Ars Technica: DJ Hero flops in retails

In a recent article, Ars Technica tried to explain why DJ Hero flopped in retail. It’s actually a very interesting article, and among the reasons, they cite that DJ Hero is not a party game and that the learning process takes longer than, say, learning how to play a plastic guitar.

But allow me to give my own interpretation of the phenomenon. I think it was Activision itself that killed DJ Hero before it was even born. By flooding the market with a THOUSAND Guitar Hero titles this year alone, people just didn’t see it as a big innovation (as it SHOULD have been… after all, it IS an innovation!), but as another title aimed specifically at milking the cow even more.

I mean, Activision released Band Hero, Guitar Hero 5 and DJ Hero almost at the same time, for crying out loud! It’s easy for a “Hero” title to get lost in a sea of similar games. I am already so pissed at Activision for exploiting the franchise that badly that I just ignored Band Hero and DJ Hero altogether.

For example, imagine this scenario: if Activision took their time in releasing titles, like Harmonix does (for a minute, let’s pretend Lego Rock Band never existed), when they announced a DJ-centered music game it would have been seen as a major innovation, like when Rock Band innovated by bring drums and singing to the table.

Instead, it’s yet ANOTHER Hero game in a sea of Hero games.

I mean, take a look at the user comments at Gamespot’s Band Hero video review:

KriobaKeys: Don’t Activision have anything better to do, quality not quantity!

Somebody89: Congrats Activision you will have flooded this genre and wear out the audience all by yourself. What is this 5 Hero games this year I think?

ninstigator: another one of them sigh* they’ve saturated the market. Maybe if DLC couldnt get us more songs then buying another guitar hero games makes sense.

Yeah, it HAD to flop. It was written in the freaking stars.