“BandFuse: Rock Legends” – Playing and Investing Like A Rock Star

What would you do if someone asked you to invest in the next Guitar Hero? Rapid growth, daring innovation, and let’s be honest – fun – are all part of the package.

“BandFuse: Rock Legends” promises to take guitar gaming above and beyond.

Realta, a reality-based indie developer, has raised tens of millions of dollars to bring BandFuse: Rock Legends to millions of consumers on November 19th. Bryan Feinberg, a seasoned venture capitalist, sat down with SonicScoop to explain BandFuse’s approach, funding strategy, and why his investment in Realta is going to pay off in a big way.

Guitar Gaming Gets Real

Unlike its predecessors, BandFuse uses real live instruments. BandFuse’s career mode teaches players iconic rock songs by Pearl Jam, The Clash, Heart, Fall Out Boy, The Strokes and more in an engagingly innovative and authentic way. A perfect balance between technology, music, and gaming allows players to learn at their own pace from true legends.

“Our game brings together millions of guitar players and console owners together in a way that no one has done before,” Feinberg states. Players can interact socially via their gameplay or “in the studio” with immersion content from artists like Slash, Mike Ness, Bootsy Collins and Zakk Wylde as they share insights on the instruments, their music, and inspirations. A huge DLC (Downloadable Content) library will also be available. Still missing the plastic guitar?

Didn’t think so.

Virtually every investment involves risk, but investors are particularly cautious of music-related opportunities. For Feinberg, the gravitas of the management team coupled with his affinity for music made Realta an attractive investment. “I clearly knew the risks associated with an investment of this type, but pushed it aside because of the upside potential and belief in the team behind it.”

Realta is led by a team of experienced founders including Steve Gomes (CEO), Peter Hunt (Chairman), Ephraim Lindenbaum (Director) and Scott Apathy. Their track record in multimedia spans over 20 years and includes clients such as Electronic Arts, Time Warner, and Universal.

They assembled an accomplished team of programmers, hardcore musicians, and industry experts including the licensing executives behind the libraries of Guitar Hero and Rock Band to craft a licensing model that was economically viable for the copyright owners of the 55 iconic songs featured in the game. It’s the A-team of music and gaming.

Capital Path

As an early investor, Bryan was part of the team that executed on the investment strategy. They purposely avoided the traditional VC route and opted to raise seed capital from family/friends, followed by a Series A round funded through convertible notes with predefined milestones.

This enabled the company to structure the framework, business model, engine and partnerships with Guitar Center, Fender, and distribution channels within four years. “Getting through the A Round was a huge validation in terms of attracting new, strategic capital to the deal,” Feinberg recalls. “If you believe in your company and your ability to deliver returns to your investors, you need to define a strategy and stick to it.”

Just how large is the potential upside here? Realta estimates that its initial market includes the intersection of the 30 million guitar players in the US and the 57% of American households that currently own a gaming console – it’s a tangible and addressable opportunity that’s attractive to investors. “Guitar Hero sold over 50 million units in just over 5 years, so we had some great role models to learn from,” says Feinberg.

Aside from tapping into this existing market, BandFuse will likely create an entirely new generation of musicians. The game itself was strategically designed to be the beginning of a lucrative franchise that expands beyond the guitar market into other components, instruments, and branding opportunities. Once you’ve mastered the guitar with Slash, maybe future versions of BandFuse could teach you how to play the drums or piano (John Legend, please get in touch with Realta so they can port you into my living room).

BandFuse could actually be a game changer for the music/gaming industry.

Best Practice Is…

If you’re thinking about raising capital for your own game changer, it helps to scrutinize your plans. “Building a model in a spread sheet is one thing. Executing it is an entirely different. If you listen to your market and give consumers what they want, you are on the path to success,” Bryan advises.

Similarly Feinberg suggests that investors that are still on the fence about investing in the music industry should be selective. “Know the market and keep your finger on the pulse of everything that is going on around you.”

BandFuse is available for pre-order on GameStop and Amazon now. The game officially launches on November 19th in the US. Catch a sneak peak below.

Jessica Sohbraj is a digital media strategist specializing in intellectual property licensing. She also serves as a Board Member of Women In Music. Follow her on Twitter via @JessicaSobhraj.

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