Activision has ruthlessly culled its music game portfolio and cancelled Guitar Hero, DJ Hero and True Crime. The Guitar Hero series, once one of the most successful brands in video gaming, has been axed after last year’s Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock title performed poorly at retail. The critically acclaimed DJ Hero series has also now been canned, with Eric Hirshberg, chief executive of Activision Publishing quoted: “We simply cannot make these games profitable based on current market and demands.” According to industry news source MCV, Activision has confirmed that 500 jobs will be lost as a result of cuts across the organisation.

[read the full article on Guardian]

“how DJ HERO would have looked like if produced by Nintendo during the Game & Watch days”

the best DJ Hero joke ever
and it even has more cowbell

[via GAMERSWEB]

Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick says the all-but-official DJ Hero is slated for release in 2009.

Speaking to CNBC reporters from the Davos 2009 World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Kotick stated, "We have this product called DJ Hero coming out later this year, which is a turntable that you can actually play competitively and spin discs and mix songs, so you're definitely seeing physical interface starting to have a real impact on the consumer. "

It's the first time that Kotick has spoken openly about the game, which Activision has yet to formally announce. The game is part of Activision's goal to spin-off and expand the Guitar Hero franchise into new areas. [read more on EDGE ]

It's official, Tiesto got game! The superstar DJ has confirmed he’s involved in the development of a DJing version of  Activision's Guitar Hero, who see the game as a great way to introduce people into DJing ;)

Recent Activision acquisition FreeStyleGames is hard at work on DJ Hero, a music rhythm game that will let gamers scratch to the beat of popular mash-ups with a laptop turntable peripheral, informed sources tell us today.

The game, which has been in development for nearly two years, is expected to hit shelves next summer and will likely include the ability to use Guitar Hero guitars for versus mode face-offs.

The controller, key to the game’s success, has been through nearly a half-dozen iterations.

In the latest form, the device looks a lot like a simplified DJ Deck. There is a platter for scratching which will act like the strum toggle on a Guitar Hero guitar. Above the platter are three buttons for sampling. The controller also includes a cross fader and a sound effects dial which will act like the whammy bar in Guitar Hero.

Instead of flowing the musical notes down a guitar neck, DJ Hero will flow the music down and around a virtual record in a half arc. Either left top to middle bottom if you are left handed, or right top to middle bottom if you are right handed.

To play you will have to either hold a sample button and scratch, just hold a button or just scratch as the neon icons flow around the virtual vinyl.

Currently the wireless controller has grooves molded into the bottom so it will sit comfortably in a player’s lap, though the team is also looking into legs for the deck so gamers can play while standing up.

The game in its current form features all mash-ups, think Beyonce Vs Jimi Hendrix, 50 cent Vs Beastie Boys. If they can nail the interface and get licensing for the music this could be a mammoth hit.
[via Kotaku ]