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

Warner wants more money for music games

The world's third largest music company will ask music videogame makers to pay more for licenses

Warner Music's chief executive, Edgar Bronfman, has said that the company will increase the cost to videogame makers for licensing songs in music-based rhythm games, according to Reuters.

The move, by the world's third largest music company, could impact the cost of any future downloadable content for games like Rock Band or Guitar Hero, and could affect plans outlined by Activision Blizzard's CEO to model Guitar Hero into a potential alternative to iTunes.

"The amount being paid to the music industry, even though their games are entirely dependent on the content we own and control, is far too small," said Bronfman.

Activision recently reported that sales were up 32 per cent to USD 654 million for its final quarter before merging with Vivendi, contributed to in large part by its Guitar Hero franchise. Meanwhile Harmonix and MTV Games announced earlier this year that it had sold over 12 million downloadable tracks for Rock Band.