Rock Band 4: legacy disc export in the works
Rock Band 4 owners will be able to import content from previous games - eventually.
Previous Rock Band sequels supported export; you could brings songs from Rock Band into Rock Band 2, and from both of the first two games to Rock Band 3 and Rock Band Blitz.
Rock Band 4 doesn't support that - but it will, within the same console family.
In a new Harmonix blog post, the developer said it's working on export options, starting with Rock Band 3, which will be available for export later this year.
"We're hard at work trying to make Rock Band 3 exportable into Rock Band 4 and are shooting to have that available with the December 8 feature update," Harmonix said.
The export option will only be made available to automatically verified owners of new copies Rock Band 3. If this interests you but you haven't purchased Rock Band 3, you should do so soon - Harmonix won't be able to sell it after October 30. It's available in pretty limited quantities at retailers as well as on the Xbox Store for Xbox 360.
As for other Rock Band discs - Rock Band, Rock Band 2, LEGO Rock Band, add-on discs and Green Day: Rock Band - you'll need to have exported them to Rock Band 3 before they can be brought into Rock Band 4. Some of these export options are no longer available, unfortunately, so picking up a copy now won't help you.
Those setlists you have exported will be available in Rock Band 4, but there's no ETA yet; if the content's not already on a console store, it makes things tricky.
"Harmonix is working hard with our first-party partners, and we have a solution in sight for providing you access to the disc export content to which you are entitled," the developer said.
There are two exceptions to all this; you can export the core Rock Band Blitz setlist right now, and Rock Band: The Beatles does not support export.
The whole situation is a bit confusing; it's worth visiting the link above to read through the information carefully, including the FAQS.
Rock Band 4 is available now on PS4 and Xbox One. You can use your old instruments, and DLC carries over within the same console family.