Guitar Hero…The TV Series?

As Activision Blizzard looks to turn its gaming franchises into still more cash, rumors appear of a possible Guitar Hero reality TV series...or concert tour.

Think you’ve got what it takes to make it as a rock star, but American Idol won’t let you through the door? Well, if you’ve got Guitar Hero chops, you might just have a shot at your 15 minutes of fame: in an interview before Activision announced its earnings from the first quarter of 2009, CEO Bobby Kotick noted the Guitar Hero franchise “might make for a good TV show or a good concert tour,” and sources in the entertainment industry indicate discussions are underway about turning the franchise into a reality TV show. The idea could have some legs in Hollywood, particularly since social gaming titles like Guitar Hero are increasingly consuming time that people used to spend watching TV or movies.

Talks are also underway about turning Activision-Blizzard franchises Call of Duty and World of Warcraft into big-screen movies, though no plans have been firmed up.

Activision-Blizzard’s numbers for the first quarter of 2009 were impressive, with the company’s revenue tripling to $981 million and net income climbing to $198 million. Those numbers are substantially higher than the $43 million the company pulled in during the same quarter of 2008, although the comparison isn’t particularly relevant since the company merged with Vivendi Games last year. Activision also completed its acquisition of Blizzard in mid-2008, which significantly changed the company’s financial picture: World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King was the top PC game in the U.S. for the quarter, in terms of revenue.