Guitar Hero and DJ Hero won’t see releases in 2011, but will Activision be putting the brakes on the stream of downloadable content for both of its music games, too? A recent FAQ update on the official DJ Hero Web site reveals that, yes, the supporting content around both games will be coming to an end this month.
“We will release the previously announced DLC track and mix packs for February, but unfortunately, we will not be able to release new DLC packs beyond what we already have,” the FAQ response reads, as spotted by Shacknews.
== TEASER ==During its investor conference call yesterday afternoon, Activision confirmed reports that it was pulling the plug on the Guitar Hero franchise and dissolving the business unit that supported it. The publisher also stated that there would be no music game releases, or hey, even skateboarding games, in the year 2011.
The FAQ also states that all available DLC will still be available after Activision twists the valve. So, you’ll still be able to buy whatever you want, regardless of the health of the series and Activision’s decision to give both games a break. Also, the publisher will continue to provide customer support via its main line.
The one question that Activision doesn’t really answer in the FAQ is the one we’re all asking at the moment -- “Does this mean you're no longer making Guitar and DJ Hero games?” Activision answers with this:
“Over the past two years, we have seen rapid declines in the music genre, and unfortunately, based on current demand, we simply cannot continue to profitably make these games given the considerable licensing and manufacturing costs.”
Makes you wonder if we’ll even see a music game from Activision in 2012, or ever again.
Guitar Hero and DJ Hero won’t see releases in 2011, but will Activision be putting the brakes on the stream of downloadable content for both of its music games, too? A recent FAQ update on the official DJ Hero Web site reveals that, yes, the supporting content around both games will be coming to an end this month.
“We will release the previously announced DLC track and mix packs for February, but unfortunately, we will not be able to release new DLC packs beyond what we already have,” the FAQ response reads, as spotted by Shacknews.
== TEASER ==During its investor conference call yesterday afternoon, Activision confirmed reports that it was pulling the plug on the Guitar Hero franchise and dissolving the business unit that supported it. The publisher also stated that there would be no music game releases, or hey, even skateboarding games, in the year 2011.
The FAQ also states that all available DLC will still be available after Activision twists the valve. So, you’ll still be able to buy whatever you want, regardless of the health of the series and Activision’s decision to give both games a break. Also, the publisher will continue to provide customer support via its main line.
The one question that Activision doesn’t really answer in the FAQ is the one we’re all asking at the moment -- “Does this mean you're no longer making Guitar and DJ Hero games?” Activision answers with this:
“Over the past two years, we have seen rapid declines in the music genre, and unfortunately, based on current demand, we simply cannot continue to profitably make these games given the considerable licensing and manufacturing costs.”
Makes you wonder if we’ll even see a music game from Activision in 2012, or ever again.
Activision was never really good at releasing DLC for the Hero frnachises. Their model was so old fashioned and restrictive that even without bringing Rockband into the picture you could see how limited the Store was in terms of number of songs and ease of buying tracks and packs.
If Rock Band fails to die, Guitar Hero will be back soon enough. Activision just isn't willing to bear the risk and cost of keeping the genre alive. But they like money. As soon as the market appears to be there, they will be dropping a huge pile of titles in to wring as much cash out as quickly as possible.
This, not that DLC was anything great but the fact that there won't be any future titles makes want to cry and this news made Activision's stock drop a lot. FUCK YOU FOR KILLING DJ HERO AND MAKING ME LOSE MONEY!
The DLC is not ending, the release of new packs is ending. The wording on this article is terrible, and should be fixed. It makes it sound like the DLC service is being shut down.
They're obviously not going to straight up say that GH is dead, but they've said it in business-speak. They've put it on hold, stopped development of GH7, stopped making new DLC, and dissolved the entire business unit that supports it. GH is as dead as it gets. Like StarCraft: Ghost dead.
I'd be interested to see if we'll start getting Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Metallica tracks in Rock Band now that GH is dead.
@Soap said:
" Love the wording from activision "Over the past two years, we have seen rapid declines in the music genre," Yeah, by you Activision. Harmonix raised the bar every year while Guitar Hero died on it's ass. "
Well, yes and no. The genre's cooled off and is too small to support two competing franchises the size of Rock Band and Guitar Hero. GH was a mess by its end, so I'm glad to see it go.
" The DLC is not ending, the release of new packs is ending. The wording on this article is terrible, and should be fixed. It makes it sound like the DLC service is being shut down. "
It's not that far off. What it means is no DLC will be released beyond this month.
" Love the wording from activision "Over the past two years, we have seen rapid declines in the music genre," Yeah, by you Activision. Harmonix raised the bar every year while Guitar Hero died on it's ass. "
Yeah, you have to insert the word "sales" between "rapid" and "declines". And no, it doesn't just apply to Activision.
" we have seen rapid declines in the music genre "
Maybe their music genre. "
Rock Band hasn't exactly been doing nearly as well as it used to either. Did you miss that Harmonix was unloaded by Viacom for practically nothing a month ago due to poor revenue? The music genre is all but dead, and while RB was the white hat of the battle, the sheer amount of glut of music games from all parties is what turned everyone off. The biggest problem was that after six years of music games, the gameplay was still the same, even with the additions and improvements you were still watching a rainbow highway and matching colors.
