Topic: Guitar Hero 3 to be developed by.....NEVERSOFT

[MysterD]

Neversoft to develop GH III

Breaking: Guitar Hero Development Goes to Neversoft

The rhythm-action specialists who brought us Frequency, Amplitude, Karaoke Revolution and, of course, the Guitar Hero games won't be developing the next Guitar Hero, GameDaily BIZ has learned. Instead of Harmonix, it would appear that Tony Hawk developer Neversoft now has that honor...

While rumors (stemming from EGM) circulated last week regarding a possible '80s edition of Guitar Hero, an anonymous industry source tipped off GameDaily BIZ that development on the next Guitar Hero may be switching hands from Harmonix to Neversoft, known primarily for its Tony Hawk games. [Note: We've been alerted that EGM predicted this in its February Rumor Mill section as well.]

When contacted for comment last week, Neversoft president Joel Jewett did not return our calls, while publisher RedOctane/Activision issued us the standard response that they "do not comment on rumor." Now, however, there's no denying it. The Neversoft website is literally split down the middle between Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk's Project 8, as Neversoft is apparently hiring for both franchises currently. (If for some reason the site is not working or has been changed, check out the screen grab below as evidence.)

Clicking on "Positions Available" for either game takes you to the same hiring/job listings page, and none of the positions explicitly mentions anything about Guitar Hero. And while details are scant at the moment, our source did indicate to us that the positions being filled are for Guitar Hero III.

Neversoft is undoubtedly filled with much talent, but we're not quite sure why RedOctane would give the development duties to them after Harmonix created two hugely successful games. Guitar Hero II really cranked it up to 11 with sales of more than 805 K units in December alone in the U.S. In fact, according to recent NPD data, the game was the fifth best selling game for all of 2006 with 1.3 million units sold in the U.S.

We hope to bring you more on this developing story very soon. Stay tuned!

by James Brightman

Go here to their Neversoft site to see that they are looking for designers to hire...

[ren]

They best not fuck up my game.

[Quemaqua]

They fucked up the Tony Hawk series, why would they stop there?  Idiots.  Given how good the first two games were (yeah, I finally got around to playing them at a friend's place), I see this as nothing more than a catastrophically idiotic decision.  I hope it fucks them over hard.

[ren]

No! I hope that they've learned from the past and make the most awesome guitar hero ever!

[Quemaqua]

I hope they fail and give it back to the people who deserve to make the next one.  And I think the 80's thing is going to suck hardcore, unless they're doing strictly 80's death and thrash metal.  I fucking hate the 80's.

[wizall]

I actually rather enjoyed TH2 on the PSX, but of course, in the six or seven years since then they've managed to avoid any design innovation.  I don't loathe Neversoft the way Que does, but I'm dubious.

And yeah, the 80s thing.  What?  There's some good 80s music, imo, but not the kind that belongs on a goddamn guitar game.  I like The Smiths and have for some time, but I really have no interest in playing Cemetery Gates in a video game.

But this is all a ways off.  I'm looking forward to finally playing two on the 360 (I held off just for this reason).

[TheOtherBelmont]

God fucking dammit, fucking stupid 80's nostalgia.  Fucking Neversoft better not fuck this up.

[Pugnate]

haha you guys are so passionate about this series.

[PyroMenace]

Heh, yea, it made me laugh too. I've never touched a GH game nor any rhythm game for that matter. I take that back, I played Parappa the Rapper back in the days it was released which pretty much taught me to never touch one of those games again.

[ren]

Guitar Hero games are so easy though. The mechanics are all done. They could just milk the series for years with new songs.

[wizall]

Several friends + alcohol + GH = Wicked Fun.

[TheOtherBelmont]

Something I hope they don't do is design another controller that you have to use with it, making the original one only good for the first two games.  I could easily see another company trying to do this to get more money, its just me being pessimistic but yeah it wouldn't fucking surprise me one bit.

[sirean_syan]

Funny, they get one suprise success (you know the game did way better than they expected it to) and now they're going to milk it dry. Good for them... or something.