Some of the people behind the iconic Guitar Hero games are reuniting to make a new rhythm game.
The original Guitar Hero was released in 2005. The hit game was developed by RedOctane, a company who specialised in unique video game controllers, and music video game developers Harmonix. The rhythm game was so popular, Activision reportedly spent $100million to acquire the franchise alongside RedOctane. A number of sequels, spin-offs and mobile versions were 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.
However, veteran developers have now revived the RedOctane studio and have announced a new rhythm game. “We’ve got a team. A real one. We’ll grow it as we need to. But this project, this game is not just for the fans. It’s by the fans, and with the fans from day one,” they explained in a blog post titled ‘A Genre Worth Fighting For – Our Return To Music Rhythm Games’.
“This game won’t be Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Guitar Freaks or Rockband. This is something new,” the announcement continued. “A rhythm game built with love, by people who care, with the community at its core in this fast-changing modern world we live in. We firmly believe the expert here is the community and a new generation of development talent, the folks that have kept the lights on these last few years.”
The project will be led by Simon Ebejer, who worked as production director on various Guitar Hero titles while RedOctane’s original founders Charles and Kai Huang will oversee the development.
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According to their website, the new version of RedOctane was founded by “veterans, developers, and passionate players from across the rhythm gaming scene” and the studio’s mission is “to bring rhythm gaming back with more power, more precision, and a deeper connection than ever before.”
“We’re not just making games, we’re creating connected rhythm experiences that unite cutting-edge controllers, genre-defining titles, and a thriving community, all moving to the same beat. From day one, this is a journey we take together. The next great rhythm game is in the works. Let’s make history,” they added. Release details are still to be announced.
Fortnite launched its own rhythm game in 2023 with Fortnite Festivalbut the spin-off hasn’t reached the same popularity as the main game. Speaking to IGN earlier this year, Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney said: “Music has done extraordinarily well in Fortnite, but ironically, not so much in music games, more just in Battle Royale and elsewhere. Our next step is to figure out music at a large scale.”
In other news, it seems that Eminem is OK with being known as “that guy from Fortnite” after being heckled by a fan.
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