Music genre isn't saturated, says Guitar Hero CEO

Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Activision's Guitar Hero business, has said that the market for music games isn't saturated – and there's still 80 per cent of console owners the company can sell music games to.

Speaking to CNBC, Rosenweig also shrugged off competing products from MTV's Rock Band franchise, saying that the Guitar Hero brand comes out top in the market.

"I don't think it's saturated," said Rosenweig. "If you actually look at the number of consoles that are out there on a global basis, less than 20 per cent actually have a music game. So there's 80 per cent that we have the opportunity to go after."

As Guitar Hero 5 outsells The Beatles: Rock Band in the UK, Rosensweig said that he was happy to go head-to-head with other publishers if it means expanding the market.

"The category for entertainment dollars has always been competitive. I'm happy that more people are in the music category and expanding the category because any time we have an opportunity to compete we come out the winner," he offered.

And with the forthcoming releases of DJ Hero and Band Hero, he denied Activision is swamping the market with product.

"It's not really blanketing the market, it's just acknowledging the size and the opportunity within the music category," he said. "We actually think we're giving the industry what it wants."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...uitar-hero-ceo