Harmonix, the developers that made music games a “thing,” is being sold off by its parent company, Viacom.  Viacom made the announcement this morning, declaring that Harmonix has been reclassified as a “discontinued operation.”  The company recorded a $299 million loss as a result of the classification.

Harmonix, when asked by Joystiq about continued support for existing games, replied, "This morning's announcement does not affect the ongoing work at the studio as we continue to support our existing franchises, Rock Band and Dance Central. As stated earlier, Viacom is in discussions with several potential buyers and will continue to fully support the business until a sale is completed."

Four years ago, selling a money factory like Harmonix would be an unthinkable move.  With the disappointing performance of games like Beatles: Rock Band and Green Day: Rock Band, though, it’s starting to look like the era of the music game may be nearing an end, and Viacom is jumping ship.