Rock Band Network for Wii terminated

[Livin in a box]

Harmonix is to shut down the Wii version of its Rock Band Network service.

The system allowed musicians to convert their own music for download or purchase in-game, but has apparently not proved popular on Nintendo's home console.

Wrote the studio on its official forum, "With the smaller online install base, limited demand for releases so far and the significant amount of work it takes for our producers and audio team to convert and process these additional tracks we're no longer able to continue submitting RBN content to the Wii."

Standard song downloads (i.e. those by known and Harmonix-approved bands) remain unaffected.

It's a shame that these things happen when developers try hard to get a good system on the Wii and it fails. I've never tried it myself but it sounds like a pretty good system they had there.

 

[monkat]

I guess if there was such a small demand...it's not a huge loss.

Still kinda sucks though, if people ever used it.

 

[Theraima]

Never really liked Rock Band, the notes are so weird

But still, its a shame. Hope they dont do the same thing to GH..

 

[Schlupi]

That's bullshit...

I DLed a lot of songs form the RBN. All those indie bands and such...

It's a shame.

 

[SPH73]

The whole music gaming genre has imploded.

 

[rockstar99]

That's bullshit...

I DLed a lot of songs form the RBN. All those indie bands and such...

It's a shame.

this

 

[jackdanielchan]

In the end it makes sense, if only a small amount of people are using this out of alot more people, it's pointless effort maintaining a server that's not really flying, and it's hard to please everyone...

 

[Frogman]

damn my dad owns a company calld rosies school of rock that were going to use this servie, we had a good deal with rock band about how it would all work and stuff to

 

[TM2-Megatron]

This is one of the reasons I hate additional online content and features; they can shut them down whenever they want. Say what you want about past generation games; at least they were nice and self-contained on their media.

These kind of things will happen more and more as we shift towards full digital distribution, whether you're talking about gaming or movies & television. You think content providers are pushing for it 'cuz it benefits the consumer? They're doing it because it gives them much more control over exactly how and when you can use the content that you paid for, and should be free to use however you wish.

 

[pubert09]

That's bullshit...

I DLed a lot of songs form the RBN. All those indie bands and such...

It's a shame.

I'm guessing that was the big problem. I guess not a lot of people like indie music. The novelty music was funny, though.
If they released more famous or popular stuff, more people might buy.
I did hate the pro drums screw up, too. The few RBN songs I DLed had all the yellow, blue, and green as cymbals.

 

[Kyoton]

This just entirely made me reconsider getting the RB3 bundle for my wii.... I am GENUINELY upset! T_T

 

[BORTZ]

Hmm. Thats sad, but hey i fell out of love with music games after Guitar Hero 2.

 

[nando]

i actually didn't know what rbn really was. from the brief messages in the game like "upload your own songs to the rbn" i assumed it was just crappy user submitted charts or crappy garage bands, so i never looked into it.

if i had known some indie bands i liked were in it i would of been on it from the beginning. anyway, i think they should of been clearer.