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Reader Discussion: Do You Still Play Music Games?
Well, according to Activision's recent execution of the DJ and Guitar Hero brands, the answer to that question is no. And then there are the Harmonix layoffs and Viacom ditching the company all together. The music game genre has gone beyond turbulent times, and appears to be in a full-on nosedive. So what role have your gaming habits played in the rise and fall of music games?
I'll never forget the first time I got my hands on Guitar Hero at a friend's house. This guy never played games seriously, but everyone was gathered around the TV holding Fisher Price-looking instruments and wearing huge grins. One of my favorite songs, Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," was blaring through the TV speakers, and that's when I noticed that the folks holding the guitar controllers were making the song happen. After I got my hands on it, and didn't let go of the controller until I finally bested Ozzy's "Bark at the Moon."
I spent the following years playing almost every iteration of Guitar Hero. I loved the challenge and sense of accomplishment that came with completing an entire game on expert difficulty mode. The games even branched out my musical tastes, helping me fall in love with bands like Lamb of God and The Police. Being the metal head I am, Guitar Hero: Metallica was the apex of the music game life cycle for me. It's the game I wanted since playing the game for the first time, and I loved every second. I dabbled with Rock Band, drums, and the eventual keyboard peripheral, but nothing every resurrected the initial appreciation I had for the genre. I just... got over it. I started devoting my time to other games, and folks stopped busting it out at parties.
So that's my story. I don't go out of my way to play music games, and nobody I know aside a couple devoted Game Informer Editors actively plays them. What about you? Do you still play them? What's your music gaming past like? Do you share a similar path as me? Are you still going strong? Or did you skip the whole scene altogether?
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