Accoring to EEDR research analyst Jesse Divinch, Guitar Hero will continue to win the sales war in the music genre, even though competitor Rock Band is releasing an unprecedented set focused completely on the Beatles.
The analyst projects [The Beatles: Rock Band] the game will sell at least 1.7 million copies this year, fewer than half the 4 million-plus he estimates for Activision Blizzard Inc.’s Guitar Hero 5, which comes out on Sept. 1. Activision, based in Santa Monica, California, said on Aug. 5 that Guitar Hero had 53 percent of the music category in North America and Europe.
Overall, though, the music genre has hit its peak, according to Divinch.
The genre has peaked, Divnich said in an interview. This genre has seen explosive growth over the past two years, so it would be wrong to assume that would continue.
According to the most recent NPD numbers, the music genre of games is dropping even more than the overall market, showing a 14 percent decline from this time last year. And a big name like The Beatles may not be enough to make kids take notice again. From the Bloomberg article {link no longer active}:
“I’m totally going to buy it, but I don’t think it s going to be big with those who aren’t as into the Beatles,” said Ken Ball, the co-owner of Game Over!, operator of three stores in Florida and Georgia. “Teenage kids and preteens are the audience that they are trying to appeal to, and the Beatles just aren t as recognizable a band to them. “
Does this mean a Flo Rida Rock Band would actually outsell THE @!^*#$# BEATLES
Sigh.
