Rock Band Creator "Retooling" its Music-Based Shooter

Rock Band and Dance Central creator Harmonix is "retooling" Chroma, the studio's music-based shooter. An email sent to alpha testers and obtained by Kotaku thanks them for their feedback, and explains that the project is now undergoing a significant overhaul.

"Based on the terrific feedback we got from all of you in the community, as well as our own analysis, we have concluded that Chroma will need some substantial retooling to be the game we want it to be," the email reads.

"We remain passionately committed to the high-level vision, and we think there are some very successful mechanics and systems in the existing build. The team has, in fact, already started prototyping new directions for the game based on those successful mechanics," it goes on. "We look forward to sharing more with you down the line, as Chroma evolves in new directions."

A Kotaku commenter who claims to have been in the Chroma alpha test said: "I mean it was a Alpha but for me it was basic level designs and weapons. The premise was great and it did work well for the music but underneath that it felt like any other shooter."

Harmonix announced Chroma in February. It is a free-to-play game for PC, though CEO Alex Rigopulos said earlier this month that he hopes the game could come to consoles some day. Harmonix is developing the game in conjunction with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive studio Hidden Path Entertainment.

Like you'd expect from a Harmonix game, Chroma is focused heavily on music. The game's various classes have unique rhythmic twists, like the assault class' grenade launcher that lobs explosives that only go off on the downbeat. If you play as Tank, you can use a heat-seaking rocket launcher that is most effective if you're able to tap your mouse in time with the music.

In addition to Chroma, Harmonix is working on a new Amplitude game for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, as well as Fantasia: Music Evolved for Xbox 360 and Xbox One, an iOS game called Record Run, and maybe even a new Dance Central game for Xbox One.