It's been almost 5 years since much has been said about a new Rock Band title. The demand has been there for a long time. The good news is, our wait is over. Rock Band 4, for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One has been announced. With it, a flood of information about what will be carried over and what won't make it (which was very little).

Harmonix has been using this time to figure out how to best pursue a new entry into the series. They are setting aside the interest to learn to play the actual instruments. They have focused it in on 3 core tenants: The High Score Chase, The Living Room Experience and Narrative Progression. The High Score Chase is for those who pursue the most accurate and challenging gameplay. While a minority of the player-base, they are a very consistent part of it. The Living Room Experience is for those who like to together, grab their favorite drinks and start playing the game. This is one of the biggest experiences for the game and the one most people are familiar with. This is just having fun playing the game with your friends and jamming out. The final core aspect is the Narrative Progression. While present in Rock Band 3, it will be getting far more attention here. This will let you see the growth of your Rock Band more clearly as they gain popularity and tour wider and wider.

Undoubtedly, there is the question of the DLC songs and previous peripherals (guitars, drums, keyboards, etc). Well, Harmonix has you covered. An anticipated 95% (or more) of the previously released DLC songs will be available day 1 of the game's release later this year. They see their massive DLC library as something to be proud of, as they should. It is the key feature that draws a lot of attraction to Rock Band.

As for the Guitars and drum kits people own, Harmonix has said they are working closely with Song and Microsoft to ensure that those previous investments are still functional. They need to see what Sony and Microsoft are willing to do to help them with this issue. Sony has less to be concerned about as the devices connected via a USB dongle. Microsoft, on the other hand, used a first-party component for the connection which will take more effort to sort out. Unfortunately, they did announce that there would not be any compatibility with the Keyboard in the new game. They have also largely dropped the “Pro” feature from the game as well. That being said, only “Pro Drums” looks to be surviving at present.

Still, some will have busted, broken or moody equipment at this point. Harmonix, working with Mad Catz, has announced a new slew of instruments to be coming out with the game. You will have at least 3 options for picking up the game. The first is the famous “Band in a Box” option. This includes a wireless Fender Stratocaster Guitar, Drum Kit and a Microphone. This is a great starting point if you got rid of a lot of your gear. The second option is getting the Guitar Bundle. It comes with the same guitar and the game. Finally, you can just get the game.

Harmonix took some time to talk about the new gear. While similar in appearance, it has had a number of improvements. The tilt function for “Overdrive” has been improved. They are also fighting vehemently to decrease the latency. They are also taking measures to keep the number of peripherals under control. They are staying away from the “Pro” versions largely. 

Want a little more to go with this announcement? Well, Harmonix has announced, for today, there will be a free song available: "I Still Believe" by Frank turner. This song is compatible with Rock Band 3 and Rock Band Blitz. It is a great way to celebrate this announcement. The game itself has maintained a strong base following over the years. It is wonderful to see what has been the King of Rock/Metal Rhythm Games return to its rightful throne.