Topic: Activision Shuts Down Music Division

[the asylum]

I know I'm gonna catch a lot of flak for this, but it has to be said.

"And nothing of value was lost."

[ShyGuy]

I agree with the mental institution. Music games could have been something as big as the blue ocean Wii, but they got ran into the ground harder than a kite made out of lead.

[Enner]

At least there are other music games out there. I think there is even some Unreal Engine 3 dancing MMO game.

...
So again I have to say the way out of that is to change the scenario. Since everyone is doing modern era warfare, do medieval warfare. The weapons would consist of axes, swords, bows, maces, etc. and would stand out for that reason alone. What other medieval FPS online MP game is there? None that I can think of.
...

There was that Dark Messiah of Might and Magic game for the PC and X360. It didn't review well.
There's a third-person game that is set in a medieval fantasy setting called Hunted The Demon's Forge that sort of fits the bill. http://www.giantbomb.com/hunt-the-hunted-in-hunted-the-demons-forge/17-3783/
It looks kind of neat.

[Mop it up]

This is what happens when companies don't understand their audience. I don't think this spells the end for the music/rhythm genre, someone will come along and analyze what went wrong here and revive the genre.

[Ian Sane]

I think the rhythm genre is clearly going to continue to exist, it just won't be the big mainstream cash cow anymore.  It existed before with DDR but it was more of a hardcore genre.  We've been playing these games since Parappa the Rapper on the Playstation.  It's an established videogame genre that will continue to have an audience.  It just won't be a huge audience.  It's like how they still make shmups but that has clearly become an enthusiast's genre.

[Arbok]

I think everyone predicted the music genre was on the way out with recent sales...

...but I don't know about anyone else, but I'm shocked it happened so quickly. If I had to estimate the situation, I would have guessed it would have limped its way into the next console generation before finally falling off.

[BlackNMild2k1]

At this point, I think it's waiting for the next console generation before getting a revival. And hopefully they do it right next time around.

One major release and then song packs and DLC updates till they have enough innovation for another new major release several years later.

[Mop it up]

...but I don't know about anyone else, but I'm shocked it happened so quickly. If I had to estimate the situation, I would have guessed it would have limped its way into the next console generation before finally falling off.

I didn't think it would happen just yet either. Last I remember hearing, the newest versions of Guitar Hero and Rock Band were still selling well, and even DJ Hero 2 was performing better than the first entry.

[Chozo Ghost]

Just want to put it out there that Guitar Hero isn't the only music gaming franchise in existence. There is also every possibility that new franchises will spring up in the future. So I don't think its right to declare the genre dead just yet. If anything, now that Guitar Hero is gone the market is a little less saturated and those that remain may do better. Just like how Mammals took over when the Dinosaurs died out.

[KDR_11k]

Boot up any given new First Person Shooter these days and enter a given multiplayer game mode, and you'll almost always see the same thing: a standard deathmatch-type experience where players run around until someone runs into them and someone dies, or a player from the other side of the map snipes someone else.  Players die and respawn, the match ends, experience is dolled out for kills, players who are already good acquire perks and whatnot through level-ups that make them even harder to kill, words are exchanged via microphone, wash, rinse, repeat.  Can you seriously tell me there's really a distinction between the multiplayer-centric experience in something like Crysis, the Conduit, Medal of Honor; Battlefield; Call of Duty; etc.?  It's the same experience with the same standard modes and frequently the same weapons and powers, with minor differences between them.  It's lazy, repetitive, and boring.

Yep, my main MP game right now is Monday Night Combat because it doesn't do crap like that.