Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Quazal Rocks Out with Harmonix and Rock Band™!

Music mega-game goes online with Quazal technology

Montreal, Quebec (November 16, 2007) - Quazal, makers of the award-winning Net-Z, Rendez-Vous and Spark! online multiplayer middleware today announced that Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. will be using Quazal's multiplayer gaming technology to bring online play to its next-generation music game, Rock Band, to be released this fall.

Among the most anticipated games of this year, Rock Band combines the voice and vision of the best-selling music game developers at Harmonix, the music industry powerhouses of its publisher, MTV Games and the non-stop might of its distributor, EA Partners. The upstarts at Quazal will tie it all together to form an arena-filling online supergroup that'll rock your teeth right out of your jaw.

"Having been a fan of Harmonix' titles for years and years now, it's incredible to work directly with them," said Mike Drummelsmith, Developer Relations Manager at Quazal. "Rock Band is ambitious, the userbase is going to be huge, and I look forward to jumping online and rocking out with friends and strangers alike."

With cooperative 4-player online play, head-to-head battles, online bands and more leaderboards than you can imagine, Rock Band will deliver a definitive online experience that will only grow over time with new songs, and some surprises as well.

"When working with any game of this scale online, there are a million and one different challenges to overcome, on both design and pure technology fronts," said Mike Verrette, Producer at Harmonix. "Working with Quazal to address and solve these challenges lets us know that we'll be delivering an incredible experience to our users this fall, and that we're ready to bear the brunt of the onslaught of online gamers come launch day."

Rock Band will be using Quazal's Rendez-Vous technology for lobby and matchmaking services on both Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system (via LSP), as well as using Quazal's Net-Z technology for enhanced connectivity.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com

About Quazal

Quazal is the leading supplier of multiplayer middleware solutions for the entertainment industry. World-class publishers such as Atari, Capcom, Crave, Eidos, JoWooD, THQ and Ubisoft are joining the ranks of dozens of studios and independent developers that use Quazal's products to propel the next generation of multiplayer games. In 2000, Quazal revolutionized network programming by rendering obsolete the traditional packet/socket paradigm. In 2005, Quazal launched a fully featured lobby service, widely regarded as the most innovative and flexible offering on the market. Quazal's products are currently available for "PlayStation®2", "PSP"("PlayStation®Portable), "PLAYSTATION®3", Xbox®, Xbox 360, Windows®, Pocket PC, and Linux. For more information and demonstrations visit http://www.quazal.com.

About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc:

Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit: http://www.harmonixmusic.com

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 130 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About MTV Games

MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

*Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and /or other countries.

*Quazal Rendez-Vous and Quazal Spark! are trademarks of Quazal Technologies, Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact Information:

Mike Drummelsmith

Developer Relations Manager

Quazal Technologies Inc.

mike@quazal.com

(514) 395-4646

Author
GamesIndustry International avatar

GamesIndustry International

Contributor

GamesIndustry International is the world's leading games industry website, incorporating GamesIndustry.biz and IndustryGamers.com.