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?
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.
BobSaget @ Feb 28th 2008 12:10PM
This is where I roll my eyes at Konami for delivering only late, lackluster music games to America. Konami could be the popular developer over here, and music games could be the better for it*.
*I played Guitar Hero 3 up to expert. I hate rock so I didn't like the music, but it also wasn't nearly as fun or challenging to play as Konami games.
baby sea tuna @ Feb 17th 2008 7:29PM
How can you hate rock?! Aren't you the singer of the Silver Bullet band or something?
Oh wait...that's Bob *Seger*
Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 17th 2008 7:34PM
have you ever had one of those nights that started off so damn good no fights no fuss it’s understood that when you go bar MAAAN we aint leavin till those girls in the car
well this night started off just like that except jamie’s in the driver seat,sagets in the back we rollin on twenties ta the club pull up front sagets in the back seat rollin a blunt
valet’ opens up the door to park the car the bouncer at the front don’t wanna let us in the bar bob says here let me show him some affection then he walked up wound up cold clocked decked him started screamin for that ***** to respect him next thing ya know were in the vip section when a crew like this run deep you wanna brag who you rollin with MAAN I’m rollin wit saget
who you rollin with ba brcr a brca brca bob saget .... boxin...a numero uno nobody does it better ... be boxin ... who you rollin with .. Boxin the illest mother ****** in a carnigan sweater ...
Down on nights simmer everybody’s gettin tipsy bob’s in a booth with a chick from pachitski he’s ordering a don peri on just drinkin it from the bottle makin plans to leave the club with three models.
That’s when dmx and 50 cent walked in (nuh uh) bob stood up and said Who are you again? At first all they did was sit around and stare till x pushed bob (OW) and 50 hit him with a chair he’s in a carnigan, khaki’s shoes and no socks yo want a hard core mother ****** pulled out a glock I got a **** as big as a donkey hard as a rock and trigger finger itcher of the chicken pox
everybody threw there hands in the air bob’s drunk wit a gun and he just don’t care we on the floor he on the table now fireing shots paris hilton’s on the cell phone calling the cops he blew the smoke off the tip of his gun bob saget ***** you betta ask someone
who you rollin with ba brcr a brca brca bob saget .... boxin...a numero uno nobody does it better ... be boxin ... who you rollin with .. Boxin the illest mother ****** in a carnigan sweater ...
bob grabbed us and sluts and ran out the back door says he’s still feelin funny and he’s hungry for more he’s in the back seat gettin busy again askin the girls if there lesbians (Are you?) The girls start kissin now my dicks gettin hard. Let’s go to by place the hot tub’s in the back yard I got beer head maybe and an ounce of kush. Yo J pull over I gotta pee in a bush. When you rollin wit saget there’s no time for rest. This motherfucker’s flippin bottle caps off of a chest singin
you this is bob saget this is what I do
my house my car this is my crew AAAAAAAAAHHHH
I love to hang with you kennedy and stu and chill the main streets of malibu GOOD night boys
tomarrow night we gunna do it again Bob saget MY BEST FRIEND
who you rollin with ba brcr a brca brca bob saget .... boxin...a numero uno nobody does it better ... be boxin ... who you rollin with .. Boxin the illest mother ****** in a carnigan sweater ...
who you rollin with ba brcr a brca brca bob saget .... boxin...a numero uno nobody does it better ... be boxin ... who you rollin with .. Boxin the illest mother ****** in a carnigan sweater ...
Ba ba ba ba bob ba ba ba bob saget ba ba ba bob saget sa sa sa saget...
Big dealers.. Bd.. Ba brca bob .. Big dealers.. Big dealers....big big big big dealers... Mother ****** in a carnigan sweater..
Goodnight michelle
Ramifications @ Feb 17th 2008 7:46PM
Umm...that was interestinggggg i guess...
but it's a carDigan....not a carNigan
Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 17th 2008 7:50PM
I copied and paste.
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)
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.
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=
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