Guitar Hero Comeback? Meet Stage Tour

If I had to pick a moment when rock music became passé, it was when the Guitar Hero game peaked in 2008. By 2009 the game and the genre had run out of steam and it’s been all downhill from there. Rock really never died like the game, and if anything, the genre is even growing a little again. That’s probably why RedOctane, Guitar Hero’s original publisher, has announced a comeback title: Stage Tour.

RedOctane started as a game controller company before it became a software developer, but this rock band-based game is on-screen for now, although the company says it has plans for a controller bundle in the future.

That makes sense for something in the ‘rhythm gaming’ genre, and probably where the big money is made.

One of the things that was unique about Guitar Hero was how bands fell all over themselves trying to get a song in the game. After all, it was a rather large, yet unexpected revenue source. No word on where the music is coming from this time, but it may not even have to be popular to do the job. That said, the trailer (below) features a Static-X song that has fans of the band already excited about the game.

RedOctane has also developed a partnership with Gibson, Epiphone, Mesa Boogie, and Kramer and incorporates those brands directly into Stage Tour. That makes one wonder whether they’ll have a hand in creating the inevitable controller if the game is a hit as well.

That’s about all we know at this time. There’s a little more on the official website and a one minute trailer, but that’s it.

One interesting thing is that RedOctane also made a ‘wish list’ available in order to get fan input while the game is in development.

The company says that State Tour will be out in the fall as a digital download for PC and game console.