Just a few short years ago, as you’re sure to know, rhythm based games rulled the airwaves. However, after seeing an influx of different releases (from Guitar Hero, in particular) the market was overwhelmed and the buzz quickly died off – not before the Guitar Hero franchise made it all the way to Guitar Hero 5, that is.

Well, here we are almost 5 year’s after the original Guitar Hero’s November 8th, 2005 release and the hype has died down so much that Activision has announced their plans to completely shutter the franchise and their staff that develops it. This, quite obviously, means that there won’t be any more Guitar Hero games in the pipeline marking the end of an era.

Make note that despite featuring similar gameplay, Guitar Hero is not associated with Rock Band therefore the latter will live on.

via arstechnica

Just a few years ago rhythm based games were all the rage with titles like Guitar Hero and Rock Band ruling the airwaves. However after countless renditions of the former, the hype surrounding these two franchises have died off. In fact, they’ve died down so much that Viacom has actually sold off Harmonix along with the Rock Band franchise. Well, now that Harmonix is sold off, what is to come of MTV Games, one of the publishers behind Rock Band?

Well, according to recent reports, MTV Games has all but shut down. According to MCV, MTV Games has already closed its international office with only a few financial staff members remaining at the New York City office.

Is this to be believed? We aren’t sure quite yet but if it’s true expect an announcement quite soon.

Ever since the original Guitar Hero hit store shelves the brand has pretty much become a household name. However, most likely due to a surplus of titles, the brand has seen a steady sales decline. Well, you probably already know that RedOctane was the game’s original publisher until Activision decided to buy them out along with the Guitar Hero brand. And, it was most likely Activisions fault for there been so many Guitar Hero titles in such a short period of time.

Anyways, due to the decline in sales and their need to slow down releases, Activision has decided to shut down RedOctane for good.

Of course, Guitar Hero fans will still be able to pick up new titles, just not as many and RedOctane will have no part in it.

via destructoid

Now a days, Guitar Hero is pretty much a household name, if you find a home console with some kids in the house chances are a plastic guitar won’t be far. And, if you’ve followed the franchise you’ll know that the peripherals are manufactured by Red Octane but that wasn’t always so. In the beginning MadCatz was signed on to do the deed before pulling out.

What’s even worse, MadCatz actually paid $300,000 to get out of the contract only to go on and see the series generate millions of dollars worth of revenue.

Oh well, at least they have a million different FightSticks coming out, right?

via joystiq

If you are fed up with your stock Wii Guitar Hero controllers Logitech has an offering for you — What you see above is Logitech’s Wireless Guitar Controller for Wii that will hit retailers in October for $199. This controller reportedly has a maple neck, metal frets and a rosewood fingerboard, making for a true to the art experience.

Additionally, there is also the Logitech Wireless Drum Controller for Wii that will also ship in October for $229. This controller apparently uses hardware similar to that found in professional digital drum sets so the quality is just as high as the above mentioned guitar controller.

Either way, you’re still getting the same gameplay value from these controllers as you are from the controllers that ship with the game. But, if you have to have the best, these are up there.

via destructoid

It seems that our buds over at Joystiq recently found themselves shopping at Target only to find a rack featuring nothing other than video game underwear. As you can see there’s Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Halo and more.

Although, the worst part about this is that there are no video game underwear made specifically for women. What gives?

It seems that the guys over at Destructoid got their hands on the official box art for Activision’s upcoming DJ Hero.

The above art will evidentally find its way onto the cover of the DJ Hero + turntable controller bundle. Other than that, there’s not much we don’t know; 94 originial mixes including Jay-Z, Daft Punk, 50 Cent, etc.

However, if you notice in the bottom right hand corner the Guitar Hero logo is prominentaly displayed, but why? Well, most likely because Activision wants buyers to know that the game is from the same makers of the much more popular Guitar Hero franchise.

There’s a seemingly endless list of possibilites that Microsoft’s Project Natal could be used for but it seems that the developer behind PaRappa the Rapper, Masaya Matsuura, sees immense potential in one such possibility: music.

Mr. Matsurra was recently quoted to have said, “We are thinking about ideas, I think any kind of interaction will be good for music games, but the important thing will be how can we find the new breed of gameplay.”

Don’t go thinking this will be just another Guitar Hero/Rock Band rip off as Matsurra feels that genre of gameplay is covered quite well, “There is other attractive music, so pleas try to find another style, another interation, another gameplay with another type of music.”

What could Matsuura and NanoOn-Sha be cookin’ up? Only time will tell. Then again, it looks like PaRappa and Chop Chop Master Onion are playing a motion-controlled game in the above screen shot. Could there be a connectoin?

If you’ve been shaking your fists at Activision for not providing you with enough punk songs in Guitar Hero: World Tour, you’re in luck. It was recently announced that a pack called the Epitaph Punk-O-Rama Track Pack has been added to both Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.

Below is what you will get for 440 Microsoft Points or $5.49:

• “21st Century Digital Boy” by Bad Religion ($1.99 PSN / 200 Wii Points)
• “Linoleum” by NOFX ($1.99 PSN / 200 Wii Points)
• “Ruby Soho” by Rancid ($1.99 PSN / 200 Wii Points)

We first heard about the Wireless Xbox 360 Microphone back in the beginning of April when Microsoft unveiled some new Lips DLC.

Well, it seems that Microsoft has again set their sights on the wireless mic as they have said the peripheral, which is compatible with Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Lips, and even Disney Sign It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year, will ship to retail this fall.

The Wireless Microphone is expected to cost $49.99. Hey, you didn’t think a Microsoft developed product would be cheap, did you?

Read (Ripten)