[Rumor] Guitar Hero Gets the Axe

DoctorFinger · 02-09-2011, 02:06 PM

Reports are trickling in that Activision is about to start swinging the big axe, with the Guitar Hero and True Crime games being canceled.

The biggie here is the end (for now) of the Guitar Hero franchise. The series ushered in the modern music game genre, then became emblematic of it's massive over exposure all in the span of 6 years. It's unknown what this means for the series' most recent developers. Activision announced in early 2010 that Neversoft would be transitioned off of the Guitar Hero games, and rumors have them developing a reboot of the Crash Bandicoot series. Vicarious Visions took over as the primary GH developer, and so far none of the stories have mentioned their fate.

Freestyle Games, developer of the DJ Hero spinoff has also been hit by major layoff, and may be closed.

Additionally the long in development True Crime: Hong Kong has also reportedly been canceled. Hong Kong would have been the third entry in the open world series.

These moves are an attempt by Activision to shed what they consider dead weight and focus on their core business: the Blizzard franchises - Starcraft, Warcraft & Diablo - and the Call of Duty games.

Sources - Eurogamer; Games Industry

[UPDATE] - Activision has confirmed the end of the Guitar Hero line, and the termination of True Crime: Hong Kong. Develop is also reporting that True Crime Hong Kong's developer United Front Games will be closing as a result of the cancellation.

[UPDATE 2] - Activision has confirmed that no new DLC will be created for Guitar Hero and DJ Hero past the packs already announced for this month.

fitbabits · 02-09-2011, 02:13 PM

Cue the Activision hate in 3...2...1...

Generation ABXY · 02-09-2011, 02:22 PM

Shame if true, as I was actually somewhat interested in True Crime: Hong Kong, at least.

Mike Kelehan · 02-09-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

Freestyle Games, developer of the DJ Hero spinoff has also been hit by major layoff, and may be closed.

That's the real tragedy here. DJ Hero 2 is my favorite music game of 2010, which means a lot considering that it came out with Dance Central and RB3. It's so improved versus DJ Hero 1, and the mixes are really fun and unique. I just wish it came out three years ago, before Activision nearly killed the genre.

Sandman · 02-09-2011, 02:42 PM

I think we collectively need a break from rhythm band games...the market became flooded with Rock Band, Guitar Hero and other clones starting to pop up.

Superman's Dead · 02-09-2011, 02:44 PM

Son of a BITCH. That True Crime game looked so fucking good. No way, man. No way. One of the few games that looked like it got driving and shooting at the same time right...the gameplay videos were phenomenal!

Say it ain't so!

Kelegacy · 02-09-2011, 02:47 PM

Activision isn't much of a game company these days anyway. How can you be with just a couple core titles. I hope they suck the life out of CoD like they have to so many other franchises.

TheFlyingOrc · 02-09-2011, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandman

I think we collectively need a break from rhythm band games...the market became flooded with Rock Band, Guitar Hero and other clones starting to pop up.

Well, it has unflooded itself, and Rock Band 3 is the best music game ever, so...

DoctorFinger · 02-09-2011, 03:10 PM

I wonder what this means for GH-line DLC? Is that pipeline about to shut down altogether?

fitbabits · 02-09-2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

I wonder what this means for GH-line DLC? Is that pipeline about to shut down altogether?

Probably not if money is still being made.

TheEpicOfTyler · 02-09-2011, 03:14 PM

Turn and burn.

Lekon · 02-09-2011, 03:38 PM

Not sure why any of the companies sold to Activision in the first place. They seem to have a real problem with paying royalties/bonuses according to that whole Infinity Ward suit going on.

Kinda like being said on twitter, best get your cash up front from them!

Reverant · 02-09-2011, 03:39 PM

Holy nuts!

Activision Blizzard is insane. Call of Duty can't carry them forever. What's next?

KamaItachi · 02-09-2011, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverant

Holy nuts!

Activision Blizzard is insane. Call of Duty can't carry them forever. What's next?

Monkey tennis?

Zecon · 02-09-2011, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverant

Holy nuts!

Activision Blizzard is insane. Call of Duty can't carry them forever. What's next?

Diablo 3
And yes, I hate myself for how much I want it.

DoctorFinger · 02-09-2011, 03:59 PM

Actually they just announced in a conference call that Blizzard won't be releasing any products this year, but should have 2 on store shelves in 2012. So no Diablo 2, Starcraft 2.2 or WoW expn 4 until 2012 at the earliest.

evilgoodwin · 02-09-2011, 03:59 PM

What? Flooding the market every year with music games that had little more innovation than the previous ones and basically amounted to a new $60 set-list causes stagnation in the brand, forcing lackluster sales for the same thing every year? Never saw that coming.

MagGnome · 02-09-2011, 04:26 PM

Hopefully we see the same announcement for Call of Duty in a couple of years...and maybe one day the whole publisher will go down the drain. I personally am tired of these big publishers and their constant stream of yearly releases, layoffs, etc.

Oh well, the indie market is booming in a big way, and hopefully that shakes things up in the industry in the years ago.

I'm still trying to figure out why the guys at Bungie hitched their wagon to Acti's train. That must have involved a LOT of money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lekon

Not sure why any of the companies sold to Activision in the first place. They seem to have a real problem with paying royalties/bonuses according to that whole Infinity Ward suit going on.

Kinda like being said on twitter, best get your cash up front from them!

Really, I think companies that sell to the big publishers are somewhat foolish, at least if they want to be around long-term. The odds of being shut down seem ridiculously high.

Zanzibar · 02-09-2011, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lekon

Not sure why any of the companies sold to Activision in the first place. They seem to have a real problem with paying royalties/bonuses according to that whole Infinity Ward suit going on.

