Activision files trademark for 'DJ Hero'

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 17th 2008 at 7:00PM }

Activision, publishers of Guitar Hero 2 and 3 (and the abomination known as Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s), recently filed for a trademark for the name "DJ Hero". No, it's not an adventure game featuring everyone's favorite character from Full House -- the trademark references software to be released with a special controller, leading us to assume we'll be living out our fondest Mix Master Mike fantasies with a rhythm game, complete with tiny plastic turntables when, and if, the game comes out.

Wait a minute -- doesn't that sound a lot like Beatmania, a popular Konami rhythm game using a turntable peripheral that's been around since 1997? Now that we think about it, Konami also came up with Guitar Freaks in 1998, long before the release of the similarly designed Guitar Hero. And that Rock Band drum peripheral looks a heck of a lot like the one used in Konami's 1999 arcade hit DrumMania. We wonder what Harmonix and Activision's next project will be -- Vampire Killer Hero or FOXHOUND Hero?

Tags: activision, beatmania, dj, djhero, drummania, guitarfreaks, guitarhero, mixmastermike, music, rhythm, turntables

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Vince @ Feb 17th 2008 7:04PM

Are you seriously complaining that harmonix is "copying" off Konami?

FidliousWong @ Feb 17th 2008 8:05PM

That, and they are preempting the next 30 comments that will complain about Guitar Heroes being a rip off of Guitar Freaks...

Take you pick and bitch accordingly.

upz @ Feb 17th 2008 10:25PM

All the Konami rhythm games were huge in arcades, as well as homes, in Asia. It's surprising that they never quite caught on Stateside. What's more surprising, though, is that Konami's patents weren't nearly encompassing enough to lock the concepts up, especially considering how easily and blatantly copied they were.

FidliousWong @ Feb 18th 2008 9:19AM

They locked up the interface. But frankly, I'm glad they were never locked up. It's harsh to say but if we were waiting for Konami to get off their asses with these games, not only would it be 2013 before Guitar Freaks even showed up, but it would be littered with shitty music.

People forget, Konami didn't WANT to bring DDR stateside, they were forced as import machines gained in popularity.

AK @ Feb 17th 2008 7:09PM

Skin Flute Hero.

A game about a girl's journey into high school.

Grog @ Feb 17th 2008 7:11PM

Hey, show some respect for Stephanie! Jodie Sweetin was way cuter than Candace Cameron.

baby sea tuna @ Feb 17th 2008 7:26PM

Yeah, but she's like a meth-head or something...

DCBlack @ Feb 17th 2008 11:32PM

Thanks a lot...now I have to go change my pants.

DCBlack @ Feb 17th 2008 11:33PM

That was directed @AK.

You fail me again, reply system.

Joe @ Feb 19th 2008 9:12AM

"No, it's not an adventure game featuring everyone's favorite character from Full House"

Ummm, Uncle Jesse? ...duh.

Batzarro @ Feb 17th 2008 7:17PM

They should make an iteration related to audio in general. Call it "Sonic Hero".

DCBlack @ Feb 17th 2008 11:36PM

Not to be confused with "Sonic Heroes," I guess.

dan stabbingworth @ Feb 17th 2008 7:17PM

Why not just pick up Ableton Live and an extra sound card. Seems pointless.

Dahk @ Feb 17th 2008 7:23PM

Thing I loved about BeatMania was it's Metal Gear track. Greatest mix ever. Well, one of them.

MarkHawk @ Feb 17th 2008 7:35PM

HMX's Next titles
Justin McElroy Rocks the Bed Room...

hvnlysoldr @ Feb 18th 2008 1:08AM

Griffin McElroy

BlackTye @ Feb 17th 2008 7:42PM

I see one of two things happening here.
Either:
1. It comes out, and it's a piece of crap.
or
2. It becomes popular for a moment and then Activision drives it into the ground.

Shmil @ Feb 17th 2008 7:46PM

new guitar hero 3 cheat
when the main menu is loading
click up twice
click down twice
push the whammy down then let up
push the whammy down then let up
red button
green button

Shmil @ Feb 17th 2008 7:46PM

new guitar hero 3 cheat
when the main menu is loading
click up twice
click down twice
push the whammy down then let up
push the whammy down then let up
red button
green button
start

Cyantre @ Feb 17th 2008 7:46PM

I'm waiting for "step-on-the-giant-d-pad-on-the-ground-to-the-rhythm-of-the-arrows-on-the-screen.... HERO". =P

J.R. @ Feb 17th 2008 7:50PM

Let's look at the bright side. It would probably be the only Activision game without "Guitar", "Tony", or a number in the title.

tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 17th 2008 8:10PM

until next year when DJ hero 2 comes out

Kuuma @ Feb 17th 2008 7:57PM

What?! Activision is a bunch of hacks?!

Why, a 15 year old, a past 15 year old, a 15 year old, who I once was could have told you that almost 3 years ago, when the first Guitar Hero came out.

I saw it in in stores and wondered to my 15 year old self "I thought it was called 'Guitar Freaks'."

FidliousWong @ Feb 17th 2008 7:59PM

Yeah, I mean.... everyone had the ability to play Guitar Freaks... Oh wait, they didn't....

Because Konami sat on their ass and essentially let the music game industry boom to incredible heights without so much as bothering to show up.

FidliousWong @ Feb 17th 2008 7:57PM

Is this a coincidence? After all, we already know Harmonix's next project is hip-hop related... and now Activision registers this...

All I can say is if the game features Moby's Lift me Up.... I'm going to laugh my ass off...

Activision... look, I love you man but when you can't even get the franchises you started right, let alone the ones you took over from other studios, what makes you think you won't royally fuck up new ones?

