Harmonix has explained why Rock Band 4 is not planned for PC. At the top of the reservations list? Piracy.
On PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, they can distribute songs safely on a closed network, and this is a reassurance they have to give their parters in the music industry.
On top of that, a preexisting library already exists on PlayStation and Xbox, which fans will be able to carry over from seventh to eight generation consoles. Wii U was not brought up here but the lack of compatibility between the Wii’s and Wii U’s online networks may have been a factor for the game not coming over to Nintendo’s console.
Notably, its biggest competitor,Guitar Hero Live, is coming to Wii U, as well as Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and even iOS, on top of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Activision seems less worried than Harmonix about piracy considering they have a slated version of the game coming to smartphones. It will be interesting to see what solution they have slated for this concern.
Perhaps this is why Harmonix hasn’t closed the door entirely on a PC port. They are one of many devs waiting to see how the pending entry of Steam Machines will play out, and if it will be worth their while to bring the game there.
Would you like to play Rock Band 4 on PC? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.