Anyone considering picking up Rock Band or Rock Band Reloaded from Apple's App Store had better do it soon, as the games will no longer be available after July 31.
A licensing agreement between EA and Harmonix (the game's publisher and developer, respectively) is set to expire, and the companies have no plans to renew it.
Anyone who purchases and downloads the games before that time will be able to continue enjoying them, though they won't be able to purchase any of the game's DLC or re-download them if they're deleted from their iTunes libraries after the end of the month.
EA issued a public statement explaining the situation, though Harmonix has so far remained mum.
Is EA to blame?
EA has come under fire countless times from gamers for perceived offenses ranging from supposed nickel-and-diming with downloadable content to buying up talented developers like Pandemic only to permanently shutter them months later.
But it's unclear whether they're to blame for this latest offense against gamers.
The publishing giant released a statement this week, saying "EA's licensing agreement with Harmonix is ending and as a result, EA is discontinuing downloads of Rock Band iOS and Rock Band Reloaded iOS on the App Store after July 31."
TechRadar reached out to Harmonix with questions regarding the future of Rock Band on iOS, but the developer has yet to respond.
This situation was predicated by a notification that some players received in May informing them that the games would be discontinued at the end of the month.
At that time, EA claimed that the message was sent in error, though apparently the error was merely that it was sent two months early.
The current predicament represents one of the very real risks of digital distribution of any media content, though the possibility that digital purchases will be revoked is often overlooked in favor of convenience.
Regardless of whether Rock Band and Rock Band Reloaded ever reappear on iOS, some users might think twice before they purchase another digital game.
Via Slashgear
