Kotick: DJ Hero coming in 2009

To be clear, DJ Hero isn't an officially announced game. Be that as it may, its confirmation is all but a formality at this point, thanks largely to outside-the-channels verification first by Guitar Hero World Tour project director Brian Bright, and now Activision Blizzard president and CEO Bobby Kotick.

Speaking with CNBC from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, Kotick said that the game is on the forefront of new innovations in user interfaces that have helped keep the gaming industry vibrant. He also confirmed long-standing rumors that DJ Hero will arrive for unspecified platforms in 2009.

"We have this product called DJ Hero coming out later this year, which is a turntable that you actually can play competitively and spin discs and mix songs," said Kotick. "So there's definitely some physical interface that is starting to have an impact on the consumer."

Kotick's comments follow on from a number of other leaks and speculation concerning the upcoming rhythm game. According to online reports, the game will integrate both a turntable-style controller and Guitar Hero guitars. The controller, which reports claim is on its sixth iteration, allegedly includes a scratch platter, three buttons for sampling, a cross fader, and a sound-effects dial.

B-Boy creator FreeStyleGames, which Activision Blizzard purchased in September, is rumored to be developing DJ Hero. At the time of FreeStyleGames' acquisition, the publisher said that the developer was at work on localized downloadable content for Guitar Hero as well as a new intellectual property in the rhythm genre.