Activision spins DJ Hero as top new IP for 2009, despite music game slump

By the NPD Group's reckoning, 2009 saw North America's gaming industry hit by an 8 percent year-on-year decline in total revenue.  One possible reason for the slump in software sales was the underperforming music gaming genre and its pricey bundle kits.  Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter even went so far as to suggest that December 2009's unit sales figures would have been much rosier had music games been discounted entirely.  Activision on the other hand believes they've still got some hot music game property on their hands in the form of DJ Hero.  In fact, the publisher is claiming DJ Hero as the hottest new IP for 2009 in terms of sheer dollars earned.

Activision's bold boast is made amidst the fact that no versions DJ Hero made it onto the NPD's monthly top ten software sales chart for December 2009.  To be sure, the NPD top ten was largely dominated by sequels to established and proven franchises.  DJ Hero's claim to the throne for 2009's top IP is challenged by Borderlands.  Take-Two believes their action adventure is top dog for new IP released in 2009, should the criteria be unit sales.  The publisher noted that Borderlands rang in sales of around 2 million units for 2009.