EA busting into rhythm games 'sooner than you think'

Much like its title implies, Guitar Hero arrived as a sort of savior for a rhythm genre that had grown a little too obsessed with hypnotic arrows for its own good. The rocking success of Red Octane's franchise thrust the genre back into the console limelight, with its financial gyrations quickly drawing the fixation of several publishers. According to a recent interview conducted by Stephen Totilo of MTV News, EA is one such a publisher.

Upon being asked about EA's plans in response to the success enjoyed by titles such as Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution, EA's Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing indicates that the gigantic publisher is already positioning itself on the diving board. "I've been pushing for a long time to be honest with you," says Steve Schnur. "I think you'll see us breaking into the genre sooner than you think."

Of course, one could argue that EA is already doing so with the upcoming Boom Boom Rocket, an Xbox Live Arcade title which sees (and hears) players detonating fireworks in rhythm to music. Is the Bizarre-developed title merely the first step in an increasingly complex dance maneuver? And more importantly, will there be an insane peripheral? If anybody's going to exploit the untapped Glockenspiel-breakdancing market, it'll be EA.

See also: Electronic Arts mixes on iTunes