Neversoft to develop Guitar Hero sequel
by Jared Rea 
{ Jan 17th 2007 at 8:05AM }
Activision looks to be taking full advantage of the Red Octane acquisition as Neversoft is gearing up to take on the illustrious Guitar Hero franchise. While there was a small blurb in the latest issue of EGM concerning this very arrangement, Neversoft has updated their website tonight in hopes of bringing some new talent to the board specifically to rock. GameDaily seems confident that Neversoft will take over the franchise beginning with Guitar Hero III, but this is only one possibility. Other current Guitar Hero rumors (again, perpetuating from EGM) include an 80's version of the series to see release this year, which Neversoft could be working on, leaving the brand name sequels to Harmonix.
And where does this leave Harmonix? While one would assume they'll still be involved with the series, they could very well be off starting up a new franchise, or perhaps working on one of those rumored Amplitude sequels. Regardless, they've laid out the foundation for an extremely popular and established series. Hopefully this changing of the guard will be more like a Sammy Hagar and less like a Gary Cherone.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bassbeast @ Jan 17th 2007 8:27AM
The problem with the notion of an Amplitude sequel is that both FreQuency and Amplitude just didn't sell. I know that Harmonix has a couple of really neat concepts up their sleeves at the moment (one of which is very likely to see the light of day now), but I don't think that an Amplitude sequel is in the cards. Sorry to burst bubbles.
Gamegirl @ Jan 17th 2007 8:39AM
Great, with Guitar Hero 3, the series will start to suck. For some reason companies seem to think that just buying the IP will be good enough and that the people that create it aren't really the reason it's so good. This happens constantly. It took Harmonix a while to get to the point they're at with music games, dumping Guitar Hero on Neversoft as their first attempt doesn't bode well.
Oobgarm @ Jan 17th 2007 8:48AM
Agreed with #1. I loved both FreQuency and Amplitude, and would welcome a sequel with open arms, but the fact is that standard controller-based rhythm games don't 'catch on' here outside the core audience. Dance Dance and Guitar Hero have proved that additional interaction is needed to pull in more casual/non-casual folks. The core gamers alone won't make a title successful. If harmonix is willing to take a shot, though, I'm behind them 100%.
As far as Neversoft taking the reigns for GH, I'm a bit apprehensive. I think that the comparison to Van Halen is a valid one. You've got your Diamond Dave fans and your Hagar fans, but rarely do you find a fan that like the latter as much as the former.
I believe that more songs and less tweaking of the core mechanic will be the most successful formula.
Evan @ Jan 17th 2007 9:14AM
Many good series have been killed by passing them on to other developers.
32_Footsteps @ Jan 17th 2007 9:30AM
Someone needs to remind Activision why this is a bad idea. How about someone send them two games - Earthworm Jim 2, which was developed by the original developer, Shiny, and EWJ3D, which was developed by Rockstar. If that doesn't convince them why the original developer should stay with a franchise, nothing will.
Martez @ Jan 17th 2007 9:54AM
I don't like the idea of the guys at Harmonix not behind the wheel of the Guitar Hero series.
On the other hand, Neversoft is no slouch. In fact, it's almost fitting. Tony Hawk was a huge success because, like GH, the developers loved skating and skate culture. This enabled them to make a game that was fun to people that loved skateboarding and those who didn't. Just like how Guitar Hero is creating new music/guitar nuts every day. Neversoft has similar level of commitment and the philosophy of immersing yourself in what you're working on. The GH formula is almost perfect, and perfecting it wouldn't even require major changes. And even still, pretty much everyone would be happy with the same engine (perhaps updated graphics) with new songs. That doesn't take a whole lot of work. I don't think they'd screw it up.
Unless they pick crap songs.
Adam @ Jan 17th 2007 10:14AM
I hope Neversoft doesn't add walking to this one.
SLiFE @ Jan 17th 2007 10:29AM
Dude, I am so not cool with this.
Why fix what isn't broken?
glitched @ Jan 17th 2007 10:42AM
Think burnout! we can only hope at least! Burnout was a good game, with tons of potential, when EA took it over, the potential was realized, granted we are now bombarded with yearly versions, but they HAVE improved the formula.
