The iconic plastic guitar controllers of the mid-2000s are poised for a major comeback, as a new studio formed by original Guitar Hero creators has announced a spiritual successor to the beloved franchise.
Echo Foundry's New Rhythm Game
The new title, named Sound System, is in development at Echo Foundry Interactive, a studio founded by Marcus Henderson and Lennon Lange. Henderson was the lead guitarist on the original Guitar Hero games, while Lange worked as a producer on that series and its spin-offs like Band Hero and DJ Hero.
The game is scheduled to launch on PC via Steam in the summer of 2026, with versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch to follow. From its announcement trailer, Sound System appears to faithfully recreate the classic Guitar Hero formula, promising a curated setlist of songs, regular content updates, and tools for players to create and share their own music.
A New Controller and Legacy Support
The announcement coincides with the reveal of a new hardware peripheral: the InfinaKore Telecaster Edition Guitar Controller from company Drakong. This new plastic guitar will be compatible with both Sound System and Fortnite Festival, Epic Games' rhythm title developed by original Guitar Hero studio Harmonix.
Critically for fans who may still have old gear gathering dust, the Sound System trailer also mentions support for 'classic peripherals.' This strongly suggests that legacy Guitar Hero and Rock Band controllers could work with the new game, potentially saving players from needing to purchase new hardware.
The Rise, Fall, and Niche Revival
The concept of bespoke instrument-shaped controllers, popularised by Guitar Hero and Rock Band, was a mass-market phenomenon in the late 2000s before market oversaturation led to its decline. The entire rhythm game genre fell out of favour in the 2010s and has not seen a mainstream return, despite Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard sparking hopes of a Guitar Hero revival.
Instead, the revival has come from other corners. Epic Games enlisted Harmonix for Fortnite Festival, and now Echo Foundry is entering the fray. This indicates a sustained, if niche, market for the plastic guitar experience. Elsewhere, Ubisoft's Rocksmith franchise continues, albeit as a tuition tool for real guitars, having evolved into the Rocksmith+ subscription service in 2022.
The launch of Sound System and its dedicated controller demonstrates that the desire to strum along to music with a plastic fretboard remains alive. While it may never again reach the dizzying heights of its 2000s peak, a new generation of players, alongside nostalgic veterans, will soon have a fresh way to rock out from their living rooms.
