With the success of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, you'd expect anything else with Hero in the name to be a success. Despite good reviews and heavy marketing, however, Activision's DJ Hero has been anything but. According to a
recent Ars Technica post, DJ Hero has sold less than 125,000 units over four platforms since its release in late October, managing a paltry 3,300 on the PS3. The article, alongside its woe at seeing a good game flop, tries to diagnose the DJ dilemma. While I recommend you read the whole piece, the main reasons for DJH's failure as identified within the post itself:
1. It isn't a party game.
2. It's expensive.
3. You don't know any of these songs.
4. You probably don't know how a turntable works.
For me, #1 and #4 aren't really concerns; I am perfectly happy to play one-player games, and I'd be willing to get past the frustration of learning how to spin to advance through difficulties. #2 definitely is a concern, although not such a game-specific one as I almost universally find games too expensive. Granted, DJ Hero is even worse, but I'd be willing to shell out more for the unique experience of a game based on scratching.
It is #3, meanwhile, that would be most problematic personally.
At the heart of any music game is (or at least should be) the actual music. While I suppose I could get used to and maybe even eventually enjoy some of the tracks, the music alone would not be enough to keep me coming back, as the club music/mashups are not really in my wheelhouse. As the Ars Technica article piece notes, "The problem is the music you actually play in the game consists of mash-ups of two songs per track, and the DJs and producers who created the music were free to chop, change, and cut up the songs to create something new. The tracks are great, but it's not what you're used to, and your favorite song may only be used as a hook or a bass beat buried deep in the original track the game uses."
It's the same kind of thing that plagued Harmonix's Frequency when it was first released in 2001: the concept of the game is fresh and original, but the music is, to many, inaccessible. While DJ Hero is an improvement with regard to the peripheral controller interface, the DJ culture is realistically a hard sell, and thus, given the asking price, it might be more worth it for you to skip the game and just head to a real club. You know, assuming you'd be willing to subject others to your dancing.
What's your take on the shortcomings of DJ Hero? What do you think is its biggest flaw?
Lifetime
Comments (29)
I tried to play DJ Hero and maybe it's just me, but I didn't like the packaging. I have some issue with DJs for some reason because I've been brainwashed by my peers to think that they are evil (I don't know how they got the idea... but the idea's there)
And.... it WAS expensive.
I also found number one a problem. One of the sole reasons I get certain games is because my friends can play with me T____T
:'( I soooo want this game. But it's point number 2 that's holding me back. The tracks I've heard from DJH are amazing. There are some interesting mashups. Who'd think Tears For Fears and Eric Prydz would be stuck together? Shoot, who'd think Tears For Fears would make it at all into a game like this? But, alas, I'm about 120 bucks too short.
And it was my understanding that you could play with your friends... that is if they want to play along with the guitar... or was I mistaken?
@LyricallyCharged@xanga - yes, your friends can play along with a guitar
Personally I'm bored of music rythm games. Guitar hero was enough. Plus I'm not a fan of DJs. I think the price is holding it back the most, although I've seen it on sale for as low as 100
Well, when I started playing Rock Band and Guitar Hero 3, I knew I was gonna be forced to play music that I didn't know about. But, the thing is, I think these music games aren't really out to put music that most of us know, but to put music that could be new to us and that we may like.
I agree with the price, $120 is too much for a game and turntable controller, but two real turntables, a mixer, speakers and stand along with cords and vinyl records or cds, depending on what kind of turntables you want to use will set you back over $500 depending what product you use.
I'm sure what the developers mean as a party game is you're suppose to play it with friends like a party game, but it is hard to image that with just two turntable controllers and a guitar controller.
And for the record...the controls for DJ Hero aren't the same way to control a real turntable and mixer. But the thing is you're suppose to "feel" like a DJ, not train to become one.
i would find it that most people would have more fun and know how to pretend play a guitar rather than try to pretend play as a dj scratching on turntables..turntables are fun but even myself I'm not quite familiar with a dj's equipment. I also think there are too many of "hero" type games coming out and its too expensive. I probably still wouldn't buy it even if it was cheaper..giant waste as a game.
@nooitzben@xanga - I think there are too many of them coming out; was Lego Rock Band really necessary?
