Rock Band 4 gets online multiplayer in paid expansion this fall

By Danny Cowan April 25, 2016

A long-requested online multiplayer mode is coming to the co-op band simulation title Rock Band 4 this fall as part of a paid expansion pack, series creator Harmonix announced this week.

Synchronous online multiplayer is one of several additions slated to arrive for Rock Band 4 by the end of this year, though some content will require players to pay a fee for access.

“As one of our most requested features, synchronous online multiplayer has been a major focus of discussion within the Rock Band 4 development team for a while,” Harmonix stated. “Harmonix is dedicated to bringing high quality features to Rock Band 4, and we intend to continue support of the game as a platform through the entire 2016 year (and beyond!). We’ve listened to our audience, and we’re happy to announce that online multiplayer is confirmed as a major feature in the Rock Band 4 development roadmap.”

While Harmonix did not outline its plans for paid content as part of today’s announcement, the studio revealed additional details during a recent panel discussion at PAX East. In addition to its promised online multiplayer options, GameSpot reports that the upcoming expansion will include additional music catalog sorting features for players with large DLC libraries, along with filtering options and a song ratings system returning from Rock Band 3.

Comparing Rock Band 4‘s forthcoming update to game-changing expansions for Destiny and World of Warcraft, Harmonix community lead Josh Harrison claimed that the package will also include a collection of “really huge and brand new features.”

Harmonix declined to discuss pricing when the subject was brought up during a subsequent Q&A session. Thus far, Harmonix has issued no word as to whether it plans to reintroduce keyboard controller support or other major features present in Rock Band 3 but absent from 2015’s sequel.

Not all forthcoming Rock Band 4 updates will require a fee, however. Harmonix revealed that it will add support for dual kick drum pedals in May, and players can expect a practice mode to arrive as part of a patch rolling out in June.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

Apple Arcade to support both Xbox One and PS4 controllers

Apple Arcade WWDC 2019 ps4 dualshock 4 xbox one gamepad support integration

Apple hosted a special livestream event at the San Jose Convention Center during the company’s annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). During the event, Apple revealed that the upcoming game subscription service Apple Arcade will feature support for the Xbox One controller and PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4.

Google Stadia isn’t the only new gaming platform coming in 2019. Apple Arcade will be released in the fall but, unlike Stadia, it is not a cloud streaming platform. With Apple Arcade, gamers will be using a connection to download the games in full but you won’t need an active connection to play. The platform will feature exclusive games that Apple has reportedly invested more than $500 million to obtain and a subscription will get you and five other users access to those titles. You can access the Apple Arcade platform via an iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

Gaming

The best iPhone emulators

A collage of the delta emulator.

The market for iPhone games has become so wide and diverse that it can realistically compete with most console and PC offerings. Where we once only got cheap time-wasters, we now have complete experiences that don't feel any less impressive than what the competition offers. In fact, a lot of games made for consoles are appearing on the iPhone now that it is becoming so powerful. However, older games have paradoxically been mostly absent from the app store.

That all could be about to change as emulation is now allowed on iPhone, though with some caveats that any retro fan should know about before getting too excited to play all your favorite NES games on your phone. Here's what's up with iPhone emulators, as well as our picks for a few of the best ones you can get right now.
What you need to know about emulation on iPhone
Emulators on iPhone, as well as emulation in general, are in a strange legal gray zone. Previously, the only way to get an emulator on your iPhone was through some workarounds that generally involved jailbreaking your phone. That differs from Android, which has enjoyed native emulators for years. In 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines to allow for emulators on its store, but with some important restrictions.

Gaming

Epic Games just teased a Fallout and Fortnite crossover

Two vault-dwellers and a helmet from a set of power armor.

With Fallout being everywhere right now, it's only fair that it joins Fortnite, too. Epic Games teased on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday that the iconic open-world RPG series will be coming to Fortnite.

While there aren't any public details yet on what will be offered during this collaboration, we can expect some Fallout-themed weapons and some skins. Maybe a vault dweller suit or some power armor? Since Epic put a thumbs-up emoji in the caption, it's safe to assume that Vault Boy will be involved.