The rumors and speculation were true, as Activision today officially revealed Guitar Hero Live, the newest installment of its rhythm-based music game.
Officially titled Guitar Hero Live, Activision and developer FreeStyleGames are looking to "re-ignite your dreams of becoming a rock star." The game offers two new modes to rock out to: GH Live, a first-person point of view mode where you are up on stage and performing in a real band, and GHTV, the world's first playable live music video network.
"A quantum leap forward in immersion and realism, GH Live is a live-action experience that delivers the full emotional roller coaster of being on stage and performing in a real band, in front of real crowds, who dynamically react in real-time to how well or poorly you play," the description for GH Live reads. "As the lead guitarist, you play an array of songs that span the changing musical landscape, in a variety of venues, from the smallest club stage in front of a hundred people, to the massive main stage of an outdoor festival in front of a hundred thousand people."
GHTV, meanwhile, is a 24-hour mode that lets you play along to a continually-updated collection of official music videos that span a wide variety of genres. "Fans can pick from multiple channels and themed shows, discovering new songs as they play, and can also choose songs to play on-demand," Activision promises. "GHTV is a living, breathing platform that serves as an ever-growing source for new music discovery while further bringing the party atmosphere back to the living room." This mode also allows you to play with friends in the same room and against players from around the world.
The real kicker, however, is the change in gameplay as Guitar Hero Live introduces a redesigned guitar controller featuring two rows of three buttons "that better reflects the way people naturally play."
"The new format ensures fun for players of all abilities. For beginners, you can feel like a rock star by mastering play with just the bottom three buttons. Medium-level players don't have to stretch their fingers down the neck of the guitar controller anymore and can instead skillfully play two-row combinations that mimic real chords. Experienced players have a new challenge in creating complex chord-like shapes and finger combinations that will bring new thrills to veterans. This simple innovation makes it easier for beginners to play and harder for veterans to master," Activision says of the change.
Guitar Hero Live is set to release in Fall 2015 on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, and "select mobile devices" that will be announced soon. It's priced at $99.99.
