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”.