“The Ultimate Music Game Is Back For An Encore
Harmonix, MTV Games and Electronic Arts Unleash Rock Band™2

Entire Rock Band Downloadable Content Music Catalog Compatible with
Rock Band 2

More Music, Online Modes, Features Than Ever Before With New and Improved Drum and Guitar Peripherals

Rock Band Online Music Store Passes 15 Million Paid Downloads

Rock Band 2 Makes Exclusive Debut on Xbox 360 This September”

Full Press Release here.

“15 years from now, the prime minister of the day will have grown up playing computer games, just as 15 years ago we had the first prime minister to have grown up watching television, and 30 years ago to have grown up listening to the radio. Times change: accept it; embrace it. Don’t make yourself look even more 20th Century, even more public school, than you do already. You’ve lost! Understand? Your time has passed.”

“Gamers vote. Gamers buy newspapers. They won’t vote for you, or buy your newspapers, if you trash their entertainment with your ignorant ravings. Call them social inadequates if you like, but when they have more friends in World of Warcraft than you have in your entire sad little booze-oriented culture of a real life, the most you’ll get from them is pity.”

Hooray, Richard.  Finally, someone gets it!

Yes, that’s right, DoW:SS was #2.  This beat out some WoW titles, thankfully, since of course SS is a new release and the WoW titles are a year+ old.  This will look good on my resume, at least, even though it is sad that once again Iron Lore released a top-selling title and still went out of business.

[source for chart]

“It is with great regret that we must announce that as of close of business Tuesday, February 19, 2008 Iron Lore Entertainment has ceased active game development. Several unrelated events occurred which resulted in Iron Lore being unable to secure funding for its next project.

We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has helped us in the last seven years – our team who moved mountains to create such great games, our publisher THQ who has been a great partner through three product development cycles, and most of all our customers and fans. We owe all of the success we’ve had to you, and our greatest satisfaction has come from creating games that have given enjoyment to the community.”

They gave me a chance to get my foot in the door into the great video game industry.  I learned first-hand how volatile an industry this is, but also how much fun it can be.   I’ll never forget the friendships and professional relationships that I’ve forged here.  Thank you to everyone, and best of luck in the new positions!  May your careers prosper!