‘Fortnite’ Owner Epic Games Acquires Harmonix, Creator of Rock Band
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, has acquired game development studio Harmonix, the creator of Rock Band and Dance Central for an undisclosed amount, the companies have announced. The…
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, has acquired game development studio Harmonix, the creator of Rock Band and Dance Central for an undisclosed amount, the companies have announced. The move should help incorporate more music into Fortnite, which has already made a name for itself in the music industry by hosting massive virtual concerts for artists including Travis Scott, Marshmello, and Ariana Grande.
“Music is already bringing millions of people together in Fortnite, from our emotes to global concerts and events,” Alain Tascan, vp game development at Epic Games in a statement. “Together with the Harmonix team we will transform how players experience music, going from passive listeners to active participants.”
“Harmonix has always aspired to create the world’s most beloved interactive music experiences, and by joining Epic we will be able to do this at scale,” added Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and chairman at Harmonix. “Together we will push the creative boundaries of what’s possible and invent new ways for our players to make, perform and share music.”
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Harmonix says it will continue to support its older games while it works with Epic Games, but noted that no new instruments would be built for Rock Band. With the metaverse a clear focus for Epic Games, and the music industry looking for avenues to get in on the next generation of the internet, this partnership should bode well for the ongoing relationship between the music and gaming industries.
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