Looks like Activision will have some competition in the turntablism music niche - Scratch: Ultimate DJ is a new contender from 7 Studios, produced with the help of Quincy Jones III (not that one, his son - still good, though).

"Scratch will feature original recordings from the catalogs of many top urban artists and will allow players to re-imagine songs on the fly and add their own creativity," says Jones, "This feature sets it apart from other music rhythm games and makes it a dream come true for both casual music fans and serious DJs/producers."

If you were wondering how the 'scrolling fret' interface from all those other games might be translated into a more turntabulous mode, the answer seems to be.. exactly the same but with a picture of a deck next to it. Nice cel-shading, though.

Full press release after the bump...

GENIUS PRODUCTS AND GENCO INTERACTIVE PARTNER WITH
7 STUDIOS AND QUINCY JONES III (QD3) TO LAUNCH
NEW HIP HOP VIDEO GAME
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ
Fast Paced Rhythm Game Features Realistic
DJ Turntable-Style Controller From Numark

SANTA MONICA, Calif.- October 7, 2008 - Genius Products, Inc. (OTCBB: GNPI) announced that Genius Products, LLC and Genco Interactive, the gaming subsidiary of Genco Media, entered into a new partnership with 7 Studios and QD3 to develop and release a new hip-hop video game: Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. Developed by 7 Studios with creative input from music legend Quincy Jones III, CEO and chief creative officer of QD3 Entertainment and music producer for top artists Tupac Shakur, LL Cool J and Ice Cube, among others, Scratch combines free-form DJ tricks with great rhythm game-play. Scheduled to arrive in stores next spring, Scratch is set in distinctive urban environments and features songs from the biggest names in Hip Hop.

Featuring game-play similar to top-selling rhythm games, Scratch players use a realistic turn-table controller, the Scratch Deck, created by Numark, the world's largest manufacturer of DJ equipment, to manipulate music tracks in real-time. Players can choose from a diverse array of DJ personalities to make their way from garage DJ to scratch-master of the hottest nightclubs.

Scratch will be available on multiple next generation game systems.

"We are thrilled to be teaming with 7 Studios and Quincy Jones III to release a cutting-edge game that captures the vital energy of hip-hop culture", said Trevor Drinkwater, President and CEO of Genius Products. "We're confident that Scratch will take interactive music gaming to the next level and excite a large and relatively untapped fan base."

"With the recent success of music-driven videogames and the dominance of urban culture in the youth market, the potential for Scratch is endless," said Quincy Jones III, CEO and chief creative officer of QD3 Entertainment. "Having spent 20 years as a music producer for artists such as Tupac, LL, and Ice Cube, it is rewarding to work with 7 Studios, Genius and Genco to ensure that there is authenticity in every detail of this game.

"Scratch will feature original recordings from the catalogs of many top urban artists and will allow players to re-imagine songs on the fly and add their own creativity," he added. "This feature sets it apart from other music rhythm games and makes it a dream come true for both casual music fans and serious DJs/producers."

"Genco is focused on providing content creators the means to fund the development of a range of entertainment related products, including video games," said Alan Quasha, President of Quadrant Management and Chairman of Genco Media. "Scratch presents a great opportunity to work with some of the most talented people in the Hip Hop music industry and bring an exciting new game to market."