It doesn’t seem like that long ago that rhythm games were the hottest must-play titles in gaming. With games likeRock BandandGuitar Heroat the very top, it seemed like rhythm gaming was here to stay. Unfortunately, both major franchises stoppedaround the same time withRock Band 4andGuitar Hero Livein 2015 with seemingly no hope for future iterations of either series. It’s really a shame as the two franchises played a major part in shaping a lot of younger gaming fans' taste in music and now that they’re gone, seemingly for good, there’s not much in the gaming space to take their place.
It’s been over five years since a new entry in either franchise, so it seems like now is the time forRock BandandGuitar Heroto make a comeback. AlthoughRock Band 4andGuitar Hero Livewere meant to shake up both series and breathe fresh life into them, they didn’t have the impact that was intended as both games reported relatively low sales numbers. It seems as if both titles tried to shake things up too soon after following the status quo for so long, but now that it’s been over half a decade, it seems like now, more than ever, new entries would go over well with fans of the series.
RELATED:5 Ways Fuser Is Better Than Rock Band 4 (And 5 Ways Rock Band 4 Is Still The Best Rhythm Game)
The 2020s Are Perfect for Rock Band and Guitar Hero
Now that 2021 is beginning to draw to a close, the current gaming landscape is pretty clear. The focus of most AAA studios is on the live service model andcouch co-op only lives on in titles likeIt Takes TwoorMario Party Superstars. While that focus on live service isn’t bad inherently, it’s a shame that party games are something of a dying breed. Titles like theJackbox Partygames as well asAmong Ushave proven over the last year that the genre doesn’t need to die out if new games are to take it in a new direction. IfRock BandorGuitar Herowere to come back, they could bring players together once more to enjoy a dying genre and hopefully, breathe new life into it.
As the pandemic still seems like it’s going to continue for the foreseeable future, music fans are looking for a safe way to enjoy concerts without the risk of getting sick.Rock BandandGuitar Heromight be able to help scratch that concert itch as vaccinated people are able to safely get together in groups to enjoy a night of music and gaming. AlthoughRock Band 4is compatible with the newest generation of consoles, finding new sets of its instruments locally isn’t particularly easy, so a new iteration of the game would be far more convenient.
What’s more, there has been plenty of excellent music that’s released since 2015 that would make perfect featured tracks for a newRock BandorGuitar Hero. WhileRock Band 4is continuing to add music to its library, the issue of accessibility to its controllers is still a major issue. By doing a new version of the games with plenty of new featured tracks,Rock BandandGuitarHeromight be able to once again capture the attention of music fans. There are certainly more issues with each series to address, however, it just seems like the 2020s are going to be a major turning point in gaming and bothRock BandandGuitar Herocould be a part of that if they were to get new, exciting entries that pushed the definition of rhythm gaming further than ever before.
Rock Band 4is out now for PS4 and Xbox One.
MORE:Streamer Plays Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War With Rock Band Guitar Controller
