Filed under: GAMING | Tags: Activision, Disc jockey, DJ, DJ Hero, Games, Guitar Hero, Music, Music video game
Activision adds another chapter to its already impressive music game franchise today with the release of DJ Hero. Like Guitar Hero before it, DJ Hero challenges you to “master” a virtual instrument, in this case the vinyl turntable still in use by many a DJ even in the digital age. (Mashable 10/27)
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Filed under: GAMING | Tags: Activision, Activision Publishing, Guitar, Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero World Tour, Mike Griffith, Music
“Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” has become the first game title in history to hit the $1 billion sales mark, according to Mike Griffith, CEO of Activision Publishing. Quoting Nielsen data, Griffith added that artists who have made their playlists available to the “Guitar Hero” franchise have seen download sales spike as much as 843%. GameDaily BIZ (1/11)
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Filed under: Feature | Tags: Facebook, Flight of the Conchords, Guitar Hero, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Robert J. Bach, Wii, Zune
MICROSOFT CES KEYNOTE: BALLMER’S COMING OUT PARTY
Steve Baller: CEO Microsoft
The big news from the keynote last night was the launch of Microsoft 7 for registered beta Microsoft beta users and January 9th for everyone else. Here’s a quick recap of the highlights…no shockers here.
- Windows live search will come pre-installed in all Dell computers as of February.
- Windows live essential is no longer in beta and now comes a bit more synchronized with Facebook allowing users to automatically post photos on Microsoft Live from posting on Facebook. That’s nice.
- Microsoft live will also be implemented on all Verizon feature phones.
- Release of a windows mobile app to allow management of the Netflix queue
Everything else was a bit of old news. No expected mention of the Zune. No real excitement here.
An Australian musical comedy group called Tripod performed to poke light at the gaming lifestyle…sounding strikingly like the Flight of the Conchords, a New Zealand music improve group on HBO currently in season 2. They should have some falsetto wars. One performed last year during the Comcast keynote. The other performed this year during the Microsoft keynote. Flight would kill it in a deathmatch…
Robbie Bach then took the stage to note how men really are from Mars, women from Venus…somehow ignoring the building female gamer market. Hey Bach, ever heard of the Wii or Guitar Hero on your own gaming console platform? Guess not.
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Filed under: GAMING | Tags: Activision, Everlasting Gaze, Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero World Tour, Paramount Pictures, Smashing Pumpkins, Viacom, XBox
The Smashing Pumpkins are availing themselves of one of the hottest Xbox and PlayStation games to try to reclaim their former glory. The band will debut its new single G.L.O.W. exclusively in the newest edition of Activision’s Guitar Hero console game, marking the first time the smash game has previewed a new release before it’s made available on CD or iTunes. The new track, bundled with two other past hits 1979 and The Everlasting Gaze, will be available post-launch of Guitar Hero World Tour as a three-song downloaded content pack. (Cynopsis 9/3)
Viacom’s Paramount Pictures is acquiring ScreenLife, the maker of “Scene It,” a DVD trivia-game that requires players to identify film clips. The move is designed to boost the studio’s profile in DVD, online and mobile gaming. The deal is said to be valued at less than $100 million. (Iwantmedia 9/3, http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10031046-93.html 9/2)
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Filed under: GAMING | Tags: Activision, Edgar Bronfman Jr, Guitar Hero, MTV, Rock Band, Video game, Warner Music, Warner Music Group
Sackboy plays the lead role in Sony’s latest title, “LittleBigPlanet,” a game the company hopes will stimulate PS3 sales with its release this fall. Early reviews are good, and critics say Sackboy could be a star in the burgeoning first-party market. Advertising Age (8/11)
Warner Music boss Edgar Bronfman Jr. is threatening to stop issuing song licenses for video games, like Activision’s “Guitar Hero” and MTV’s “Rock Band,” if the current revenue-sharing model doesn’t improve. Bronfman describes the fees he currently receives as “paltry.” (Iwantmedia 8/11, http://www.nypost.com/seven/08082008/business/changing_his_tune_123590.htm 8/8)
Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Electronic Arts, Guitar Hero, Mobile phone, Mobile TV, Telecommunications, The New York Times, United Kingdom, Verizon Wireless
Cell phones are not just for texting and chatting anymore. The ubiquitous devices now are becoming highly sophisticated mobile-gaming platforms as major firms such as Activision and Electronic Arts come out with mobile versions of their most popular games. “Guitar Hero” for mobile phones, for instance, has quickly been rising in the gaming ranks, according to M:Metrics. (The New York Times 7/17)
As of May, Guitar Hero’s mobile version ranked ninth among top-selling games.
With an assist from MediaFLO USA, ESPN has launched EXPN, a mobile video channel that will serve up coverage of the cable sports network’s X Games. The channel, available to those who have the AT&T Mobile TV and Verizon Wireless V CAST Mobile TV, will air 31 hours of live coverage of the event, which runs from July 31 to Aug. 3. (World Screen News 7/16, RCR Wireless News 7/16)
Filed under: GAMING | Tags: Aerosmith, GAMING Sony, Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero Aerosmith, Microsoft, NPD Group, Playstation 3, Video game
Sony‘s PlayStation 3 gaming console has finally outsold Microsoft’s Xbox after a strong first part of the year that saw U.S. PS3 levels reach 4.5 million and 12 million worldwide, according to NPD Group, a research firm, and Sony. The results are the fruit of Sony’s newly aggressive strategy of linking its vast quantity of products and services. (Advertising Age 6/27)
Aerosmith has worked with Neversoft to create the first “Guitar Hero” game that is built around a specific band. Released Sunday, “Guitar Hero Aerosmith” combines elements of movie DVDs with the popular game. (
ClipSyndicate/WNYW-TV (New York) 6/26, The New York Times 6/29)
Check out the video below for some behind-the-scenes action on making the “Guitar Hero Aerosmith” installment. Loved watching the motion capture about as much as I loved watch Steven Tyler scatting.
Electronic Arts has decried a British proposal to create movie-style ratings for computer games aimed at 13-year-olds and up. EA said the scheme would confuse parents and cause many video games to be released later in the U.K. market than in other regions. (The Times (London) 6/30)