EDIT: Forget it, I shouldn't say anything.

Zecon · 02-09-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagGnome

I'm still trying to figure out why the guys at Bungie hitched their wagon to Acti's train. That must have involved a LOT of money.

I imagine that it's money and just how little wiggle room Bungie left Activision in the contract.
I'm sure dealing with Microsoft for so many years taught them how to effectively deal with a big money publisher.

This doesn't surprise me since the was little to nowhere else for the series to go, all I can imagine is the next iteration having kinect functionality and adding a style bonus.
Besides, from what I've seen, Harmonix has become the juggernaut in the music game genre.
I've never played any of the True Crime games, so I don't have an opinion on those.

02-09-2011, 02:06 PM	#1
DoctorFinger Editor in Chief Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 13,827 Blog Entries: 10	[Rumor] Guitar Hero Gets the Axe Reports are trickling in that Activision is about to start swinging the big axe, with the Guitar Hero and True Crime games being canceled. The biggie here is the end (for now) of the Guitar Hero franchise. The series ushered in the modern music game genre, then became emblematic of it's massive over exposure all in the span of 6 years. It's unknown what this means for the series' most recent developers. Activision announced in early 2010 that Neversoft would be transitioned off of the Guitar Hero games, and rumors have them developing a reboot of the Crash Bandicoot series. Vicarious Visions took over as the primary GH developer, and so far none of the stories have mentioned their fate. Freestyle Games, developer of the DJ Hero spinoff has also been hit by major layoff, and may be closed. Additionally the long in development True Crime: Hong Kong has also reportedly been canceled. Hong Kong would have been the third entry in the open world series. These moves are an attempt by Activision to shed what they consider dead weight and focus on their core business: the Blizzard franchises - Starcraft, Warcraft & Diablo - and the Call of Duty games. Sources - Eurogamer; Games Industry [UPDATE] - Activision has confirmed the end of the Guitar Hero line, and the termination of True Crime: Hong Kong. Develop is also reporting that True Crime Hong Kong's developer United Front Games will be closing as a result of the cancellation. [UPDATE 2] - Activision has confirmed that no new DLC will be created for Guitar Hero and DJ Hero past the packs already announced for this month.

02-09-2011, 02:13 PM	#2
fitbabits The Cat Whisperer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 8,813 Blog Entries: 2	Cue the Activision hate in 3...2...1... __________________ The Cat Whisperer Gamertag - fitbabits \| PSN ID - fitbabits \| Steam - fitbabits

02-09-2011, 02:47 PM	#7
Kelegacy The Pill Man Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Augusta, Maine Posts: 10,146	Activision isn't much of a game company these days anyway. How can you be with just a couple core titles. I hope they suck the life out of CoD like they have to so many other franchises. __________________ PSN: Kelegacy 360: Kelegacy Steam: Kelegacy

02-09-2011, 03:10 PM	#9
DoctorFinger Editor in Chief Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 13,827 Blog Entries: 10	I wonder what this means for GH-line DLC? Is that pipeline about to shut down altogether? __________________ Gamertag - [DoctorFinger] PSN ID - [DoctorFinger] Steam Profile - [DoctorFinger] Senior News Editor - Colony of Gamers Twitter

02-09-2011, 03:14 PM	#11
TheEpicOfTyler Colonist Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,222 Blog Entries: 1	Turn and burn. __________________ PSN ID: theepicoftyler http://twitter.com/threexs

02-09-2011, 02:42 PM	#5
Sandman Libratorr Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Almost Florida Posts: 6,079 Blog Entries: 3	I think we collectively need a break from rhythm band games...the market became flooded with Rock Band, Guitar Hero and other clones starting to pop up.

02-09-2011, 03:38 PM	#12
Lekon Indie Prophet Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 2,616	Not sure why any of the companies sold to Activision in the first place. They seem to have a real problem with paying royalties/bonuses according to that whole Infinity Ward suit going on. Kinda like being said on twitter, best get your cash up front from them! __________________ Gamertag Twitter

02-09-2011, 03:39 PM	#13
Reverant 11%ABV, Nutrient Rich Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,799 Blog Entries: 1	Holy nuts! Activision Blizzard is insane. Call of Duty can't carry them forever. What's next? __________________ XBL: The Reverant Steam: johneldridge

02-09-2011, 03:59 PM	#16
DoctorFinger Editor in Chief Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 13,827 Blog Entries: 10	Actually they just announced in a conference call that Blizzard won't be releasing any products this year, but should have 2 on store shelves in 2012. So no Diablo 2, Starcraft 2.2 or WoW expn 4 until 2012 at the earliest. __________________ Gamertag - [DoctorFinger] PSN ID - [DoctorFinger] Steam Profile - [DoctorFinger] Senior News Editor - Colony of Gamers Twitter

02-09-2011, 03:59 PM	#17
evilgoodwin Abomination Unto Nuggan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 8,711 Blog Entries: 1	What? Flooding the market every year with music games that had little more innovation than the previous ones and basically amounted to a new $60 set-list causes stagnation in the brand, forcing lackluster sales for the same thing every year? Never saw that coming. __________________ PSN/Steam: evilgoodwin The Nonsensical Prose of a Lunatic Currently Watching: American Horror Story - S02, Angel - S03, Buffy - S06, Deadwood - S01, Dollhouse - S01, GoT - S03, Mad Men - S06, Star Trek TNG - S05 Currently Playing: Bioshock: Infinite (PS3), Final Fantasy IX (PS1), Minecraft (PC), RE4 (WII), Fire Emblem (3DS), EO4 (3DS)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode