Harmonix developing "multiple new music games"
That aren't Dance Central, Rock Band.
There are "multiple new music games" in development at Harmonix that "won't resemble" either Rock Band or Dance Central.
That's according to paraphrased comments made by chief operating officer Florian Hunziker to Bloomberg.
If those games are as successful as Hunziker thinks they will be, then Harmonix profits should double. No small feat, when you consider Hunziker's prediction that 2011 will be Harmonix's most profitable year ever. In money terms, that means around $100 million revenue for the 200-person company.
Harmonix had tremendous success with Guitar Hero, and obscured success with Rock Band - the developer has sold 100 million music downloads since 2006, despite sluggish game sales.
But the company's real turning point came with Kinect and Dance Central - the sequel to which launched last month.
Wrote Johnny Minkley in Eurogamer's Dance Central 2 review: "In short, it's unquestionably the best dance game available on Kinect, and a successful, evolutionary step forward that will certainly please those who loved the original."
Such success suggests Harmonix will stick with Kinect for its new games - the developer evidently has a friend in publisher Microsoft Studios.
Yet Harmonix is, once again, an independent developer. Therefore Harmonix can, theoretically, do what Harmonix likes.