Harmonix Gets Rock Band 2 Class Action Lawsuit

Everybody involved in the making of music-rhythm phenomenon Rock Band--developer Harmonix, publisher MTV, MTV owner Viacom, and distributor Electronic Arts--has been hit with a class-action lawsuit stemming from the game's drum peripheral.

Monte Morgan of Kansas alleges that the above four companies conspired to sell defective drum kits after admitting that the drums' kick pedals were defective. Morgan's lawyers noted that the defendants' special warranty extension lasted until October 1--just before the release of Rock Band 2 featuring a new and improved kick pedal.

That timing was not a coincidence, but rather a strategy designed to coax defective Rock Band drum owners into buying a new Rock Band 2 instrument bundle, claim lawyers in court filings obtained by GameCyte.

In less conspiratorial terms, the lawyers also claim that Rock Band's current 60-day warranty isn't enough in case, for example, a parent buys a copy for their child far in advance of Christmas.

Defective instruments have been a thorn in Rock Band's side since around this time last year, when Harmonix admitted that its early guitars were faulty. EA has run a replacement program for Rock Band instruments since the game's rough first-run peripherals were on the market, but that hasn't stopped a cottage industry for high-quality instruments from popping up.

Shacknews' Nick Breckon gave that industry a chance by ordering a $300 set of third-party drums. In a moment of sad irony, the drums arrived broken.