But that doesn’t mean they’re going to be buying the developer, who’s recently been put up for sale by MTV owners Viacom. In an interview with Industry Gamers, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirschberg talked about making peace with their former partners and progenitors of Guitar Hero.
“I can’t comment on that, for obvious reasons. I can tell you I’ve got a ton of respect for Harmonix, and I agree with everything you’ve said about them. They’re a hell of a developer, and very innovative, and I’ve got nothing but love for them. As a fan, I can certainly say they are a great developer and they’ve done a great job in this space,†he said.
Harmonix, as you’re aware, were the folks behind Guitar Hero, before Activision nabbed the rights and put tony Hawk developers Neversoft on the job. If you’ll recall, Activision head honcho Bobby Kotick was openly quite regretful over his decision not to purchase the rhythm game gurus when he had the chance. Might now be the time to make up for it?
Music games have been on a steady decline of late, something Hirschberg’s not afraid to talk about.
“It’s no secret that not just Guitar Hero, but also Rock Band, and the music category in general, do not have the same mass appeal today that they did a few years ago,†he confessed. “That said, I think that we would be foolish to not try and build on the strength of the Guitar Hero brand, because as you said, it’s a pretty strong brand with great recognition and great likability, and there’s a lot to work with there.†“I think the road to rejuvenating that category goes through innovation.â€
Innovation? That’s what Harmonix does best.
Source : Industrygamers
Last Updated: December 9, 2010
