Activision: Guitar Hero Not Finished, 'On Hiatus' For Now

Activision has clarified its stance on the Guitar Hero series, stating that the franchise has not been dissolved, but is simply "on hiatus". Earlier this year, the business unit for the music series was disbanded, with Activision citing declines in the music genre and a desire to focus on higher-margin opportunities in the online space as the cause. The refocusing also saw approximately 500 employees laid off from the company. Activision noted in a statement, "These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world's best interactive entertainment experiences." In an interview with GI.biz [registration required], Activision VP of developer relations and acquisitions Dan Winters has now explained that the publisher is not planning on ending the franchise just yet. "Actually, just to clarify, we're just putting Guitar Hero on hiatus, we're not ending it," he said. "We're releasing products out of the vault - we'll continue to sustain the channel, the brand won't go away. We're just not making a new one for next year, that's all." Industry analysts had their say about the supposed closure earlier in the year, with Eric Handler of MKM Partners stating, "It had a great run, but it also had a steep fall and the customer demand just isn't there. That money can be spent on something that has better returns. I don't disagree with the decision."