Rock Band Earns Harmonix Possible $208M Bonus
The strong performance of Harmonix's multiplayer rhythm game Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360) may have earned its former shareholders upwards of $208 million, reports Gamasutra.
Going by Viacom's annual report to the SEC, the company's acquisition of Harmonix in 2005 included a clause that stipulated performance-based incentives for the former sharholders if Rock Band exceeded expectations.
The report notes that some $208.7 million in bonuses has been set aside, to be paid out over the 2008 calendar year.
According to Newsweek's N'Gai Croal, this brings Viacom's total Harmonix-related spendings to over $380 million, despite Rock Band and all of its DLC amounting to roughly $190 million in gross revenue. The game has sold over 1.5 million units and 2.5 million downloadable songs since its November 20 debut.
"You earn $190 million on something... you pay 208.7 million in bonuses.... crazy."13 Comments
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