Activision Working on Popular 'Guitar Hero' Spinoff

On February 8th, Activision (ATVI) (now Activision Blizzard) trademarked the name “DJ Hero” with the US Patent and Trademark office. The name was reserved for “game software” and “interactive video game programs; computer game discs; downloadable software for use in connection with computer games; video game controllers; interactive video game comprised of a CD or DVD sold as a unit with a video game controller.”

In the months since, rumors about the possible game have run rampant but there’s been no official confirmation a title was even in development.  Now there is.

Cornered at a party for Guitar Hero World Tour, project director Brian Bright told the gaming blog Joystiq on the record, explicitly, that “Activision is doing a DJ Hero game.”

So now it’s official. Fans of hip hop and club music will have their own music themed game at some point in the near future complete with a custom controller for mixing and scratching in sync with hit songs.

There are no official details or further information but speculation is the game is on track for a summer, or early fall, 2009 release.

Guitar Hero has proven a reliable franchise for Activision. In a recent Pew Internet survey that asked kids to rate their top three games, Guitar Hero finished first in the number of mentions by a factor of nearly 3:1 over its nearest competitor (Halo 3). The game has sold more than 23 million copies and generated more than $1.6b in revenue.

The fourth installment of Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero World Tour, went on sale this week in North America. European and Australian release dates are Nov. 7 and 12th respectively.

Comments

[Gaucho420]

Its about time....the days of Guitar Heros dominance are numbered. The last few games have gotten lower and lower ratings and Guitar Hero World Tour has been rated significantly lower than Rock Band 1 or 2.

Anyone who's played either Rock Band or Guitar Hero can tell you which game is better as well, so for me, I worry about this franchise for Activision...I also worry about Call of Duty, as at some point that will get old as well. The problem with releasing games each and every year of the same title is they get old real fast...ask Activision about Tony Hawk games, for example or simply ask EA, who for a while was putting out the same games over and over again.

With MTV/EA signing The Beatles onto Rockband for 2009, I repeat...the days of Guitar Hero's giant success are numbered, so ATVI will need to keep doing what its been doing, which is create new winners to replace the old ones.

2008 Oct 30 11:42 AM

[User 288832]

There's Diablo III and Starcraft II in the pipeline. And WoW is still going strong, too. ATVI is more than a one-trick pony. Besides, doesn't it make sense? With the current economic downturn, people don't go out anymore but stay at home... and play computergames! Concepts such as Rockband (and, okay, I'll throw in guitar hero too) prove that computergames no longer have to be anti-social.

2008 Oct 30 01:54 PM

[Easy Money Mike]

Even if GH4 doesn't do as well as the other versions, it will still make money for the company.
The real money is going to come in after the earnings are anounced for the quarters after the launches of Starcraft 2, of which they're will be three, then Diablo 3, which looks amazing, and lastly the wow expansion comes out noxt month, so q4 should be a big one for ATVI, hold on and see...
As a gamer and an inverstor I put a lot in this company, because blizzard fans would rather not eat then not have these games. And in Korea starcraft is the national sport, and the best players are more famous than our football players, it will be a big year for ATVI in 2009....

2008 Oct 31 02:41 PM