E3 2009

Activision today officially announced or confirmed information for a wide range of products with the Hero moniker, including Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero, DJ Hero, Guitar Hero: Van Halen, and Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits, which is known as Guitar Hero: Smash Hits in North America. The biggest news is that Guitar Hero 5 was also officially revealed, though no specific details except for the release window were mentioned.

Guitar Hero 5 is expected to follow the formula of Guitar Hero, World Tour which was released last year on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, and PC to positive reviews. It will offer an "unprecedented level of control over the way they play the game with the ability to drop in and out of songs and change band members, instruments, and difficulty levels on the fly," according to the megapublisher.

The long-rumored Band Hero was also confirmed. Instead of featuring nonrock instruments, the game will instead be an all-ages, family-friendly entry in the series, and the first game in the franchise to bear an E10+ rating from the ESRB. No details were given other than that the game will feature "top-40 hits designed to expand the appeal to a broad family audience who can play together on the guitar, drums, bass, and microphone."

The previously confirmed DJ Hero also got a mention. Swapping pubs for clubs,...