Harmonix has today announced that Rock Band VR will make its release on Oculus Rift on March 23, with limited amounts of the Rock Band VR Guitar Bundle available via Amazon starting today.



If Rock Band VR’s classic mode is about the pursuit of a note-perfect studio recording, Rock Band VR’s performance mode, illustrated in the above gameplay video, represents the creative freedom of a live concert where no two performances sound exactly the same. In this mode, players experiment with different chords, notes and strum speeds to develop their signature sound and make each performance their own. It’s a completely new kind of music gameplay, it’s perfectly suited to VR, and it’s unlike anything else Harmonix has ever created.


Underpinning the gameplay is an amazing sense of presence you can only get in VR. From the moment the player takes the stage, they’ll experience what it’s like to perform in front of sold out crowds – sweaty palms and all. To deliver this fantasy, Rock Band VR focused on the details – from working effects pedals to interacting with your bandmates to the ability to use your guitar to bang on the drummer’s hi-hat cymbal. It’s an incredibly immersive experience.


While the gameplay may have changed, scoring and leaderboards remain as central to the Rock Band experience as ever. Players will need to develop a mastery of Rock Band VR’s new gameplay mechanics if they want to claim a top spot. Chaining together chords and notes into musical phrases and combos will earn players points, while timely deployment of overdrive and signature rock moves, like head banging in time to the music, will trigger multipliers to boost scores even further, earning more stars. It’s a deep, complex system that rewards both technical proficiency and creativity.


Rock Band has a history of amazing soundtracks and Rock Band VR is no exception. The Rock Band VR mixed reality gameplay video features the first songs confirmed to appear on the Rock Band VR soundtrack. They are:

• Aerosmith – “Walk This Way”
• The Killers – “When You Were Young”
• Paramore – “Ain’t It Fun”

And that’s just the beginning. With 60 songs from legendary artists and upcoming acts on the verge of breaking out, there’s something for everyone.

So on March 23rd, get ready to step into the shoes of a lead guitarist like never before.