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DJ Hero dev FreeStyleGames in limbo, 'actively working with Activision on various options'

by Ben Gilbert on Feb 10th 2011 12:00PM

Despite reports of "severe layoffs" at DJ Hero development house FreeStyleGames yesterday, a statement issued by creative director Jamie Jackson, design director David Osbourn, and commercial director Chris Lee says that "no decisions have been taken at this stage" regarding the future of the studio. Furthermore, the trio noted, "We're actively working with Activision on various options going forward" -- it all sounds very reminiscent of Bizarre Creations' recent closing, frankly.

It certainly doesn't help that plans for future downloadable content in the DJ Hero and Guitar Hero franchises have been dissolved, not to mention Activision's statement during yesterday's financial call: "We simply cannot make these games profitably based on current economics and demand." Neither Activision nor FreeStyleGames have commented regarding yesterday's alleged layoffs.

Source: Eurogamer

Tags: activision, chris-lee, david-osbourn, DJ-Hero-2, freestyle-games, guitar-hero-rip, jamie-jackson, layoffs, microsoft, nintendo, playstation, ps3, wii, xbox

Reader Comments (29)

Always hate to hear about industry workers "in limbo".

@thisredengine

Activision brought them too deep.

Welcome to Activision. Hope it was worth it.

@Shockwave Updated as of Feb 10th, 2011:

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgedv7e4bR1qa18woo1_500.png

Various options means learning how to make Call of Duty...or Squinkies

Activision sure has run quite a few franchises into the ground. The investors love Kotick now but wait until Call of Duty starts sucking now that the talent as gone. Blizzard is going to be one of the only things propping them up.

@Dirty

Until they start with Diablo map-packs. That's when all hope will die.

But.. But... What about all that expensive plastic sitting in peoples livingrooms???? It all has become dead weight now. Damn you Nigel West Dickens umm I mean Bobby Kotick.

Ugh, Activision... don't throw another great studio out, please.

This was the only Hero franchise from Activision that was any good. I hope the figure out a way to keep this one going, but I am not hold my breathe either.

are we gonna spout hate at Activision after we knew this would happen eventually, you're an id!ot if you really thought DJ Hero would last past 3 or 4 iterations... everyone take a chill pill because we've all heard this old song and dance (no pun intended)

but on a unrelated but closely related note, check this Electro House mix by Two of the best DJ's out now. Australia is on fire with dance music i'm calling it right now

http://www.dancefloormayhem.com/2008/08/new-mix-from-aston-shuffle.html

@PR0F3TA

australia has been on fire with dance music for a few years now. look up the potbelleez, or pendulum

duuurty dreemz
don't hold back
hold your colour
propane nightmares
other side

it doesn't really make it to america but the rest of the world knows about it

@eat it

i checked them out, definitely good. thanks for the heads up...

@PR0F3TA

btw, it sucks that this is what doesn't make it to the US but sh!tty "dance" music like the Black Eye Peas do... makes me wanna facpalm.jpg

@PR0F3TA

yeah if you want good dance or electronic music you have to look outside the U.S. it's mostly hip hop here. But hey no other country does hip hop better so...

it's not really dance music but check out Birdy Nam Nam, abesses and violions are good songs

If DJ Hero makes it through this I really hope they go back to their hip-hop roots with DJH1 and ease up on all the club music that was featured in DJH2

@Nap
I hope for a better balance of both. So club people like me can enjoy it as much as you. What's funny though as much as I love club music I still found dj1 setlist to be way better. A lot of the club music was a missed opportunity

This only just made me remember DJ Hero on the 3DS. What's goin on there? Gone?

you know, this just occurred to me:

Why don't they outsource the game development? maybe this is already done? i dunno. But it seems to me everything is made in China or Vietnam or some such place. why not video games?

@acme64: Making video games isn't the screw a bolt here, tighten a nut there assembly line manufacturing process. We don't outsource jobs that require intellect because... well they require intellect, which entails Math, Physics, and other highly technical skillsets. These are the jobs that create the most wealth and the jobs we guard very closely.

@acme64 Ummm... I'm not sure you know what you're talking about... Or maybe it's me? I'm sure the disc and packaging for most games are made overseas (assuming youre American too).

@thund3rstruck
that is the most ignorant comment I've ever read...

@InDurdenWeTrust I'm talking about the actual animation, coding stuff, not manufacturing. An animator's salary in South Korea for example would probably be cheaper then in the US.

ACTIVISION has no one to blame but themselves... you can only milk a cow for so long until supply and/or demand runs outs.

@Lordd G
Exactly, this is "unsustainable business model" at its finest. Try taking a few years off and come back with some innovation rather than saturate the market with rehashes.

I feel bad for DJ Hero though, it had potential.

Don't get rid of them activision or dj hero for that matter.
It's the last game you guys make that i buy new.
if they end so does buying new or any dlc from you.
He'll only game you have next year that I want is the x men game.
I could care less about call of milking now

@Jawmuncher
Edit: This Year

On a side note: Deadmau5's avatar/logo thing always freaks me out for some reason.

Dammit. I thought DJ Hero was actually a pretty fun twist on things and was hoping for another game. It had unique charm.:(

Breaking News

DJ Hero 2

DJ Hero dev FreeStyleGames in limbo, 'actively working with Activision on various options'

Reader Comments (29)

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:03PM thisredengine said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:52PM oOWallaceOo said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:05PM Shockwave said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 1:46PM Evin said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:07PM JaredFromJersey said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:09PM Dirty said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:48PM ironneko said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:10PM Metalfacedoom said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:10PM B0HICAH said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:14PM MrSmiley1 said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:17PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:28PM eat it said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:34PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:36PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 4:37PM eat it said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:17PM Nap said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:08PM Jawmuncher said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:38PM ND92 said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 12:50PM acme64 said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 1:01PM thund3rstruck said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 1:12PM InDurdenWeTrust said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 7:18PM acme64 said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 7:18PM acme64 said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 1:46PM Lordd G said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:43PM DVincent said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:11PM Jawmuncher said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:13PM Jawmuncher said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 2:51PM atriux said

Posted: Feb 10th 2011 8:00PM OrangeGamer said

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