastic year for Harmonix, what with Amplitude's reboot also coming.


...fair enough. If this really will be the only Rock Band for the gen, that could actually work. They have years to sell the game and if it does ok enough they might even port it.



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Runa216 on 08 March 2015

I love the WiiU and I love Rock Band...but seriously, this is just normal business practices. If the audience isn't there, it doesn't make any sense to bring it over, especially if Nintendo has such a hard time with licensing songs and porting stuff over. (even though it's the only backwards compatible model)



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StuOhQ on 08 March 2015
Kerotan said:
Skullwaker said:

Just Dance 2015 also sold more on the Wii U than the other platforms (aside from the Wii).


Rock band was a lot bigger on ps2, 360, And ps3.  The ratio is not the same as just dance.  


Search this site for sales numbers on the Rockband franchise. The Wii sold 2nd best after the 360. Numbers 3 and 4 overall were on the Wii.



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Soundwave on 08 March 2015

Wii Fit also sold 20+ million on Wii.

Wii Fit U? Not so much.



Kerotan on 08 March 2015
StuOhQ said:
Kerotan said:


Rock band was a lot bigger on ps2, 360, And ps3.  The ratio is not the same as just dance.  


Search this site for sales numbers on the Rockband franchise. The Wii sold 2nd best after the 360. Numbers 3 and 4 overall were on the Wii.


I've already said that the ps3 install base was tiny compared to the Wii when this game was big. Yet the ps3 version wasn't far off the we version.  With the tables turned and the ps4 dominating the Wii it's obvious the ps4 is the best platform for this.  Xbox comes second so makes the cut.  Nothing stopping nintendo paying a fee to get this game.  They certainly have the money to do so. 



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oniyide on 08 March 2015
Kerotan said:
StuOhQ said:


Search this site for sales numbers on the Rockband franchise. The Wii sold 2nd best after the 360. Numbers 3 and 4 overall were on the Wii.


I've already said that the ps3 install base was tiny compared to the Wii when this game was big. Yet the ps3 version wasn't far off the we version.  With the tables turned and the ps4 dominating the Wii it's obvious the ps4 is the best platform for this.  Xbox comes second so makes the cut.  Nothing stopping nintendo paying a fee to get this game.  They certainly have the money to do so. 

for teh life of me i dont know why people insist on bringing in old consoles as some form of evidence, every gen is different. Because it was successful on Wii doesnt mean crap for Wii U. I mean really?! WiiU is on track to sell 1/5 of what Wii did. Hell COD is doing better on PS4 than One despite MS still having early DLC and exclusive ads



Samus Aran on 08 March 2015

Rockband games can't take long to develop or port.

But I think Harmonix is a mediocre developer anyway. It's a shame games like this sell so much, the Wii generation was rife with games like this. I'm glad most of them are dead now (Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Music, etc.)



Kerotan on 08 March 2015
oniyide said:
Kerotan said:


I've already said that the ps3 install base was tiny compared to the Wii when this game was big. Yet the ps3 version wasn't far off the we version.  With the tables turned and the ps4 dominating the Wii it's obvious the ps4 is the best platform for this.  Xbox comes second so makes the cut.  Nothing stopping nintendo paying a fee to get this game.  They certainly have the money to do so. 

for teh life of me i dont know why people insist on bringing in old consoles as some form of evidence, every gen is different. Because it was successful on Wii doesnt mean crap for Wii U. I mean really?! WiiU is on track to sell 1/5 of what Wii did. Hell COD is doing better on PS4 than One despite MS still having early DLC and exclusive ads

Yeah because ps4 is almost double X1. How the hell could cod not do better on ps4. 

 

You just proved my point even more.  Rockband had a much better attach rate on ps3 vs the Wii so now that the ps4 is dominating the Wii U it's a no brainer that it would sell the best on ps4 with Xbox the next best platform.  Harmonix clearly agree with my line of thinking. 



MikeRox on 08 March 2015
Samus Aran said:
Rockband games can't take long to develop or port.

But I think Harmonix is a mediocre developer anyway. It's a shame games like this sell so much, the Wii generation was rife with games like this. I'm glad most of them are dead now (Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Music, etc.)


Good for you.

Personally I think they are the best music game developer going. Nobody else comes close to Harmonix at their best.



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Samus Aran on 08 March 2015
MikeRox said:
Samus Aran said:
Rockband games can't take long to develop or port.

But I think Harmonix is a mediocre developer anyway. It's a shame games like this sell so much, the Wii generation was rife with games like this. I'm glad most of them are dead now (Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Music, etc.)


Good for you.

Personally I think they are the best music game developer going. Nobody else comes close to Harmonix at their best.

Yeah, except Harmonix doesn't develop the music. ;)