Activision pulls the plug on Guitar Hero

zero · February 9, 2011

Today Activision Blizzard announced that it will "disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit" due to the declining interest in the music genre. The company has ceased development on its previously planned 2011 Guitar Hero game.

Additionally, Activision has stopped production on True Crime: Hong Kong. The future of the franchise is unknown. On an earnings call today, an Activision representative said True Crime had been canceled because it "just wasn't going to be good enough."

Although the Guitar Hero business unit at Activision is being shuttered, company executives left the door open for a return in the future, saying the brand would need to be "re-assessed" going forward.

The decision to scrap/halt these franchises was attributed to the "desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world's best interactive entertainment experiences."

There are also rumors circulating via Twitter from a BioWare employee that Freestyle Games, the developer of DJ Hero, was also hit with layoffs. However, it's still unclear whether or not that franchise has also been dropped from Activision's lineup.

We have reached out to Activision for comment and will update this story as soon as we receive it.

Activision in a nutshell.

brenchill · February 9, 2011

They will have to go unplugged now.

Plubby · February 9, 2011

Zero, are you implying that this is a bad decision somehow?

gunnar hendershow · February 9, 2011

The genre got beyond overdone the past few years and I can't say I'm surprised this happened, with the price for licensing and development the way it is. In 5-6 years people will be clamoring for a new Guitar Hero game, and at that point it would be wise to revisit the series.

Adam · February 9, 2011

Yeah this is a good thing really. It was getting silly how much they just shoved it down our throats for the past couple of years. With all the DLC as well you were beginning to wonder if they'd start running out of bloody songs to even put in the games.

Sousa · February 9, 2011

Oversaturation destroys a brand's market value?

I refuse to believe this is true.

Hailtothechimp · February 9, 2011

Or Rock Band will declare victory and continue onward like it has...

EddieRuckus · February 9, 2011

Rock Band was smart about DLC and was able to wait two years to deliver a great game(if you get any use out of the pro instruments that is), while Guitar Hero released a lot of titles in...2009 or 10, can't remember which. Also heard about Tony Hawk games getting axed/put on hold for this year as well.

NobBe Nobbs · February 9, 2011

Today Activision Blizzard announced that it will "disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit" due to the declining interest in the music genre

Really, Activision? Sure about that?

apsham · February 9, 2011

Guitar Hero was clearly the inferior brand - just sucks for anyone who pumped money into DLC and accessories for it.

New Damage · February 9, 2011

I've barely touched the series after Guitar Hero 3, but the first one is the best. But it's a shame, because very few people actually played the first two, jumping on the bandwagon at the third game. It can't get much better than nailing Sharp Dressed Man on the first game.

I gave up at GH3 because when Activision took over, they made the note-charts stupid. I think it was the Slipknot song and possibly Disturbed that were on GH3 that made on sense at all. I never got never the end of "Raining Blood" on hard, and failed at 100% on "One" on hard, so I never finished the game and gave up.

zap · February 10, 2011

I guarantee you won't find a bigger Guitar Hero fan on this forum... and even I'm glad the pain is finally over. I mean holy crap, the amount of games is exhausting. Well, at least they went out on a high note. Warriors of Rock just might've been the best game; from the songs to the graphics to the actual gameplay, only in competition with GH3.

I won't switch to RB though, because that sucks. <_<

GoGo Yubari · February 10, 2011

And nothing of value was lost.

The Heartbreak Kid · February 10, 2011

Yeah, I'd be bored as shit with Guitar Hero too when they released like 3 games in one calender year.

KevinStorm · February 10, 2011

Maybe they shouldn't have released like six million Guitar Hero games every year.

True Crime had been canceled because it "just wasn't going to be good enough."

Since when do game companies care about that?

zero · February 10, 2011

Zero, are you implying that this is a bad decision somehow?

I was implying that it could've been avoided had they not shoved several plastic guitars up consumer's asses several times a year.

OctoberRaven · February 10, 2011

I guarantee you won't find a bigger Guitar Hero fan on this forum... and even I'm glad the pain is finally over. I mean holy crap, the amount of games is exhausting. Well, at least they went out on a high note. Warriors of Rock just might've been the best game; from the songs to the graphics to the actual gameplay, only in competition with GH3.

I won't switch to RB though, because that sucks.

What's to hate about Rock Band other than the godawful setlist of RB3, and their equally terrible band spinoffs?

And it's not like GH hadn't made games with bad setlists.... World Tour and 5, I'm looking at you,

Plubby · February 10, 2011

I guarantee you won't find a bigger Guitar Hero fan on this forum... and even I'm glad the pain is finally over. I mean holy crap, the amount of games is exhausting. Well, at least they went out on a high note. Warriors of Rock just might've been the best game; from the songs to the graphics to the actual gameplay, only in competition with GH3.

I won't switch to RB though, because that sucks.

What's to hate about Rock Band other than the godawful setlist of RB3, and their equally terrible band spinoffs?

And it's not like GH hadn't made games with bad setlists.... World Tour and 5, I'm looking at you,

World Tour was freaking amazing. Hotel California :w00t:

zap · February 10, 2011

I guarantee you won't find a bigger Guitar Hero fan on this forum... and even I'm glad the pain is finally over. I mean holy crap, the amount of games is exhausting. Well, at least they went out on a high note. Warriors of Rock just might've been the best game; from the songs to the graphics to the actual gameplay, only in competition with GH3.

I won't switch to RB though, because that sucks.

What's to hate about Rock Band other than the godawful setlist of RB3, and their equally terrible band spinoffs?

And it's not like GH hadn't made games with bad setlists.... World Tour and 5, I'm looking at you,

Haha sorry, I was just being sarcastic because it might be a big naughty-naughty to praise RB in a GH thread.

February 10, 2011

Does this mean we can get more Aerosmith songs on Rock Band now? :shifty:

Activision pulls the plug on Guitar Hero

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