Speaking of wich, this is how I viewed the motorstorm demo, reminded me of the first burnout, tons of potential that could possibly be fleshed out in future versions./end OT rant.
Anonymous @ Jan 17th 2007 4:33PM
9 makes a good point, but this just makes me ask the question: Why do bad things happen to good franchises? First MTV, now this.
SteveP @ Jan 17th 2007 10:52AM
The bell tolls for thee, guitar hero.
steve @ Jan 17th 2007 11:11AM
Harmonix was acquired by MTV, so expect some MTV-branded versions. Like, "MTV Headbanger's Ball" or something.
Assman @ Jan 17th 2007 11:13AM
Burnout 2 was the best in the series. It just got more fat laden and dumbed down when EA took the reins.
It turned from being a lean, risk equals reward game to a game started to be run by a committee to please the lowest demominator. EA also took out Burnouts fricken signature Burnout meter for a less skillful, on demand boost!! In fact the next Burnout game should be called Burnout: More Explosions.
Sometimes games are like little cogs and when they all fit, they work effortfully and beautiful. When you start making unneccesary changes, the whole thing starts to chug, crash and all falls apart.
I don't think Neversoft will do well. Keep in mind that all the bonus songs were from the development teams own bands, and they have got rhythm down to a tea aswell as a real love of the game.
We'll probably see 5-Note Indy-to-Boneless Star Power combos playing to Kevin Federline now...
Jason @ Jan 17th 2007 12:32PM
More like a Sammy Hagar and less like a Gary Cherone? Could we avoid being anything like Van Halen at all? Otherwise we'll end up with one person who's got real talent (Eddie Van Halen/the original creators of guitar hero) and a bunch of hangers on (Everyone else in Van Halen/Neversoft + Harmonix). The result for Van Halen was a bunch of mediocre songs with awesome guitar solos, I fear a mediocre result for Guitar Hero III as well. I'm still holding out hope it will be all Eddie Van Halen.
stick_man @ Jan 17th 2007 12:08PM
Other than Tony Hawk 1-2 the series is garbage. When I think of souless skateboarding posers I think of neversoft. Now when I think of trite insipid neo-punk/grunge teeny bopper rock I'll think of Neversoft... and sadly Guitar Hero. Too bad it really was a great ground breaking rythem based game. Please if anyone in the industry trolls this let neversoft know that they suck. Please let Guitar Hero go the way of Pantera and not Metali-suck.
Kenadian @ Jan 17th 2007 1:16PM
Two perfect examples of publishers passing off a series to another developer is Splinter Cell:DA for Xbox360 (not the xbox version) and Call Of Duty 3. Both those games were good, but I was expecting alot more... Espically with Spliner Cell:DA for Xbox 360 as it is the lowest scored Splinter Cell game. Thank goodness that the new Splinter Cell is going back to UbiSoft: Montreal.
I dont like this move that Activision is pulling. Harmonix has something good going here. Dont fix something when its not broken, just because Neversoft has nothing to do. (Have a look at the developers page, they have nothing new annouced since Project 8) I am not looking forward to playing cKY songs on my Guitar Hero guitar.
GoonieGooGoo @ Jan 17th 2007 4:28PM
Ah well...once we heard the Guitar Hero license was being acquired....we all knew HARMONIX was probably moving onto other things. That what that company is like....why should they work on creating endless clones...when that is Activision's job now?
A new AMPLITUDE......with proper online multiplayer ala XBL would be great....
Given I absolutely loved FREQUENCY = one of those completely out of the blue amazing games you took a chance on but had heard nothing about....(Also One of the best complete videogame soundtracks since WIPEOUT XL)...
cverse @ Jan 17th 2007 2:35PM
I'm extremely skeptical about GH3 going to Neversoft. Neversoft has exactly 0 experience developing a rhythym game, and you know Activision will want to push it out the door for this upcoming holiday season, as they always do. GH3 will sell just based on name recognition alone, because a lot of the lay-people won't even realize that the developer has changed. But there's really a good potential that the whole franchise will be ruined by this move.
