RedOctane Games Rises from the Ashes with a New Rhythm Game in the Works for 2025
A legendary name in rhythm gaming is making a comeback. RedOctane Games has officially been formed by a team of industry veterans and former developers behind Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, and the new CRKD guitar line. This spiritual successor to RedOctane Inc. has entered full production on its first rhythm-based title, which is set to be revealed later in 2025.
The original RedOctane was instrumental in launching the Guitar Hero franchise alongside Harmonix back in 2005. It also co-developed Guitar Hero II before being acquired by Activision in 2006 for $100 million. Under Activision, RedOctane partnered with Neversoft to deliver Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero World Tour. However, by 2010, the studio was shuttered during a sweeping round of layoffs, putting an end to one of the most iconic names in the genre until now.
RedOctane Games, the newly established studio, is led by Simon Ebejer, a longtime contributor to Guitar Hero from the Neversoft days and most recently Vice President of Operations on Diablo IV at Blizzard. He’s joined by original RedOctane Inc. founders Charles Huang and Kai Huang, who are back as part of the studio’s special advisory board. The announcement on X emphasizes the team's deep roots in rhythm gaming history and their renewed mission to reinvent the genre.
The current team comprises not only legacy developers but also rising talent and active community leaders. The studio is promising to develop “a range of innovative rhythm-based experiences,” signaling a bold step beyond nostalgia. While details remain under wraps, RedOctane Games has clarified this won’t be a Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Rock Band, or Guitar Freaks clone.
“This game won’t be Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, Guitar Freaks or Rockband. This is something new,” reads the studio’s blog post by Lee Guinchard. “A rhythm game built with love, by people who care, with the community at its core in this fast-changing modern world we live in. We firmly believe the expert here is the community and a new generation of development talent, the folks that have kept the lights on these last few years.”
In a statement filled with passion and vision, Ebejer shared, “Rhythm games are about more than just gameplay, they're about feel, flow, and connection to the music and to each other. RedOctane Games is our way of giving back to a genre that means so much to us, while pushing it forward in new and exciting directions.”
The press release makes it clear: this is not a rehash, but an evolution “the next chapter” in rhythm gaming. Whether this new experience will revive the fervor of living room jam sessions or take rhythm gameplay in a radically new direction, RedOctane’s return is already drawing attention across the gaming world.
The reveal is scheduled for later in 2025. Until then, rhythm game enthusiasts can only wait and wonder what this next-gen beat-driven experience might look like.
Are you ready to welcome RedOctane back into your living room? What do you want to see from the new rhythm game?
