Rock Band Creators Score $300 Million-Plus Payday (VIA)

When Harmonix founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy -- the guys behind mega-hit games Guitar Hero and later, Rock Band -- sold their company to Viacom's (VIA) MTV for a reported $175 million in 2006, the deal didn't end there. Turns out there was also an earnout agreement, where the pair gets a bonus if Rock Band did well. And Rock Band did very well.

Viacom paid the pair a bonus of $150 million this year under the agreement, the company says in financial statements. And the Harmonix founders have another payday due in 2009. Viacom:

In light of the success of the Rock Band video game
series, the final payment is expected to exceed this year’s payment.

The game, which goes for about $190 on Amazon (with plastic instruments), sold 7 million copies last year. Gamers downloaded 26 million extra playable tracks for the game, with $5.49 for a three-song bundle being a typical price.

See Also:
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Activision Releasing "Guitar Hero: Rock Band Killer"