Activision snaps up RedOctane

By Ellie Gibson Published 9 May, 2006

Guitar Hero to go next-gen?

Activision has acquired RedOctane, the publisher best known for bringing recently released and completely brilliant (as Kristan and Tom would agree) Guitar Hero to PS2.

They haven't revealed how much cash has changed hands, but we do know that RedOctane will continue to operate out of its offices in Sunnyvale, California, with the management team and "key employees" staying on.

Guitar Hero, for those who don't know, comes complete with a guitar-shaped controller and lets you rock out to more than 30 music tracks. The sequel, which is due to go on show at E3 this week, will feature an even bigger and quite possibly better selection of songs, plus some other stuff they'll only hint at so far.

The question is, are we likely to see a Guitar Hero game on next-gen consoles any time soon? Around, say, November, perhaps? Well, quite possibly, judging by comments from Activision bigwig Ron Doornink. He reckons there are "many potential extensions and new platform exploitations" to be had, adding: "We think the online capabilities of the next-generation platforms offer new and well differentiated opportunities to create additional revenues from downloadable music, which today represents one of the most popular downloadable content categories."

In other words, we might just see an online service which lets you buy and download Guitar Hero tracks as and when you please - much like the 'SingStore' that players of SingStar PS3 will be able to access, as Phil Harrison informed us at Sony's pre-E3 press conference.

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About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (5) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Tejstar #1 6 years ago

    "In other words, we might just see an online service which lets you buy and download Guitar Hero tracks as and when you please"

    ... yes please!

  • trav #2 6 years ago

    Next gen is all well and good.

    But how you gonna connect your guitar to a PS3 without control pad ports?!?!

  • groovychainsaw #3 6 years ago

    wireless adapter? plug your cable into a transmitter. But to be honest, they'll probably make you buy the guitar all over again - they usually do...

  • PinkSpider #4 6 years ago

    Downloadable songs would be ace, one a week/ fortnight or so for as much as a track on itunes (if they have to charge) would improve longevity like a million percent.

  • CordableTuna #5 6 years ago

    I just played GH for 4 hours basking in its magnificense. Finally beat the medium level with 5 stars.

    And now I feel like crying. Activision will remove all bands with any kind of edge. I don't think a song called Cowboys from Hell will make it to the next one. Or a band called Black Sabbath. Or anything that could possibly offend anyone anywhere. Instead, they'll go after the young impressionable people with their zany taste in music. To them, this is a good time to bring the fresh IP to mainstream. They'll look at MTV top 10 and license those. Remember what EA did to Burnout?

    Hmm, wonder if the Hello Kitty Fender will make an appearance. That would actually be cool.