Curtis the Claw Game Master @ Feb 18th 2008 1:52PM

Hahaha I played Lift Me Up on Beatmania the other day...actually it was like a year ago. If Konami's music games would actually include good music that people like they would do so much better.

tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 17th 2008 8:12PM

i forsee nothing but bad things for this game.

Or maybe it's just me thinking how ridiculous playing a DJ hero game would be.

Dictatorship @ Feb 17th 2008 8:20PM

And after this, Blizavition's next project will be...

Dancing Hero! A game where you use a floor mat to perfectly hit the arrows that appear on screen! Rise up in the ranks of the virtual dancing world as you and your feet dance your way up into being the best dancer in the whole world! With four level of difficulty to challenge the best dancers around the world and featuring your favorite "As seen on MTV" songs like:

~I don't care, by Ricky Martin
~Hit 'em up, by Tupac
~My humps, by Black Eyed Peas
~Dance Dance, by Fall Out Boy

And by fan demand, a special guest song:
~Crank that! by Soulja Boy

And many, many more! Coming out soon, on 2010*!

*Or when the franchises with "Hero" on their title are run into the ground and have been completely milked out of the cash it usually makes.

who_cares @ Feb 17th 2008 8:59PM

What's sad is that Dance, Dance was already on the home release of DDR SuperNOVA..... And every time I'm at my localish arcade here (ACME Bowl in southcenter, washington) someone has to play their custom edit "Drink That Soulja Boy" off their USB stick on the ITG2 machine... disgusting.

Jay @ Feb 18th 2008 1:42AM

@ who_cares

I'll have you know that most people who have that stepfile probably hate the song as much as you do. The only reason they play it is because it tends to result in very humorous situations

SEE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AdwfGi0hxOk
and
http://youtube.com/watch?v=97Oet-pyum0

joys of r21 (and single greatest reason ITG > DDR)

rawdawg @ Feb 17th 2008 8:29PM

lol , i just discussed with my friend last night and , told them i bet they will make a turn table game , o my ., i cant believe this , im going to go run to my friends tell them about this . im amazed

Jeff Ramos @ Feb 17th 2008 8:30PM

Beatmania is more of a sampler sim than a DJing sim, although the turntable is there.

I would love for an American game much like Crakin' DJ:
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=crackin%27+dj&search_type=

RPore @ Feb 17th 2008 8:30PM

Hey! I liked Guitar Hero: Encore! It totally Rocked the 80's as advertised!

Donald @ Feb 18th 2008 8:14AM

I think there's a Zero Punctuation quote that would be relevant here... ah, yes. I found it.

"The day I fork out $70 for an expansion pack is the day I shove razor wire down my throat, pull the other end out of my ass, and floss myself to death."

$60 for 30 songs does NOT rock.

RPore @ Feb 18th 2008 4:29PM

Yea, but obviously you're not buying downloadable content for Rock Band or GH3 now. The 30 songs for $50 was about the same deal as buying songs off Xbox live. Besides, its not just 30 songs, its 30 great songs.

Neowyrm @ Feb 17th 2008 8:33PM

Harmonix trusted Activision with their baby. And what did activision do? Aerosmith and Disk Jockeys. Shame on Activision. I spit on them.

Jay @ Feb 17th 2008 8:35PM

If they are seriously making a DJ game I am going to have to shoot someone.

Guitar Hero bastardized the entire genre by taking out a key factor most people take for granted but real music gamers find most important.....timing judgments.

GH doesn't take into account WHEN you hit a note as long as you hit it. Go to a hardcore ITG tournament and you are gonna have rounds where the winner is determined by a fantastic to an excellent.

If they're making a beatmania knockoff they are going to screw it up so badly because they don't get that the purpose of a rhythm game is RHYTHM

now excuse me while i go play my imported copy of IIDX DistorteD

FidliousWong @ Feb 17th 2008 8:42PM

So let me get this straight... you hate Guitar Hero because it no longer gives the player the ability to judge when to hit a note and that I can see...

But then you run off to the absolutely most strict timing judgment game on the market, Beatmania?

This is like me screaming "God, I fucking hate shooting games because they don't actually let you shoot guns... So if you don't mind, I'm off to play Gears of War."

Neowyrm @ Feb 17th 2008 8:46PM

Yeah, but Guitar Hero is, you know, fun.

playwhutyalike @ Feb 17th 2008 9:16PM

I agree with Fid and Neo here. I was the biggest troll in the GH and Rock Band forums for the same reason that Jay has. Actually played GH III yesterday and I had fun. I didn't come off thinking I was a guitar god, because that's what ruins it. People fuck it up not the game.

These games are for fun, period. I think they do help with consistency though.

ThornedVenom @ Feb 17th 2008 8:58PM

Oh great, so you get all of these random instrument-heroes, but nobody cares anymore about super-heroes!

>=(

Killer @ Feb 17th 2008 8:58PM

What's next Breakdance Hero?

FidliousWong @ Feb 17th 2008 9:18PM

It's called Pump It Up.

Tacocartguy @ Feb 17th 2008 9:13PM

FOXHOUND HERO
As Snake, you must infiltrate the ATL and find Big Boss's Buckhead apartment, infiltrate that, and challenge Big Boss to a rap battle. The Beauty and the Beast Unit will protect Big Boss, and in the end Big Boss knocks you out with a baseball bat and when you wake up you find yourself in a Dennys.

Travis @ Feb 17th 2008 9:21PM

this game will be the best selling game ever

timnc @ Feb 17th 2008 9:27PM

Hey is there a portal reference in that picture?

XGM @ Feb 17th 2008 9:39PM

Next thing you know someone will come out with T-Bag Hero. In the heat of the battle u kill someone, stand over their head and then music and arrows will start going kinda like DDR. But instead of dancing you will be performing some sweet t-bagging moves...

On second thought... yea....