@awinnerisyou - lol i didn't even know there was a lego rock band! they are also adding a lot of mainstream pop stuff to the guitar series..a big turn off for me especially since I'm not too fond of mainstream pop music culture.
problem with DJ Hero is that there was ALREADY a DJ-esque game that came out forever ago! It's called Beatmania. It too had a "DJ" controller but also plenty of recognizable tracks like Afronova and 3-2-1 Stars (if you ever played DDR), or even old club/dance hits like Toxic and Funkytown. Guess what? It's 2-player and about 1/2 the price! Takes a bit of getting use to with timing and all but which rhythm game doesn't?
it looks hard.
Yeah, a game was already created years ago similar to this and much better. Check it out BEATMANIA. It takes a while to learn but once you get a hang of it, it's freakin' bomb.
@SUPERxSTARRR@xanga - A lady after my own tastes
Beatmania was an EXCELLENT game, much like DDR. as a matter of fact, a lot of DDR songs were on Beatmania, and vice versa
Its just the fact that Americans arent into this kind of thing.Guitar Hero only sold lots because its a game where you don't have to exercise, you can play with others, but at least theres songs you know on it. I do enjoy Rock Band at times, don't get me wrong. but all even RB is in truth, is hardcore kareoke.
People just aren't open minded enough here is all.
i didn't know most of the songs from the guitar hero series but that didn't stop me from buying the games.
I actually want DJ Hero for Christmas. >.<
I think people are just tired of the idea of the Guitar Hero type game. That doesn't mean the game isn't fun, its just there are already 20 different kinds and you can play with different instruments already. How many different songs do you need? One game (Guitar Hero or Rock Band) is sufficient enough to have fun. And people don't want to spend their money in tough times for a game they already have and can have fun with.
In short. They need to stop releasing Guitar Hero/Rockband games. Its tired.
My brother is a real dj and I know what kind of music i'd rather scratch to than the pop culture crap they put in DJ hero. Its a poor shame that old school dj's like my bro and his friends were about to buy the game then changed their minds as soons as I told them how it worked and what kind of music they had in it. I was looking forward to old school hip hop, freestyle or house music, instead I have modern rock and pop music? no im not buying this game and I refuse to finish the song it was holla back girl and some other song I dont care for.
Shoot.. I totally forgot that existed.
Is this supposed to be a serious question?
It just seems kind of dumb...I mean, who wants to be a dj?
Exactly. It's a silly premise for a game. It reminds me of a scene from the movie Big, where they're all sitting around discussing new toy ideas. And Tom Hanks' character points out the ridiculousness of a proposed product - a "Transformer" style toy. A robot that turns into a building. As he points out, "What fun is that? Who wants to play with a building?" It's the same kind of thing here.
Most of the time, I prefer one player games but this may be because of who I get stuck playing with when I play multi-player games. I checked out what the box said when I saw it at the store, and my issues with it is the price and that I don't know any of those songs (This is the reason I do not like Rock Band). Now that I know that any song I might know is all mixed up, then I most likely won't bother to buy it though I might play it if someone else has it.
It just looks like several ideas that generated a lukewarm response (using a turntable [alien technology to most people], the remixes, "Look, another music game") combined with a too-hefty and therefore not worth it price tag.
beatmania and beatmania IIDX forever. That's how KONAMI rolls! YEAH.
I see it as a niche market with a small following and am really not surprised it's tanking. I think most people have played air guitar in their lives at some point to a favorite song, and Guitar Hero took that theme and built up on it. I don't know a single person who ever air-scratched on an invisible turn table. At least none that admitted to it.
A few problems. #1. It's not orginal. It's Americas verison of Beatmanina. So marketing it as a brand new concept is a flat up lie to anyone who enjoys music games. #2. The songs. Instead of using techno to use they decieded to just grab two songs, put them in a blender and make a song. It takes some time to actually like the songs. Which isn't smart for American gamers. #3 Price. For such a niche game I don't know why they thought this would a huge hit. Me and my friends love music games, but I'm the only one slightly intrested in DJ Hero. So I don't know why they though this would be sell as well as GH.
and the worst is #4. Timing. You just came out with GH Smash hits, then less then a moth GH 5, Then the next month DJ Hero and the next month Band Hero. Activision much have had a brain fart when they though Everyone could buy all these games so fast between each other. As I mentioned I love music games but I can't afford all these games. I haven't picked up GH 5 yet.
Bottom line is, it's not the game at fault (except for that stupid little slider, thats a pain) It's Activisions fault for whoring out everything with the Hero title at the same time.
I guess i'm not into that stuff but did want to stop by and say "Happy Thanksgiving!" to your and your family.