Despite CES not starting until tomorrow, it’s already making some headlines. Harmonix co-founder and CEO Alex Rigopolous was the keynote speaker at Billboard’s “Digital Music Live” conference tonight and spoke a bit about when we would all be seeing Rock Band 3. It isn’t as soon as you think. The general assumption would be that the game was designed to come out yearly, something EA no doubt would love. However, Rigopolous says that we won’t be seeing Rock Band 3 this year as the team is making “a choice to break out of the annual release cycle for Rock Band this year.” He explained further stating, “[This is] partly because the annual cycle places limits on the choices you can make as a developer. We’re trying to take a long term view.”

Of course that sounds a bit too much like PR BS, but this Harmonix and they’re cool dudes. Thus Rigopolous admits that it’s also because the company wants to put as much attention as possible on their new Beatles game, an effort I can’t applaud more. The only people who could really have a problem with this whole delay business is EA, because it’s less money for them, but Rigopolous says not to worry. “Well, I’m sure they’d take [Rock Band 3] if we gave it to them, but they know how important this series is and they’re willing to give it the time it needs,” he said.