“Rock Band” fans should prepare for a new experience this year, as the makers of their favorite game promised a sequel to be released on Xbox in September. The announcement was made by MTV Games, Harmonix and Electronic Arts on Monday.

The game will debut on Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and will have an exclusive launch window in North America, but “Rock Band 2” developers have said that later this year, other consoles (probably PS2, PS3 and Wii) will get their turn as well.

The new game will offer backwards compatibility with the downloadable music content available so far, and the purchased songs won’t need to be re-purchased for the new game, as they will load automatically.

The game also promises the biggest, most diverse soundtrack EVER, made up entirely of master recordings.

In terms of instruments, the players will get a larger variety , with new and improved drum and guitar peripherals, enhanced functionality and new designs, all compatible with the instruments in the original “Rock Band.”

“Rock Band 2” also promises to deliver new and dynamic online models to connect the entire Rock Band community better than ever before.

The new game is very much based on fan feedback and requests, which the developers have been listening to for the past eight months, as Alex Rigopulos, co-founder and CEO of Harmonix, said in a statement.

Following the success of the original “Rock Band” and the millions of players that have chosen to interact with music and their favorite artists, “Rock Band 2” is “the next evolution of the franchise that redefined the standard for music games.”

Rock Band 2 continues the idea that drew its fans in the first place: a co-operative band gameplay, multiple instruments, a robust online multiplayer experience and an unrivaled offering of downloadable content, the game developers said.

Moreover, the game was designed in a way that creates a new level of depth, connectivity, authenticity and new features. More details will be revealed at this year’s E3 Media & Business Summit.