RedOctane Unveils Stage Tour Rhythm Game

RedOctane Games, a studio reformed by veterans of the original Guitar Hero development team, has unveiled Stage Tour, a new rhythm-action video game positioned as a spiritual successor to the iconic franchise. The announcement, made during IGN Fan Fest, highlights a return to plastic-instrument gameplay with modern enhancements, targeting a holiday 2026 release across multiple platforms including PC.

The original Guitar Hero debuted in 2005, developed by RedOctane in collaboration with Harmonix Music Systems. It quickly became a cultural phenomenon, using guitar-shaped controllers to let players simulate performing rock tracks by hitting timed notes on a scrolling "highway." The series spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, generating over $1 billion in revenue at its peak with titles like 2007's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Activision acquired RedOctane for $100 million in 2006, but the studio closed in 2010 amid market saturation from competing rhythm games like Rock Band. The franchise went on hiatus after the underperforming 2015 release of Guitar Hero Live, leaving fans to turn to community projects such as Clone Hero.

Last summer, former RedOctane team members...