I think everyone suddenly realized it was cheaper to play air instruments and listen to an MP3 of their favorite songs instead of spending hundreds of dollars on the game and only liking 1/4 of the songs.
Well, now it's just a matter of time till Wal-Mart and Target marks down the price on DJ Hero 2 and Guitar Hero WoR to a clearance price. I'm definitely keeping an eye out.
" we have seen rapid declines in the music genre "
Maybe their music genre. "
Rock Band hasn't exactly been doing nearly as well as it used to either. Did you miss that Harmonix was unloaded by Viacom for practically nothing a month ago due to poor revenue? The music genre is all but dead, and while RB was the white hat of the battle, the sheer amount of glut of music games from all parties is what turned everyone off. The biggest problem was that after six years of music games, the gameplay was still the same, even with the additions and improvements you were still watching a rainbow highway and matching colors. I think everyone suddenly realized it was cheaper to play air instruments and listen to an MP3 of their favorite songs instead of spending hundreds of dollars on the game and only liking 1/4 of the songs. "
Ain't you quite the optimist?
I cannot speak for anyone nor everyone statistically (casual, hardcore, or otherwise), but I personally vouch that Rock Band is light years ahead of the whole "rhythm/music" genre simply because of its extensive and continuous support of DLC as well as multiple complexities of multiplayer and party-play. Not to mention its rabid (and unwavering) fanbase it has acquired over the past 2 or so years (people started realizing that Rock Band can be just as challenging and rewarding as its Guitar Hero predecessors). Not to say you're not right in pointing out the limited scope of the games (the aforementioned "rainbow highway" that dominates the genre), but really I cannot see it failing in the next upcoming years. Who knows- this question could become the next "games=art" debate.
Wow, what a bummer. Still, the DLC was usually restrictive & outdated unlike RB's store. Also the DJ Hero 1 & 2 DLC usually sucked and was never as good as anything on disc. I got that Tiesto pack of DLC for free, played it once & never touched it again.
@VinceNotVance: Are you talking about the Tiesto pack for DJ Hero 2? I got that and actually really liked the songs. All the other packs seemed bad, though. The Linkin Park one was terrible.
@m2cks: I don't think anything DukeTogo said was false. The sales of Rock Band 3 have been much slower than any of the previous versions, just barely making it past 1 million across all platforms. Rock Band may be the better platform, with the best support and fans, but you can't deny that most people are kind of past their limit of large plastic peripherals in the home. Harmonix didn't get dropped for being in the healthiest place right now, either. I hope they can continue to support what they've created for years to come, but I also don't think we need to see Rock Band 4 this year or next even if it adds another instrument. Maybe they can take DJ Hero's place and make some sweet successors to Frequency instead.
GH died because they simply flooded the market and made everyone sick, but I dig Rock Band less and less because they seem so damn insistent on piling loads of shitty metal/butt rock dlc out the door every fucking week. As it stands, I seriously can't get anyone to play these games anymore and it usually begins and ends with a glance at the setlist, full of "what the fuck is this song?", followed by a trip to the music store and then a swift exit once it becomes apparent that everything new is complete trash.
DJ Hero is such a unique approach to the music genre and I really hope Harmonix or even someone else makes more.
@VinceNotVance said:
" Wow, what a bummer. Still, the DLC was usually restrictive & outdated unlike RB's store. Also the DJ Hero 1 & 2 DLC usually sucked and was never as good as anything on disc. I got that Tiesto pack of DLC for free, played it once & never touched it again. "
There is one song on the Tiesto pack that is bloody brilliant, I can't remember the name but it's the most complex one, farthest down the list.
Does this mean we can start to see some more creative music games? DJ Hero was a nice change of pace with its "mashup" idea; you got basically 80-90 "never-before-heard" songs per game because the songs were remixed and not just MP3s set to colored notes that dropped out when you made a mistake. Sure DJ Hero did that too, but 1)you had never heard the song before, 2)the music felt more "interactive" because of the FX dial and the sample zones in the first game, and 3)the second game added in "freestyle scratching and crossfading" and beefed up the sampling system, truly letting you remix the song, even if it was in a very limited way.
Speaking of remixing songs, can we please get another installment in the FreQ/Amp series? That is still my favorite music game series of all time, if only just because you could completely remix all of the songs. Plus, it was a constructive approach to playing music. Instead of the song dropping out when you missed notes, it built up as you hit them. That's what I loved about the series and I would like to see it come back. Plus, with the PS3, I'm sure Harmonix could make the remix system even better and more robust than the first two games could have ever hoped to be.
Ain't you quite the optimist? I cannot speak for anyone nor everyone statistically (casual, hardcore, or otherwise), but I personally vouch that Rock Band is light years ahead of the whole "rhythm/music" genre simply because of its extensive and continuous support of DLC as well as multiple complexities of multiplayer and party-play. Not to mention its rabid (and unwavering) fanbase it has acquired over the past 2 or so years (people started realizing that Rock Band can be just as challenging and rewarding as its Guitar Hero predecessors). Not to say you're not right in pointing out the limited scope of the games (the aforementioned "rainbow highway" that dominates the genre), but really I cannot see it failing in the next upcoming years. Who knows- this question could become the next "games=art" debate. "
Yeah but what does that all matter if no one is buying the games?
79 Comments