Editing Rhythm game (section)

=== Future directions (2010–present) ===
{{Further|topic=the 2012 iOS rhythm game|Mad Acorn}}
With the introduction of motion controllers for the Xbox 360 ([[Kinect]]) and the PlayStation 3 ([[PlayStation Move]]) in 2010 and 2011, some analysts stated that the rhythm market would resurge thanks to dance- and band-based games that use platform-agnostic controllers.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62S08Z20100329 | title = Music video games primed for new dance revolution | magazine = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | first = Antony | last = Bruno | date = 2010-03-28 | access-date = 2010-03-29 | archive-date = 2010-04-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100401125620/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62S08Z20100329 | url-status = live }}</ref> Dance games such as Ubisoft's ''[[Just Dance (video game series)|Just Dance]]'', Harmonix's ''[[Dance Central]]'' and ''[[Michael Jackson: The Experience]]'' were based on new motion sensing technologies. Industry pundits believed that, because sales of peripheral-based music games are lagging and the popularity of pop music is surging, dance-based games would continue to thrive.<ref name="mcv no heroes" /><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/feb/10/guitar-hero-axed | title = Guitar Hero axed: five reasons why music games are dying | work = [[The Guardian]] | date = 2011-02-10 | access-date = 2011-02-10 | first = Keith | last = Stuart | archive-date = 2020-04-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200420230122/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/feb/10/guitar-hero-axed | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20031267-1.html | title = Reason to fret: Guitar Hero is no more | first = Matt | last = Hickly | date = 2011-02-09 | access-date = 2011-02-10 | website = [[CNET]] | archive-date = 2012-10-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026091302/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20031267-1.html | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/party-over-for-guitar-hero-but-not-music-games/ | title = Party over for 'Guitar Hero,' but not music games | date = 2011-02-10 | access-date = 2011-02-10 | agency = Associated Press | archive-date = 2013-05-21 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130521062351/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/10/ap/tech/main7338362.shtml | url-status = live }}</ref> ''Just Dance'' and ''Dance Central'' boosted the rhythm genre's late-2010 sales; the latter was the top-selling game for the Kinect in North America in November 2010. Both games helped the genre increase its sales by 38% over November 2009, according to NPD.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://www.mcvuk.com/news/42181/NPD-Dance-games-spark-music-recovery | title = NPD: Dance games spark music recovery | first = Christopher | last = Dring | date = 2010-12-10 | access-date = 2010-12-10 | magazine = [[MCV (magazine)|MCV]] | archive-date = 2010-12-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101212201815/http://www.mcvuk.com/news/42181/NPD-Dance-games-spark-music-recovery | url-status = live }}</ref> Harmonix is expected to post more than $100 million in profit for 2011 buoyed by sales of ''Dance Central'' and downloadable content for the game, according to [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-02/harmonix-rebounds-with-dance-central-bets-on-music-downloads.html | title = Harmonix Rebounds With Dance Central, Bets on Music Downloads | first = Alexandra | last = Dean | date = 2011-11-02 | access-date = 2011-11-02 | publisher = [[Bloomberg L.P.]] | archive-date = 2011-11-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111103214903/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-02/harmonix-rebounds-with-dance-central-bets-on-music-downloads.html | url-status = live }}</ref> The [[Just Dance (video game)|first ''Just Dance'' game]] (2009) overcame a poor critical reception to topple ''[[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2]]''<nowiki/>'s best-seller status,<ref>Steinberg, p. 37</ref> while ''[[Just Dance 2]]'' (2010) became the best selling non-Nintendo game for the Wii. The ''Just Dance'' series competed with top action franchises for sales.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/07/14/just-dance-2-breaks-records-as-best-selling-third-party-wii-game.aspx | title = Just Dance 2 Breaks Records As Best-Selling Third-Party Wii Game | first = Matt | last = Helgeson | date = 2011-07-14 | access-date = 2010-12-10 | magazine = [[Game Informer]] | archive-date = 2019-09-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190901042011/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/07/14/just-dance-2-breaks-records-as-best-selling-third-party-wii-game.aspx | url-status = live }}</ref> ''[[Tap Tap Revenge]]'', the first installment of the [[iPhone]] rhythm series ''[[Tap Tap (series)|Tap Tap]]'', was the platform's most downloaded game in 2008.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.businessinsider.com/tap-tap-revenge-2-already-top-iphone-app-nearing-500000-downloads-2009-3 | title = 'Tap Tap Revenge 2' Already Top iPhone App, 500,000 Downloads | first = Dan | last = Frommer | date = 2009-03-05 | access-date = 2011-10-13 | website = [[Business Insider]] | archive-date = 2018-06-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180617042749/http://www.businessinsider.com/tap-tap-revenge-2-already-top-iphone-app-nearing-500000-downloads-2009-3 | url-status = live }}</ref> The ''Tap Tap'' franchise ultimately generated 15 million downloads and received a [[Guinness World Record]] as the "most popular iPhone game series".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20062715-248.html | title = iPhone 4, App Store nab Guinness World Records | first = Josh | last = Lowensohn | date = 2011-05-13 | access-date = 2011-10-13 | website = [[CNET]] | archive-date = 2012-03-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120317004104/http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20062715-248.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

