Activision, the giant publisher of the upcoming "DJ Hero" game, claims that the backers of competing game "Scratch: The Ultimate DJ" have sued them only to distract attention from financial troubles. Read more...

The lawsuit, analyzed by gaming website Gamasutra, details months of drama. Read more...

Hip-hop site URB noticed a DJHero.com banner at last week's SXSW event and started piecing together clues about an intriguing music game that's now got an official website. Read more...

Champion turntablist Mix Master Mike told us how he's bringing authenticity to "Scratch: The Ultimate DJ." Read more...

Once "Guitar Freaks" and "Guitar Hero" established the basic interface for music sims, there was a natural extension to bass and drums, but one reason hip-hop games haven't caught on, a "Scratch: The Ultimate DJ" designer told me, is because hip-hop doesn't naturally lend itself to gameplay. Read more...

Up until now, "DJ Hero" has been only a rumor, but in an interview with CNBC, Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick confirmed "DJ Hero," calling it a is a real project scheduled to be released later this year. Read more...

No one has challenged Konami's "Beatmania" turntable gaming series yet, but we could have two contenders in 2009 with "Scratch: The Ultimate DJ" and the rumored "DJ Hero" from Activision. We asked the creative lead on "Scratch" what he learned from Konami and his thoughts on a DJ "Guitar Hero." Read more...

As more details on Activision Blizzard's "DJ Hero" trickle out, people are beginning to respond to the "Guitar Hero" publisher's new venture.

MTV Multiplayer reached out to Jimmy "DJ Wiij" Lesondak, who mashes music using a set of Wiimotes connected to a laptop, about his thoughts on "DJ Hero."

We last wrote about Lesondak after stumbling upon one of his Wii-mashed concerts in San Francisco earlier this year.

While Lesondak is reserving judgment until he can see the game for himself, he did outline what kind of game he would make, if he were in charge of "DJ Hero." His version would make use of his existing Wiij setup, negating a new peripheral.

"In my game it would be a little more mixing DJ than scratching DJ, though you could scratch in it. You would play the roll of a start up dj that works his way through playing gigs and buying records. At the gigs they would have a mixing console with 2 decks. Part of the game is getting things to beatmatch right, mixing at the best times, adding effects at the best spots, etc. The score would be kept by the AI crowd. You would have to judge how the crowd was reacting to the type of music you were playing and pick your music accordingly from there."

Would you play Lesondak's version of "DJ Hero," readers?

Related Posts
Source: Activision’s ‘DJ Hero’ Was A Vivendi Game, Now A ‘Licensing Nightmare’
Direct From SF: A DJ Mixes, Mashes With Wiimotes

Get ready to add another plastic instrument to your collection with Activision Blizzard's "DJ Hero."

I've just filed a story at MTVNews.com that confirms and amplifies details featured in Kotaku's Friday report on "DJ Hero," and brings a few new ones to the table.

We now know that "DJ Hero" was in development under publisher Vivendi before they merged with Activision to become Activision Blizzard. The now-called "DJ Hero" was one of the few unannounced projects that the new mega-publisher decided to hold on to.

There's also word that the mash-up gameplay mechanics are proving a problem.

For more, make sure to read my complete story at MTVNews.com:

'Guitar Hero' Publisher Working On 'DJ Hero,' Source Confirms To MTV News

***

Have a hot tip? Is there a topic that Multiplayer should be covering and isn't? Know more about this "DJ Hero" project? Drop me an e-mail.