Harmonix, the studio behind numerous music and rhythm-based games on the console, best known for its work on Dance Central and Rock Band, says that its developers believe the time may be perfect for a rhythm game renaissance to take place not on the console, but the PC.
The PC is of course no stranger to rhythm games, with titles like Stepmania, Frets on Fire and Audiosurf, but rhythm games have typically found their home on consoles with the likes of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which enabled the fad with plastic instrument controllers.
Harmonix believes that this is subject to change. Speaking for Harmonix, Cian Rice wrote an editorial on the company blog exploring some of the history of rhythm games on the PC, why things are the way they are, and how the emergence of VR and streaming will change the landscape entirely.
He wrote:
“Between new advances in tech like VR, streaming, and improved pipelines for user generated content, we live in an incredibly exciting time. One of these days there’ll be something really cool that wows the community, and I can’t wait for that day to come.”
“In my mind, the primary reason has to do with a little thing called Steam. Steam is a huge platform that has continuously grown over the years with new features to improve the community and player experience. One of these is Steam Workshop, which allows for a plethora of user generated content. Fans can reap the benefits of their dedication and talent by making and selling content for their favorite compatible games. Another important facet of this is Valve pushing for Steam to become a centerpiece of the living room experience with features like Big Picture mode.”
It’s anyone’s guess as to whether the PC will make a good home for the genre, but having more games isn’t something I’m going to turn down.
