Will Guitar Hero Make a Triumphant Return on Xbox Series X?

Guitar Hero is one of the most iconic game franchises of all time. Harmonix and Red Octane initially came up with the concept of repurposing the dance mat style of gameplay for music fans, and it was an unprecedented hit. Since Guitar Hero in 2005, there have been six other games in the main series. Two of these were released quickly after the first. There have also been numerous expansions, spinoffs, and related games. However, the series went into hiatus in 2015, and there is no sign that it is set to return. Can gamers dream of a new release on the Xbox Series X?

Franchise Went Into Hiatus in 2015

After being an ever-present game across multiple generations of consoles for a decade, the Guitar Hero franchise went into hiatus in 2015 after the release of Guitar Hero Live. The game was lauded for its reinvention of the series, as it provided players with an immersive experience that made them feel as though they were playing on stage. However, due to it failing to sell as well as Activision had hoped, the publisher laid off half of the developers from the studio that created it, FreeStyleGames.

There had been plans for other instalments in the series after Guitar Hero Live, as this game was supposed to act as a soft reboot. It was due to take the franchise in a new direction, with a greater focus on live stage shows. Many loyal fans will have been disappointed that this never came to fruition, and they could still be holding out hope that there will be a new game on the current Xbox.

Still a Huge Market for Rock Games

There are quite a few games that have taken direct inspiration from Guitar Hero and are still attracting a lot of players. On mobile, there are countless rock games including Rock Hero, Rock Band, and Queen: Rock Tour – The Official Rhythm Game. Some other popular rock games over the years include Rock n’ Roll Racing and Amplitude. With all these rock games on the market and thriving, it would be safe to assume that a Guitar Hero return after more than five years would be welcomed by a huge audience.

Ubisoft Could Bring it Back

When Activision let go of most of the workforce of its in-house studio, FreeStyleGames, Ubisoft acquired the studio. Later, Activision closed down the servers on GHTV meaning that players could no longer play online. This suggests that the publishing company will no longer be involved with any future Guitar Hero products, and it could pave the way for Ubisoft to continue with the franchise.

Up to now, Ubisoft has made a couple of Guitar Hero-like games called Rocksmith and Rocksmith 2014. These games use a more realistic guitar, and can be used as a learning tool for people who want to master the instrument. However, the skill level required to enjoy them may be a bit too high for a large proportion of the Guitar Hero crowd. For this reason, the world-renowned publishing company may still opt to resurrect the Guitar Hero franchise.