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Activision using 'new studios' to 'reinvent' Guitar Hero photo

Considering the franchise's sliding sales, it wasn't shocking to learn that Activision had disbanded its Guitar Hero business unit and decided to not release a new title this year. The fate of the series hung in the balance, and the publisher was quiet on any solid plans going forward.

But thanks to Activision Blizzard CEO (and movie star) Bobby Kotick, we can rest easy knowing that a new Guitar Hero is on its way. It just might not look or feel like the Guitar Hero we've come to know.

"We're going to go back to the studios and we're going to use new studios and reinvent Guitar Hero," he told Forbes, "And so that's what we're doing with it."

When we'll see the results of this reinvention plan are unclear, but one has to hope that Activision will take more care with the franchise's next run. Even Kotick is willing to admit where they went wrong, and he blames it partially on being so damned pumped about the DJ Hero franchise. He tells Forbes that the company was "so excited about going down this new direction with DJ Hero" that it may have "abandoned a bit of the innovation that was required in the Guitar Hero franchise."

You think? While Neversoft's titles were never bad, it seemed the studio could barely keep up with the Guitar Hero machine year after year. With a requirement to deliver one or more titles every 12 months, we saw incremental updates, and some of the weirdest and most off-putting design decisions the series had ever seen. (Demons, guys? Really?)

The full interview with Kotick can be read online, entitled "How To Be An Innovator." Yeah, that may sound odd to you, considering who we're tailing about here. But it's an interesting read, for sure.

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick: How To Be An Innovator [Forbes]









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34 comments | showing # 1 to 34
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Achromatis's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:41
Achromatis
Mix a little Guitar Hero with a little Brutal Legend and some Diablo dungeon crawling, maybe sprinkle on some Shin Megami Tensei...
Spaz's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:44
Spaz
Yep I'm sure it had nothing to do with over saturating the market with multiple guitar hero games each year. Obvious sarcasm is obvious.
dtomek's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:49
dtomek
You guys need a copy editor. Seriously, ill do it for next to free.
GoofierBrute's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:50
GoofierBrute
I knew Guitar Hero wouldn't be dead! Oh Kotick, you never disappoint. Well actually you do because you're bringing back Guitar Hero, but you never disappoint disappointing me.
MasterBalls's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:51
MasterBalls
Oh just fuck off and die.
RockWallofMight359's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:58
RockWallofMight359
Frankly I think that's good news. We got our little break from GH, and to make matters better Activision actually wants to innovate it. Now we just need to see some results.
MetricInchworm's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:58
MetricInchworm
I watched my sister play some Hannah Montana game a while back, and between those poor excuses of "gigs" there was a bit of exploration in the town you were in. I could see this sucking less in Guitar Hero if it were a little less suckish.

It surprises me that Guitar Hero needs innovation, I mean look at what they've added to the games in each title. World Tour was the first game EVER to add Drums and Vocals, Metallica added an extra pedal, 5 let you use 4 drums or 7 guitars or whatever you wanted, and Warriors of Rock had manbearpig. That screams innovation.
Gorescream's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 20:58
Gorescream
And this is why I hate Activision.

Abusing the very limit of capitalism, you can go to hell and never return, kotick.
Conan's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:11
Conan
Forget fixing it, just let it die already for crying out loud.
Forsakeneyes's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:12
Forsakeneyes
Actually I would pay for an adventure game that would fuse the adventuring of Brutal Legend and Guitar Hero together. But the main problem of that would probably be the controls. And I don't think people like switching to the regular controller for the adventuring part, and picking up the guitar-controller again for the (boss)battles.

That said, I think it could be an interesting concept. And I really want GH to become interesting again, like it used to be before they started pooping them out like they had a bad diarrhea.
Sean Payne's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:13
Sean Payne
I know gorescream. How dare a company try to make money by making a game people will like! There is no worse crime.
RockWallofMight359's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:18
RockWallofMight359
Hmm. People ask for a break. They got it. Other asked for innovation and they'll get that too.

