Mad Catz and Harmonix marriage to continue

by: Dan - posted: 4/26/2010 5:54:00 AM

Mad Catz and Harmonix will stay in bed together for at least another few years, as the two companies announced a Global multi-year deal for Mad Catz to continue to produce Rock Band peripherals. This includes all of the Rock Band 3 peripherals due out later this year across all three platforms.

Back in 2008, the two companies signed their first agreement (North America and select world-wide locales) that allowed Mad Catz to produce both wired and wireless units. We would like to hear your opinion on this relationship in the comments on whether you think the Rock Band peripherals are up to snuff.

Mad Catz Enters into Multi-Year License Agreement with Harmonix as Official Global Manufacturing and Distribution Partner for Rock Band Music Game Peripherals

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, announced today that it has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., the leading developer of music-based games, to serve as the principal peripherals partner for the Rock Band franchise. The license agreement grants Mad Catz international rights, wherever Rock Band is sold, to produce and distribute Rock Band music videogame controllers for future iterations of Rock Band during the term of the deal, including the highly-anticipated Rock Band 3 for the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ system from Nintendo.

“Serving as the principal Rock Band videogame peripherals partner on a multi-territory basis leverages the powerful product development and global marketing and distribution capabilities Mad Catz has built,” said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz. “Having worked with Harmonix and MTV Games over the past two years on peripherals for Rock Band and Rock Band 2, we are thrilled to take on an even more integral role with the Rock Band franchise.”

“We are excited to be expanding our relationship with Mad Catz to continue to bring their video game peripheral design and manufacturing expertise to the Rock Band platform,” stated Alex Rigopulos, CEO of Harmonix. “We look forward to partnering with Mad Catz to continue to innovate and lead the music game genre through the Rock Band franchise.”

Published by MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), and developed by MTV Network’s Harmonix Music Systems, the leading developer of music-based games, Rock Band is the multi-million unit selling, genre-defining music game platform that allows music fans and gamers to interact with and discover music like never before by choosing guitar, drums, vocals, or bass to start a band and rock the world. With an unparalleled music catalog featuring over 1,000 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/music), the Rock Band platform continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers' voracious appetite with more than 65 million paid downloads since its launch November 20, 2007 and has set the bar for innovation by delivering groundbreaking music content and experiences through titles and initiatives such as Rock Band, Rock Band 2, The Beatles: Rock Band, LEGO® Rock Band, and Rock Band Network.