Rock Band 4 confirmed for PS4 and Xbox One

Harmonix has confirmed the rumours – Rock Band 4 is in development and is on the way to next-gen consoles.

The headline is that the studio intends” for the game to be backwards compatible with all existing hardware you may have ever purchased for the series, and is working with both Sony and Microsoft to ensure that is the case.

New instruments will be available, however, with exclusive colours available to those who pre-order. Don’t expect annual updates, either. The new Rock Band will grow and develop with post-launch releases and is very much designed as a long-term project.

Furthermore, remember all that DLC you purchased? That should all work too, resulting in an existing and available catalogue of 2,168 compatible tracks. Which, should it materialise, really puts Sony and its weak SingStar PS4 licensing efforts to shame.

Harmonix has also said that the game isn’t coming top Wii U or PC due to shifting production priorities and capabilities of the studio”.

EA is no longer the publisher, incidentally, with Harmonix and new partner Mad Catz handling developing, publishing and distributing duties between them.

With Rock Band 4, we’re doubling down on the energy and excitement of playing music live with your friends,” Harmonix CEO Steve Janiak said. Focusing on the core experience that our fans have told us they love allows us to evolve established gameplay in meaningful ways that we can’t wait to share with everyone later this year.”

Mad Catz president and CEO Darren Richardson added: We couldn’t be happier to be working with Harmonix and help bring the band back together for the launch of Rock Band 4. Harmonix possesses unrivalled passion and vision for music gaming and we can’t wait to introduce the next generation music platform to passionate gamers.”

Rock Band 4 is due out this summer. Over to you, Guitar Hero.