End of An Era: Activision Axes Guitar Hero Series Once and for All
End of An Era: Activision Axes Guitar Hero Series Once and for All
Posted 02/09/2011 at 6:49pm
| by Nathan Grayson
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Here at Maximum PC, we usually prefer gaming news that's brought to you by the letters “P” and “C,” but a doozy of an earthshaker dropped today over in Console Land, so here we are. Anyway, remember when Guitar Hero was a national institution – a household name? Well, now it's set to remain just that: a memory. And nothing more.
“Due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing’s Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011,” Activision said in its fiscal 2011 report.
In other words, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock was the series' swan song, and now only silence remains. Oh, but it gets worse. As a result of Guitar Hero's sad (but timely) demise, 500 Activision employees are now jobless.
This comes as part of Activision's effort to narrow its focus and set most of its empire to work on its core franchises: Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and StarCraft.
So ends another chapter for the history books. Guitar Hero's 100-percent-ing “Through The Fire and The Flames” on Expert for angels now. Game Over. Continue? 3... 2... 1...
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Thoren
February 16, 2011 at 3:30pm
It was novel to play the first few times, but it was just the same thing over and over and got really repetitive very quickly. I'm surprised it stayed around as long as it did.
You will not be missed.
praetor_alpha
February 10, 2011 at 6:05am
Another franchise falls victim of Activision running it into the effing ground.
steevonson
February 10, 2011 at 2:09am
Guitar Hero was dead the moment Harmonix sold it to Activision. Harmonix innovated and Activision just played catch up to Rock Band.
Forte125
February 09, 2011 at 8:24pm
In all fairness, they did support the PC versions for most of the series. I did have quite a bit of fun with the first two games, but I can see how the games get old.
Still like frets on fire though :P
MdX MaxX
February 09, 2011 at 7:29pm
Good riddance. I'm sticking with Konami's GuitarFreaks/DrumMania.
riopato
February 09, 2011 at 7:29pm
Follow Rockband's lead and actually have a way to learn how to play a real guitar. But unlike rockband, nix the pro mode and make it a learning game!
MdX MaxX
February 09, 2011 at 7:33pm
I honestly think the guitar is too complex of an instrument to simulate well in a game. I mean, drums are just 4 drum pads, 3 cymbals, and a bass pedal or two. Keyboard is just keys. Both can be displayed easily through lanes. Guitar can't. I don't see how anyone can effectively learn guitar through Rock Band, even with it's astronomical timing windows.
Aksparks04
February 10, 2011 at 1:55pm
Yeah. I agree. You can play the same note over and over on the guitar and change the actual sound output by only slightly altering the way you fret, pick, bend, mute, or slide the note.
I would say the same of drums as well. Depending on where you hit the head -- if you strike the bell of the symbol or the outer edge, type of sticks used, etc you can change the sound created.
Most instruments that require manual creation of sound/notes are hard to simulate. Those with many mechanical parts that produce consistant note sounds nearly every time are much easier.
poee
February 09, 2011 at 7:21pm
Perhaps this terrible loss will prompt GH fans to consider a crazy alternative... learning to play guitar! I've heard those things can potentially rock. It's amazing what they can come up with nowadays.
ddimick
February 09, 2011 at 7:27pm
I like playing the game but have no interest in learning to play the guitar. Not the same thing at all.
Windows/Mac/Linux users should check out FoFix.
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