Like the theme park and city genres before it. Indie developers are looking to rejuvenate the 5 Fret Rhythm game genre.
Two studios popped up late last fall, boasting being comprised of talent that worked on previous Rockband and Guitar hero games. The games: Sound System and Stage Tour. Neither of them showing anything of substance early on. Both boasting Fall 26 releases.
Over the last several months Stage Tour has pushed tons of information including new guitar controllers and a 90 song setlist with master tracks and console releases! Sound System announced 3 indie artists and boasts an in game song track editor.
Stage tour will play more like Rockband and Guitar hero games. Sound system will look more like Clone Hero. Stage tour will be 40 dollars for the game, Sound system will be 30. Stage Tour Instruments will set you back 120 to 280 dollars (pending on bundle). You can use your own instruments if you have them with either game.
Sound system is now being pushed as a platform for smaller artists to get noticed . I think they have abandoned any hope for known licensed artists. They hint you can upload any song you like and make your own tracks but you can’t share them within game.
Understanding Clone Hero, YARG and many Guitar Hero mods allow you do the same right now for free. YARG constantly highlights new small artists in their game.
Do you see any value in this model ? Paying for a PC only game where you actively look for new bands you never heard of ?
To me it sounds like sound system will be dead on arrival.
Author Note: Red Octane Games(Stage Tour) is owned by Embracer Group. They are by no means small but still no EA or Activision.
https://youtu.be/xU-qK6FyUoM?is=BY0fjbsu3eC6tSCC
https://youtu.be/L1CkciMhjAM?is=rNGoKWg8TmZqgopw
Curious your thoughts …
I've tried the version of this type of game without the separated master tracks, and it results in a worse gameplay experience, so customs won't do a lot of good for me. The big thing with Stage Tour is that this is the first time one of these came to PC since the terrible port of Guitar Hero 3, but it's a chicken and egg sort of situation where the soundtrack I'd like needs to be there, and that will probably only come with time allowing them to build and sell a lot of DLC so I can pick what I want. I think it's a difficult road ahead of them.
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