Activision has announced that Guitar Hero is set to make a comeback, with Guitar Hero Live placing players in the shoes of a rockstar and tasking them with performing in front of real-life audiences.
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The dramatic tonal shift for the series, which previously featured computer-generated audiences, has also inspired a big change to the its iconic guitar peripheral. Whereas the buttons on the series’ previous controllers ran in a line along the top of the guitar’s neck, the new controller features six buttons that are parallel to each other, representing a big change in the way the game will be played.
This has impacted the control scheme for the entire game, with Activision hoping that it will make it more accessible for younger players given that all of the buttons are located at the top of the neck, while still offering a great challenge to veterans of the series, as the more difficult songs now require the player’s hand to move in more directions than a simple straight line.
Guitar Hero Live takes place within a massive music festival, with you assuming the role of one of its star performers. When you pick up the guitar controller you’ll be transported in front of a live crowd, standing alongside your bandmates while admiring your audience in a first-person view. Considering that many simply ignored Guitar Hero‘s visuals outside of the guitar neck situated in the center of the screen, this isn’t an incredibly important change for the series, but it is one that Activision hopes will improve the atmospherics of the game. If nothing else, it’ll give those watching you play something else to stare at other than the notes flying towards you.
Interestingly, along with releasing on PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U, the game will also be fully compatible with tablets and smartphones, with players able to either play it using their device’s screen or their TV.
With a tentative release window of fall 2015, Activision has confirmed that the game will retail for $99.99 including one controller, though there’s no word on how much each controller will cost when sold separately.
