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Today's 39 layoffs at Rock Band-developer Harmonix represented 13 percent of its staff, Joystiq has learned in a follow-up with MTV Games. The publisher expressed that Harmonix, its QA department and support positions were built to accommodate the 2009 worldwide release schedule. The developer will now shift to a "combination of temporary/part time help, outsourcing and support from external partners -- which is in line with how other game developers manage their QA departments."

When asked if this restructuring was precipitated by sales of The Beatles: Rock Band, a Harmonix/MTV Games spokesperson told Joystiq, "No. This was a process and business decision unrelated to the performance of any MTV Games / Harmonix product. MTV Games and Harmonix are very pleased with the sales of our Rock Band titles and we expect to continue to see strong sales throughout the holidays across all of our titles. The Beatles: Rock Band has sold over 1 million units worldwide to date. Again, the reason for the restructuring is due to better aligning our staffing to best suit our product development plans and schedules moving forward."

MTV Games also wanted to make sure that it was clear that "no future projects were affected by the restructuring."

MTV Games has confirmed to Joystiq that 39 positions at developer Harmonix were eliminated today. The move was part of a restructuring to "better align [the] staffing to best suit [Harmonix's] product development plans and schedules moving forward." The publisher claims that "those affected were primarily in QA. The others affected ranged from administrative to other various roles within the company." At least one staff designer seems to have fallen under the "other" category.

Although Electronic Arts has a partnership with Harmonix, these layoffs are "totally and completely unrelated" to EA's issues.

Update: MTV Games/Harmonix answer some follow-up questions.

In simple terms, Green Day and Rock Band are friends. There have already been several Green Day tracks released for Harmonix's musically inclined baby and it was announced today that even more are on their way later this month. Starting December 15 on the Wii and Xbox 360 – and December 17 on the Playstation 3 – players will be able to grab three new Green Day tracks from the band's 21st Century Breakdown album: "Christian's Inferno," "Last of the American Girls," and "¡Viva La Gloria!". The tracks will be available individually for $1.99 / 160 / 200 Wii points. The full track pack will be available on PS3 and Xbox 360 for $5.49 / 440.

Harmonix has confirmed to Joystiq that Rock Band Unplugged has "run through [its] planned slate" of DLC. Following two weeks of Rock Band Unplugged DLC being absent from our Rock Band Weekly feature, we decided to check in with the developer to see if this was the end of the road for the portable rhythm game's downloadable track support.

Harmonix stated it is "very pleased with the performance of the Rock Band Unplugged game on PSP, the Rock Band PSP bundle and PSPgo starter kit" and appreciates Sony's support of the title, which currently has around 100 tracks via disc and DLC combined. The developer states that the DLC team is currently focused on the ambitious "Rock Band Network, weekly console DLC, and unannounced future projects." Harmonix isn't ruling out future Unplugged DLC, as it may be "part of event releases," but it appears that weekly updates are done for now.

It appears that, in some cases, the PSN Rock Band track packs in the UK are receiving a price hike in comparison to the individually purchased songs. An EU PlayStation forum user notes the discrepancy, which applies no discount to pack purchases, making it cheaper to purchase all of a pack's tracks individually. The issue had previously been contained to packs with over three songs, but next week's update appears to break that trend. However, reviewing previous weeks with track packs of three, it appears that the EU and UK pricing were accidentally reversed for next week, but we won't be able to confirm that until the update goes live.

We've confirmed the pricing anomaly for the UK PSN Store and we're following up with Harmonix to figure out what's going on. Check out examples of the pricing inconsistencies after the break.

Update: Harmonix responded to Joystiq, saying, "We are aware of the issue and working with SCEE to resolve the problems asap."

[Thanks Si]

We know you've probably already spent an irresponsible amount of dough this morning on hot Black Friday deals, but there's a unique gaming marathon for charity (a charithon?) taking place right now that could use some help meeting its $3,000 donation goal. Check out the web page of Clan of the Gray Wolf, where four gentlemen are attempting to play 1,000 Rock Band songs for approximately 80 hours, all the while collecting money for Penny Arcade's Child's Play Charity.

So, instead of buying that set of Growing Pains-themed salt shakers simply because they're 75 percent off, why not lend a helping hand to four guys who, in 80 hours, are going to have the worst blisters anyone's ever had, ever?