Keep in mind that Activision bought Red Octane, who only owned the name "Guitar Hero" and I believe the guitar controller rights. Other than that, Harmonix owns all the code used for the first two Guitar Hero games. What does this mean? It means that Neversoft will have to first rewrite everything, from scratch, the entire original game, then and only then will they be able to add any new features. And this is completely different from the "rebuilt from the ground up" THP8, which was still based a great deal on legacy code.
So rewriting everything + a short publisher-mandated timeline + 0 experience with rhythym games = recipe for disaster.
Kuuma @ Jan 17th 2007 3:35PM
WHAT. Nononono.
Havent you guys played those Tony Hawk games?! Like any of them?!
What we can expect:
Crappy story line
Crappy gameplay mechanics
Crappy online play
Well done sound track
Crappy create-a-character
Crappy create-a-move
Crappy create-a-guitar
Crappy create-your-own-crappy-tabs
Crappy extra features that let you do pointless things like driving cars and talking to Jesse James.
And ofcorse, walking around.
Thanks, Neversoft
pooky @ Jan 17th 2007 3:41PM
Exactly! Activision doesn't own Harmonix. It's all about money. That's all the gaming industry is to the giants. Activision's corporate motto "We make games that sell."
They say nothing in there about them having to be good or fun. Activision is all about licensing and franchising and playing it safe. They sell to the casual gamer. When an IP comes along for them they get scared. They killed the great potential that was Dead Rush because the mother brain said nobody will buy a survival horror/zombie game. Oh hi there Dead Rising. Be sure to look out for Tony Hawk 23: Tony's Extreme Wheelchair Adventure.
obo @ Jan 17th 2007 5:19PM
"will be more like a Sammy Hagar"
Oh god, first Van Hagar, now Guitar Hagar.
SAMMY HAGAR, LEAVE MY STUFF ALONE
GhaleonQ @ Jan 18th 2007 2:57PM
I think that there a few people here who really nailed the issue. Neversoft can use the extra cash to license more songs of questionable quality (see: Guitar Heroes 1 and 2) while copying or tweaking the basic gameplay. Activision, however, is going to doom them to rushed production, which is what will truly sabotage the 3rd game in the series.
Abscissa @ Jan 20th 2007 11:11AM
I'd rather a Frequency 2 than an Amplitude 2.
spartansjase @ Jan 25th 2007 12:06PM
Hearing all this really makes sad. The first GH and the second were very cool. But as the second one came out, you could notice various changes, but for the better. Hammer ons and Pull offs were alot easier in the second one compared to the first GH. But, hearing that the third will be made by Neversoft makes me think, why?
Guitar Hero was the first of its kind to go out on a limb and have success. But to milk this success from all that its worth is complete BS. I don't know about everyone else, but reguardless of who makes the game, I will still buy it. Which is exactly what fits into Neversofts plan. As many people above have already said, all this is about is money. The people who are going to suffer are us. Neversoft doesn't care if the game is enjoyable or fun. They just want more money. But to wrap this up, I just don't think that it will match the success and enjoyability as the first two did. Harmonix, I only have two words for you: Why Now??
Paradox665 @ Feb 14th 2007 5:49PM
Why do you guys think this is a bad thing? Harmonix got acquired by MTV! There's no way that if I was Activision that I would let MTV anywhere near the Guitar Hero franchise. Do you guy's want My Chemical Romance in GH3? I thought not. Activision is making the right decision.
Wayne @ Mar 13th 2007 9:33AM
So here is the deal... Neversoft isn't going to ruin the GH series. Tony Hawk had a punk and ska soundtrack because it matches the mood of a skater lifestyle, not because Neversoft is a company run by punk rock 12 year olds. They aren't going to fill the new Guitar Hero with crappy music for one obvious reason: their profit is solely dependant on the success of their games. The success of their games is dependant on the quality & diversity of songs. They will most likely take the internet polling as a guide because: if they give the people what they want, they will get high ratings, thus sell more games, hence make more money. The cause and effect of basic business.
My personal prediction is that Guitar Hero 3 will rank high above the first two because: Neversoft knows how to write sweet story lines to games that are solo-activity based. They also have a higher budget (which GH deserves) because of their success with other games. I would like to see a story mode and a character design mode... two things that were mastered in the Tony Hawk Series. I also predict that many people complaining on forums like this will be eating their words when GH3 is released.