Activision files to trademark 'Dance Hero'

Now, it appears Activision may be readying its own rival to one of Konami's bread-and-butter rhythm franchises, Dance Dance Revolution. This week, the Activision Blizzard subsidiary filed an application to trademark the name "Dance Hero" with the US Patent and Trademark Office. If granted, the trademark would give Activision rights to the name for "computer game software," "interactive video game programs," "computer game discs," "downloadable computer game software," and other related categories.

Though Activision reps had not responded to requests for clarification as of press time, the very name Dance Hero evokes images of a title along the lines of DDR or EA's more recent Boogie. However, just because Activision has registered the name, doesn't mean a game is definitely in the offing. In January 2007, Activision trademarked "Guitar Villain" and "Drum Villain", with no sign of a game bearing either handle having yet surfaced. This past February, it locked down rights to the title "DJ Hero" without announcing a new product, although rumors of a turntable-based mash-up game bearing the name are beginning to bubble up.