Harmonix's Rock Band Network is still working out the kinks and will launch in "early 2010." In a statement to Kotaku, the developer explained that it's working on getting the public beta tools out "before the end of the year," with the store front to launch sometime at the beginning of next year.

Musicians with ample time and high computer proficiency can begin preparing their tracks now with the creator tools, but the open beta will grant access to the private website where all the RBN community stuff will occur. If you're a musician or programmer (or ... procisian?), let us know what you think about the tools in comments.

We can't tell you the number of times we've been packed into the mall during holiday season like angry, sweater-draped sardines and thought "This is great, but what if four people could swing plastic instruments around and warble an off-key version of 'Thunderstruck' just a few feet from us?" Finally, a retailer has stepped up to cater to our needs as Old Navy has announced it'll be putting Rock Band kiosks in 700 of its stores beginning on Black Friday.

Also, on Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, those who spend more than $25 at the store will get a free Rock Band track to take home, though we can't imagine why you'd want to play Rock Band at home when you could be playing in Old Navy.

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Ummm ... "Smells Like Teen Spirit." That is all one needs to know about next week's Rock Band DLC. How many of us out there will finally learn the lyrics to the song we mumbled for years every time it popped up on the radio?

Remember radio? Wow, feels like forever ago. Check out the full update after the break.

A recent press release has informed us that with the release of today's Rock Band 2 DLC pack, Harmonix has met its goal of having over 1,000 songs on the platform before the holidays. According to the presser, these tracks represent the work of 390 musical artists. The rhythm gaming community has downloaded over 60 million songs from the Rock Band Music Store, which Harmonix has kept alive and kicking with new musical additions for 105 consecutive weeks.

To put this achievement in chronological terms, we'd estimate that the average length of these songs is, oh, about four minutes. By our calculations, a full playthrough of the Rock Band catalog would take you two days, 18 hours and 40 minutes. Not accounting for the number of times you'll inevitably fail out on "Painkiller," of course.

Congratulations, Harmonix, on this rocking accomplishment! Now, get back to work. That Paul Simon track pack isn't going to program itself.

A live version of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Mary Jane's Last Dance" is available next week within the band's Rock Band DLC six-pack. The song may not be everyone's cup of formaldehyde, but it's certainly memorable for conjuring up one of the creepiest music videos of all time. We have no idea what the song is actually about, but it will always be the story of Tom Petty stealing Kim Basinger's corpse from the morgue, dressing her up, and then at the end .... AHHhhHhHHHH!

Check out the full update after the break, no new Rock Band Unplugged DLC next week.

Update: PSN will updated on Tuesday.

The Beatles: Rock Band will get a hot DLC injection tomorrow when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band releases as downloadable content. In preparation for the arrival of these new tracks, MTV has passed along the above trailer which offers a brief sample of new tracks in the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club album mixed together with some found on the disc. In the end, the video saves us all precious time we would've had to use sampling tracks on YouTube and, inevitably, watching Pomplamoose videos.

AFI will be available next week in a Rock Band DLC five-pack of ... oh wow, The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian" is there too! Hey guys, it's "Walk Like an Egyptian!" So, all you foreign types with hookah pipes better do the sand dance, don't you know?

Check out the full update after the break, along with Rock Band Unplugged's new DLC.

In a move no doubt inspired by the Movember Movement, Harmonix and MTV Games have revealed that the second DLC album for The Beatles: Rock Band, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, will release the week of November 17. Tracks from the British sensation's eighth studio album, as featured in the DLC release, include:

• "Fixing A Hole"
• "She's Leaving Home"
• "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
• "Within You Without You"
• "When I'm Sixty-Four"
• "Lovely Rita"
• "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
• "A Day In The Life."

Xbox 360 and Wii owners can purchase the DLC on Tuesday, November 17. The tracks will be available as a complete Track Pack for 1080 ($13.50) or 160 ($2.00) individually on Xbox 360; and 200 Wii Points ($2.00) per track on Wii. PlayStation 3 players get a few extra days to grow out their glorious mustaches when the pack lands on PSN on Thursday, November 19 for $13.49 (or $1.99 per track).

As previously revealed, Beatles fans can look forward to next month when 1965's Rubber Soul will become available as the game's third full-album DLC.