Kotick: We're sticking with DJ Hero
Activision committed to new Hero spin-off despite decline in music genre
Activision CEO Robert Kotick has said that the company plans to continue developing the DJ Hero brand despite slow sales of the first title.
Although well-received, the game did not perform well in the charts, launching near the end of last year when the entire music genre category was down over 40 per cent on 2008.
"If you're going to make a commitment to doing something original, the odds are that you're not going to get it right on the first chance," Kotick told Game Informer. "I think DJ Hero is a really innovative product. I can't wait for you to see next year's.
"That's the thing; we're sticking with it. We'll stick with it and get it right. But it's going to be less games, better games. That's our strategy."
News of a sequel was seemingly confirmed before the first game was even released, with an independent UK developer expected to be working alongside in-house studio FreeStyleGames
DJ Hero wasn't the only music game released last year to not meet expectations – Guitar Hero 5, The Beatles: Rock Band and Band Hero all sold less than publisher estimates.
According to EEDAR, the music category could bounce back in 2010, although dance games which take advantage of new motion control technology from Microsoft and Nintendo are likely to benefit more than software bundles with plastic instruments.