In Good Hands
GameDaily.biz published an interview last week with Red Octane concerning the future of the Guitar Hero series. The excerpts below are from Dusty Welch, "head of publishing" for Red Octane.We are excited to further the music and rhythm-based videogame genre, and Neversoft has the full experience, knowledge, and talent to do this.
We believe that having the talented group at Neversoft, with their unprecedented string of market success with the billion dollar Tony Hawk franchise, develop the next Guitar Hero game will allow us to vastly enrich the consumer experience.
We have tremendous respect for, and greatly appreciate, everything that Harmonix has done for the Guitar Hero franchise. Their vision has always aligned with ours from the start.
Neversoft's talents and extensive experience working within the skateboarding and music culture are already adding tremendous value to Guitar Hero's core tenet of fulfilling the fantasy of becoming a rock star.
Until rock n' roll is dead, there will always be further opportunity for Guitar Hero to take it up another notch, and we look forward to Neversoft helping us get to the next level.
Wow.
Now that's comforting. Clearly, this guy totally understands Guitar Hero, and his enthusiasm for the games really comes through. I don't know about you, but I am incredibly relieved. I was afraid that Activision/Red Octane would trot out some suit with an MBA in wooden to give a totally sterile interview about the future of the franchise.
Thank goodness that didn't happen.
Believe me, sir, we're just as excited about the "music and rhythm-based videogame genre" as you are. I, for one, also appreciate that you're interested in "vastly enriching the consumer experience," because when I play Guitar Hero, I often think about how vastly enriched I feel.
And we're also really excited about Neversoft and how they're adding "tremendous value," because they made classics like Tony Hawk and--and--and GUN. I know they dig the "core tenets." And their unprecedented success the last few years making games that get rated in the mid 70's to low 80's makes me very confident. I know they'll "take it up another notch," even "take it to the next level." I know they have to take it one step at a time, though, because Rome wasn't built in a day. But if they keep their nose to the grindstone, they can knock it out of the park, and laugh all the way to the bank.
Oh, and thanks for acknowledging what Harmonix has "done" for the Guitar Hero franchise. It's just great that they had an idea, and designed a game, and developed it, and it "aligned with your vision." Talk about impactful corporate synergy!
So as I play Laid to Rest on Expert for the hundredth time or so, even as the crowd boos me off the stage, I rest easy knowing that the game I love is in great hands.
Oh, and just remember--if you guys f*@$ this up, we're all going to bring our plastic toy guitars and get all impactful and stuff on your asses.
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