GDC: Harmonix signs with Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts has used its pre-GDC event in San Francisco as a platform to announce a new publishing deal with rhythm action specialist developer Harmonix.

The deal will see the next game from the developer, which is best known for the hugely successful Guitar Hero titles, being published by EA, and was announced by EA Partners boss David DeMartini and Harmonix founder Alex Rigopoulos last night.

Harmonix is owned by MTV Networks, having been purchased by the media giant in a $175 million deal shortly after Guitar Hero's publisher, RedOctane, was snapped up by Activision for over $90 million.

The developer is no longer working on Guitar Hero titles, with work on the franchise being brought in-house by Activision to its wholly owned Neversoft subsidiary, and Harmonix' next title will instead use the MTV branding of its new parent company.

The deal with EA gives MTV and Harmonix access to the most powerful marketing, sales and distribution channels in the industry - for a game which Harmonix CEO Rigopoulos told US website GameSpot last night would be "by far our most ambitious undertaking ever."