People still bitch. Typical.
Corduroy Turtle's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:53
Corduroy Turtle
It's an FPS now.
Fugly Duckling's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:55
Fugly Duckling
When they say "innovate" what they really mean is motion control.
OneRed's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 21:59
OneRed
Maybe they'll peel off one of the half dozen developers currently working on the Call of Duty franchise to break up the monotony. That, or they'll get 6 developers to work on GH so they can pump 60% of their total games production budget on two franchises.

Orrrrrr, they can take Call of Duty's monster advertising budget and actually make games with it, like GH! They could probably make 2 GH games a year on what they spend to advertise CoD.
Nick Chester's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 22:22
Nick Chester
@dtomek:

"Seriously, ill do it for next to free."

No thanks. But I'm more than willing to concede there may be typographical errors and such in stories, and am always willing to correct them. Being specific would help next time, dtomek.
DomitorInvictus's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 22:24
DomitorInvictus
Guitar Hero will now run at a super smooth 60 fps
Pyrofrost's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 22:32
Pyrofrost
So, game from one of the two genre I absolutely NEVER play is returning, ok. Come to think of it, I really NEVER buy games with the Activision name on them; Alundra 2, X-Men Legends, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance being the only Activision games I have ever bought and owned.
Jaded's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 22:47
Jaded
Oh Bobby, I guess you feel the horse isn't dead yet. Just keep beating it. I mean, how many have we had now?
Metal Mark's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 22:48
Metal Mark
I'd prefer a new Brutal Legend
Sanious's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/21/2011 23:33
Sanious
@RockWallOfMight

Uhh, it's Activision. I doubt there is going to be any real innovation. You know, like trying to make new IPs instead of over saturating the market with what they think will make them the most money.
Corbanski's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 00:33
Corbanski
fuck you activision fuck you
onomatapedalo's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 03:52
onomatapedalo
I can see the internal memos now...

"We took Neversoft and burnt them out creatively. Now it's your turn!"
JQM78's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 04:15
JQM78
@metricInchworm:

Shut up, you know you played it to get that easy ass platinum trophy.... Your sister....LOL
Stinky's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 05:44
Stinky
The haters are hatin, but to be honest I think that if managed properly, the genre is just another way to enjoy your favourite music. A cool musician could give value-add to their cds by providing mp3 and GH downloads with the purchase.
MCBattery's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 07:45
MCBattery
Hey Kotick It's already been "re-invented" It's called Rocksmith.
I highly doubt you can top that. Might as well give up now.

Just release more songs as DLC at a better price point for the games already out.
SorcerorVoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 07:58
SorcerorVoid
I would love to see more dlc for DJ Hero 2, its such a better game than GH.
nanowerx's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 08:10
nanowerx
Jesus Christ, Fuck you, Activision! You spend all your time bad mouthing DJ Hero when it was an actual good idea, blame it for Guitar hero sucking, then bring Guitar Hero back.

Let it die already. Harmonix won, you lost, move the fuck on!
Sexualchocolate's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 09:10
Sexualchocolate
The problem with guitar hero is not lack of innovation...

It's just not rock band.
fetusmilk's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 09:32
fetusmilk
GWAR GWAR GWAR GWAR GWAR HERO!!
Voxeril's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 10:08
Voxeril
That was a quick reboot, you though they would give it a few years so it can come with a massive comeback but instead it seems like they just went on a break.
Spaz's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/22/2011 12:18
Spaz
Just remember people when Activision says innovate they really mean copy and paste.
burningsoup's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/23/2011 00:34
burningsoup
Guitar Hero Wii U. I'm calling it now.
MetricInchworm's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/23/2011 02:33
MetricInchworm
@JQM78

Nah, it was a crappy Wii game from when "motion control" (arm waggling) was cool. No trophies there.
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