RedOctane unveils Stage Tour, a Guitar Hero spiritual successor for Fall 2026
It might be time for long-time fans of the Guitar Hero franchise to dust off their old plastic SG, Les Paul, GH, and Mayflash controllers because the veterans behind the classic Guitar Hero series banded together last August to form RedOctane Studios. In less than a year, RedOctane has announced its spiritual successor to Guitar Hero, dubbed Stage Tour, scheduled for release in the fall of 2026.
Stage Tour is positioning itself as the next definitive revolution in the rhythm game genre by incorporating the best aspects of the Guitar Hero series and adding new features. However, we will have to wait and see how things pan out once Stage Tour releases.
RedOctane announced Stage Tour during IGN Fan Fest 2026, showcasing a reveal trailer with customizable band members and the nostalgic five-fret note highway that fans are familiar with.
From what we know so far, Stage Tour isn’t going to be a one-off title that will dwindle once the hype dies down. Instead, RedOctane has promised that Stage Tour will serve as a platform that receives updates over time, making the most of community feedback and extending the game’s lifespan.
The best part about Stage Tour is that it will also support standard controllers and traditional keyboards for those who aren’t interested in the upcoming Gibson Kramer guitar bundle. Furthermore, RedOctane has managed to secure a multi-year partnership with guitar and audio instrument manufacturer Gibson to recreate authentic controllers of Gibson’s, Epiphone’s, and Kramer’s lineup of instruments.
In an official statement, the head of RedOctane Games, Simon Ebejer, announced, “Stage Tour is our love letter to rhythm gaming. We want Stage Tour to feel familiar and authentic, but also fresh, utilizing modern technology to connect gamers with the music they love and to provide a platform that evolves over time.”
“With new instruments and deep charting systems, we’re raising the bar on what we believe a rhythm game can be, while also catering to those who wish to simply enjoy a casual experience and have a good time.”
Currently, Stage Tour’s development is running smoothly, with RedOctane confirming a PC release via Steam. However, console releases for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch have not yet been confirmed.
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