# RedOctane Games Returns, Hinting at a ‘Guitar Hero‘ Revival
RedOctane Games – the company behind Guitar Hero – is back. well, sort of – Embracer Freemode, which has been much more about layoffs than new IPs these last 18 months, has relaunched the studio, which initially closed in 2010, and hopes to make rhythm gaming the next old-new thing.
For those who connected the dots, it’s probably one of the more minor shocks of recent weeks. Fans of the genre have been well aware for months that another Embracer Freemode company, peripheral manufacturer CRKD, recently and somewhat incongruously announced a Gibson Les paul controller as the latest addition to its line-up. Until then, CRKD was much more customary wiht its products, including its retro-style NEO S pad and the Atom Mini controller.
The Gibson Les Paul controller, though, signaled a shift. It’s a premium piece of kit, and a clear indication that CRKD is aiming for a more sophisticated audience than the retro-focused crowd it had previously targeted.The re-emergence of RedOctane Games, then, feels less like a coincidence and more like a carefully orchestrated plan to revive a beloved franchise.