Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman says that he’s confident in the long-term value of the Rock Band franchise, despite a decline in series sales during the second quarter.

“With regard to Rock Band, the tough economic climate has tamped down its sales… But we continue to feel very good about the long-term value this franchise holds, particularly as we see the downloadable content portion of the business continue to grow. To date, we’ve sold nearly 50 million songs via disc or online,” he said during an earnings call.

Dauman said that new MTV Games management will focus on two key priorities: driving greater profitability and executing the right marketing and distribution strategy for the worldwide launch of The Beatles: Rock Band on September 9.



“This is truly an unprecedented event. This game, and it’s really more than just a game, it is truly an extraordinary musical experience and a work of art. This game will change the way people view music videogames," he claimed.

“While the game will have a small number of new limited edition hardware offerings, it will also be compatible with all Rock Band as well as most Guitar Hero instrument controllers already in the marketplace. This ability to play the Beatles game using your existing hardware should help accelerate the sales mix shift from hardware to software."

Source: Seeking Alpha