Guitar Hero Devs Announce New Rhythm Game

It has been over a decade since the last Guitar Hero game, and while the rhythm genre has enjoyed a resurgence of late with the likes of Beat Saber and Fortnite Festival, nothing has captured the spirit of jamming out on plastic instruments like RedOctane and Harmonix's crowning jewel.

Yet even with a clear thirst for the five-note highway, there's no sign of Guitar Hero... aside from an AI mobile game. Thankfully, the band is getting back together, as veteran devs re-opened RedOctane after ten long years in 2025 with the goal of "bringing rhythm gaming back," and as reported by VGC, the team has finally released a trailer for its spiritual successor — Stage Tour.

Stage Tour Aims To Be A "Long-Term Platform Created In Conjunction With The Community"

Much like with the studio's defining modern classic, Stage Tour is a rhythm game where you turn your bedroom into a Metallica concert through tailor-made instrument peripherals, AKA controllers that look like guitars, microphones, and drums, all of which will be familiar to anyone who dabbled in Guitar Hero back in the 2010s.

And, as with Guitar Hero, you can play Stage Tour with your friends and family, assigning each member of the band not only the role of Lead, Groove, Drums, or Vocal, but a look that fits your crew's aesthetic. "Chase the top score by unlocking unique bandmates, each with their own look, attitude, and stage presence," the trailer's description reads. "Choose from multiple variants to match your band’s personality."

The real hook to a rhythm game like this, of course, is mastering each track, acing every note and racing for the highest score. Stage Tour will encourage that competitive spirit wholeheartedly with "legendary rewards" and "exclusive content" earned by completing challenges and rising through the ranks.

Stage Tour guitar over a smoky background.

Aside from the typical Guitar Hero experience that you'd expect from RedOctane, the studio also promises "new features and gamemodes, dozens of bandmates and instruments to fit your unique style, a deep competitive spine, and an extensive roadmap of seasonal content and live events," expanding on its roots.

Stage Tour is our love letter to rhythm gaming. We want Stage Tour to feel familiar and authentic, but also fresh, utilizing modern technology to connect gamers with the music they love and enjoying a platform that evolves and grows over time — studio head Simon Ebejer.

Stage Tour will launch later this year in the holiday season, with a closed alpha to precede in the summer, pulling from an "experienced group of community fans from the rhythm gaming community."