Over the course of 2014, the phenomenon of [[indie games]] produced several variations of the genre.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://pixelkin.org/2014/10/29/favorite-rhythm-games/ | title = 5 RHYTHM AND MUSIC GAMES YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY TRY | first = Simone | last = deRochefort | date = 2014-10-29 | access-date = 2015-01-08 | publisher = Pixelkin | archive-date = 2021-02-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210227000244/https://pixelkin.org/2014/10/29/favorite-rhythm-games/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The game [[Jungle Rumble]] uses a mechanic where players drum on a touch screen to control the game. Different rhythms correspond with different verbs to control entities in an RTS like environment. The game ''[[Crypt of the NecroDancer]]'' uses a mechanic where the player controls the main character in sync with the soundtrack's beat.

Harmonix returned to its core rhythm games in 2014. In 2014, it successfully funded a [[Kickstarter]] campaign to produce a remake of the PS2 title, ''Amplitude'' for PlayStation 3 and 4, with release expected in 2015. Further, in March 2015, the company announced ''[[Rock Band 4]]'' to be released later in the same year, with plans to keep the game as a platform with continued free and paid updates and downloadable content, while refocusing on the core social and music enjoyment of the game. Activision also announced ''[[Guitar Hero Live]]'', slated for late 2015, which rebuilds the game from the ground up, keeping the core mechanics but using a 3-button with dual position controller, and using recorded footage of a rock concert taken from the lead guitarist's perspective to increase immersion. Guitar rhythm game industry is going for the [[Virtual reality|VR]] market with games like ''[[Rocksmith]]'' and'' [[Rock Band |Rock Band VR]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_4_best_guitar_games-67029 | title = Top 4 Best Guitar Games | first = Alexander | last = Dennison | date = 2017-09-21 | access-date = 2017-09-27 | publisher = [[Ultimate Guitar]] | archive-date = 2017-09-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170928005413/https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_4_best_guitar_games-67029 | url-status = live }}</ref>

2016 saw the release of ''[[Thumper (video game)|Thumper]]'', a self-styled "rhythm violence" game combining rhythm mechanics with an abstract horror theme and an original industrial soundtrack. Unusually, ''Thumper'' features a player character encountering notes as physical obstacles, rather than having notes simply scroll offscreen.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/05/thumper-vr-review |title=Thumper Review - IGN<!-- Bot generated title --> |date=5 October 2016 |access-date=2021-08-10 |archive-date=2021-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810055401/https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/05/thumper-vr-review |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in 2016, Konami returned to the western arcade market with ''[[Dance Dance Revolution A]]'' after a successful location test.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://p.eagate.573.jp/game/ddr/ac/p/info/index.html#info64 |title=DanceDanceRevolution {{!}} eAMUSEMENT<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2021-08-10 |archive-date=2021-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718153806/https://p.eagate.573.jp/game/ddr/ac/p/info/index.html#info64 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2017, Step Revolution released ''[[StepManiaX]]'', a game similar to DDR and [[In the Groove (video game series)|''In the Groove'']], with an additional center panel. The game currently releases monthly updates.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://arcadeheroes.com/2018/03/12/stepmaniax-dedicated-coin-op-version-prepping-release/ |title=Arcade Heroes StepmaniaX Dedicated Arcade Version Prepping For A Q2 2018 Release - Arcade Heroes<!-- Bot generated title --> |date=12 March 2018 |access-date=2021-08-10 |archive-date=2021-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810062406/https://arcadeheroes.com/2018/03/12/stepmaniax-dedicated-coin-op-version-prepping-release/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, ''[[Beat Saber]]'', a virtual reality rhythm game designed around cutting colored cubes in time with a song's beat, became the top selling and highest rated virtual reality game on the Steam market at the time of its release.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/review/beat-saber/engrossing-musical-swordplay |title=Beat Saber Review – Engrossing Musical Swordplay - Game Informer<!-- Bot generated title --> |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |access-date=2021-08-10 |archive-date=2021-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522085213/https://www.gameinformer.com/review/beat-saber/engrossing-musical-swordplay |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2019, the rhythm genre made its first foray into the [[first-person shooter]] genre with Harmonix's AUDICA. This same formula would then be used again for 2019's ''[[Pistol Whip (video game)|Pistol Whip]]'', 2020's ''[[BPM: Bullets Per Minute]]'' and 2022's ''[[Metal: Hellsinger]]''.

Harmonix was acquired by [[Epic Games]] in 2021, and worked on a new rhythm-based game mode called ''[[Fortnite Festival]]'', mimicking the gameplay of ''Rock Band'', released within Epic's ''[[Fortnite]]'' game platform in 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/9/23992574/fortnite-festival-harmonix-guitar-hero-rock-band | title = Fortnite Festival is Rock Band without the plastic instruments | first =  Andrew | last = Webster | date = December 9, 2023 | accessdate = December 9, 2023 | work = [[The Verge]] }}</ref>