Sony to offer 'full support' for DJ Max Fever
The odds of DJ Max Fever becoming a runaway success are slim. In spite of an obvious uphill battle, Michael Yum and the rest of the PM Studios gang are trying their best to get the Korean music game to the hardcore masses of PSP owners. The upcoming US version of the notoriously difficult music game won't get a gimped localized soundtrack, which will certain lessen its mainstream appeal. "We pretty much knew we were going exclusively for the hardcore gamers," Yum told The Escapist.
However, Yum notes that their best bet comes with the hardcore market. "In the US, active PSP owners are the hardcore gamers. There aren't many casual-oriented PSP titles, you know? We didn't think we were going to attract the casual audiences the first time anyway."
Thankfully, there's some hope for DJ Max Fever, as Sony has offered the team their "full support" in promoting the game. "Just earlier this week, Sony offered us full support for the title. They want to push specific games that they see as key titles ... They also want to put our game on the billboards and in the commercials, so yeah, hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of DJ Max Fever with Sony backing it up." While PSP Fanboy readers are most likely familiar with the game, Yum and the rest of the DJ Max team will need all the help they can get -- Sony's vote of confidence doesn't guarantee them success, but it certainly evens the odds just a litlte bit.
However, Yum notes that their best bet comes with the hardcore market. "In the US, active PSP owners are the hardcore gamers. There aren't many casual-oriented PSP titles, you know? We didn't think we were going to attract the casual audiences the first time anyway."
Thankfully, there's some hope for DJ Max Fever, as Sony has offered the team their "full support" in promoting the game. "Just earlier this week, Sony offered us full support for the title. They want to push specific games that they see as key titles ... They also want to put our game on the billboards and in the commercials, so yeah, hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more of DJ Max Fever with Sony backing it up." While PSP Fanboy readers are most likely familiar with the game, Yum and the rest of the DJ Max team will need all the help they can get -- Sony's vote of confidence doesn't guarantee them success, but it certainly evens the odds just a litlte bit.










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeremy @ Dec 10th 2008 1:31AM
One very interesting bit from the interview.
"Oh, they have, but the retailers are just wary of PlayStation Portable software. It's not that Sony is not promoting the PSP enough, it's actually the retailers. The Nintendo DS has had a huge boom and they're still riding it, so retailers aren't giving anybody else a chance and are cutting down on PSP"
Hashbrown Hunter @ Dec 10th 2008 4:42AM
Interesting excerpt. Is that just his opinion though? Or is that the partial truth or what? I don't know what reasons to believe in anymore, but all I know is that the PSP is in dire need of help right now and any signs of hope are ones I'll gratefully take.
atastysammich @ Dec 10th 2008 1:44AM
Oh boy! I sure hope the DJ Max Fever commercial is a continuation of the adventures of that annoying guy who goes around and bugs people with PSPs!
Yan @ Dec 10th 2008 1:58AM
this is what they should do to get people hooked on this american made dj max or whatever; license songs people know and love. most people would want rap for those gangster people into rap or get techno for them techno guys, etc
Shoyz @ Dec 10th 2008 6:09AM
I'm fine with Un-Localized Songs if it means No rap.
ducttapeBigSexy @ Dec 10th 2008 9:11AM
IMO, localized music rhythm games is what has destroyed the genre here in the states. Instead of seeing more awesome titles like Bust a Groove and Space Channel 5, instead we get more plastic guitars and subpar music games.
I'm dead serious on this - this game is the tipping point for me getting a PSP. If they took out all the awesome K-Pop and replaced it with Hanna Montana or some garbage, there'd be no way I'd even think about it. But, this news just makes me want a PSP and this game even more!
Yan @ Dec 10th 2008 1:52PM
they can keep the korean music and add more. no need to add hanna montana but music people really like.
1337stra @ Dec 10th 2008 3:04AM
Keep the difficulty, please?
cafecito @ Dec 10th 2008 2:02PM
The game's difficulty is pretty annoying for us non-hardcore of the genre. They can keep the difficulty if they want, but add an easier one for us :)
Kai Wong @ Dec 10th 2008 9:57AM
@ Yan, NO. You want to know the last Asian rhythm game that did that? DDR in general, Beatmania in specific. Cheesy as the songs in DDR 1st-Supernova, they drew in a significantly bigger crowd than the sh***y knockoffs with "pop favorites". Can you imagine hearing "Soulja Boy" on a crappy video game a few years after you've grown sick of it and wanting to play it?
Mainstream music changes too damn fast, and very few people want to hear old crappy mainstream songs after they've been played to death. If you're going to bring up Rock Band/GH, look at two things:
1. It's an American company, working with American music
2. Those songs have had a couple of decades away from mainstream music.
GoBob @ Dec 10th 2008 9:56AM
Too bad there will be no promotion of this game or if they do, it will be really shitty and the consumer will have no idea what the crap Sony is pushing. See the annoying guy campaign mentioned above.
When sales are poor due to piss-poor marketing, we can blame piracy. Hurray!
Christopher @ Dec 10th 2008 9:58AM
"Sony to offer 'full support' for DJ Max Fever"
What ever that means...
I'm tired of parsing Sony's corporate speak. "Full support" could mean anything.
Dr. Strangepork @ Dec 10th 2008 10:18AM
Stop it
mr.electic @ Dec 10th 2008 10:19AM
@Kai Wong
I second that comment. Mainstream on DJ MAX will SUCK and kill the game really bad. That's what DJ MAX is: it's music. I never get tired of the music that you play every time.
I say GO SONY! DJ MAX!
Kai Wong @ Dec 11th 2008 2:21AM
For those of you that are complaining about difficulty, I REALLY wish that they'd announce if they're going to use Clazziquai Edition's new button modes. One of them is 2 Button, which should be easy enough for very beginners. If they do, then they'd have the full spectrum covered (2B, 4B, 4BFX, 5B, 6B, 8B) :)
Warner Young @ Dec 10th 2008 3:59PM
Unfortunately, although I agree they shouldn't localize the song selection, I also didn't really care for a lot of the K-pop in the game, either. I wish there was a version of this game either with a lot of the J-pop that I like, or there was some clever way to allow you to use your own songs (in some similar way to the game Audiosurf on the PC).