- 5 years after the last update to the music game franchise appeared, Activision's (ATVI -0.4%) FreeStyleGames studio is launching a new Guitar Hero title on major consoles and iOS/Android this fall, replete with a new controller (i.e. plastic guitar) and multiplayer modes.
- Initial reactions from testers of the game, known as Guitar Hero Live, have been positive. The shift to a first-person view (on a virtual concert stage) receives high marks, as does the fact the new controller (features 6 fret buttons instead of 5) doesn't require using a pinky finger.
- Also: It looks as if Activision won't be requiring users to buy new titles to get more content. Instead, they can play songs over music videos through a free online service called Guitar Hero TV.
- The Guitar Hero franchise has produced over 25M unit sales over its lifetime, yielding retail revenue of $2B.