Acti: gamers still "love" Guitar Hero

Defunct music franchise Guitar Hero lacked the necessary care and attention needed from Activision to keep the series fresh, the publisher has admitted.

But Guitar Hero may still be re-animated at a later date - Activision exec Thomas Tippl believes the brand is still "loved" by consumers.

"If we come back, and when we come back, with a reinvented Guitar Hero experience, I think all of that will have to be taken into account," Tippl told Gamasutra. "Clearly, consumers still have a lot of love for the brand."

Activision killed off the once-lucrative Guitar Hero series after the dismal performance of last year's Warriors of Rock.

"Guitar Hero probably didn't receive the amount of nurturing and care that it needed to maintain that position," Tippl explained.

"There were a number of elements to the franchise, as well as our relationship with the providers of the music, that didn't make it conducive to make the digital transition," he added.

Rival series Rock Band is also in the doldrums. There will be no Rock Band 4 this year, after dire sales of 10/10 Rock Band 3.