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Developer Freestyle Games has said that it is not currently planning to release a new version of Guitar Hero or a new guitar controller every year.
A new entry in the series, called Guitar Hero Live, was announced just moments ago.
We recognise times have changed," creative director and studio head Jamie Jackson told Eurogamer. "It’s not our intention to put another disc out next year. And the same with the guitar. This guitar is the one we want to have for a long time.
It’s our intention that we’re going to launch this game in 2015 and with GHTV we’re going to be able to constantly give you new music really quickly. And we can see what you enjoy as well and we can respond to that. If we in the studio discover some music we think is really rad, we can give it to you as well.”
GHTV is a digital service that will offer a range of 24/7 streaming track lists that users can play, as well as a selection of on-demand content.
However, it has also been confirmed that Guitar Hero Live will not be backwardly compatible with any previous tracks owners have downloaded, nor with any old GH instruments you may have. At launch the game and controller will cost 90.
This, of course, is in stark contrast to Rock Band 4, which is also due out this year. Its developer Harmonix hopes the game will not only be compatible with previous DLC purchases but also with legacy hardware.
Note of course that not only is the Guitar Hero Live guitar designed differently to older versions (three buttons split two ways versus five vertically stacked buttons) but the tracks are also handled differently – some are presented from a first person perspective while others (such as presumably those on GHTV) offer the original music video.
"It’s not 2010 any more," Jackson added. "There are not many other games that let you use stuff you bought back then in their games now. The difference with this is, it’s completely different gameplay. So, quite simply, the DLC you bought just won’t work. The guitar is different. The way we’ve presented it is different.”
Here’s the trailer in case you missed it:
