Members of the original Guitar Hero development team have confirmed their new rhythm game Stage Tour will launch later this year.
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The original Guitar Hero was released in 2005, developed by video game peripherals company RedOctane and music video game developers Harmonix. The game was so popular, Activision reportedly spent $100million acquiring the franchise alongside RedOctane, with a number of sequels and spin-offs released in the years that followed.
In 2010, RedOctane was shut down by Activision and the Guitar Hero series was put on hiatus following the release of 2015’s Guitar Hero Live.
Last year, veteran developers revived RedOctane and confirmed they were working on a brand new game. “This game won’t be Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Guitar Freaks or Rock Band. This is something new,” they wrote in the ‘A Genre Worth Fighting For – Our Return To Music Rhythm Games’ blog.
Yesterday (February 27) RedOctance confirmed their new game Stage Tour will launch later this year.
“Stage Tour is a rhythm-action game that blends familiar, accessible note-highway gameplay with exciting modern twists. It’s poised to rekindle the flame of plastic-instrument rhythm gaming with new features and modes, diverse bandmates and instruments, competitive depth and seasonal events,” reads a description.
“We want Stage Tour to feel familiar and authentic, but also fresh, utilising modern technology to connect gamers with the music they love and enjoying a platform that evolves and grows over time,” added boss Simon Ebejer. “With new instruments and deep charting systems, we’re raising the bar on what we believe a rhythm game can be, while also catering to those wishing to simply enjoy a casual experience and have a good time.”
RedOctance confirmed the game will work with a variety of different controllers including a PC keyboard, and will feature guitar, bass, drum and vocal inputs. Details about Stage Tour’s music library haven’t been revealed yet but the trailer is soundtracked by Static-X’s ‘Terminator Oscillator’.
Stage Tour will launch “fall 2026” but a beta test is planned for summer.
In other news, Stardew Valley has announced details of a “finale” Symphony Of Seasons’ orchestral gig for later this year.
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