Stage Tour has confirmed when its instrument controllers will begin shipping, although some fans placing new pre-orders may have to wait until after launch to get their hands on the hardware. RedOctane Games’ announcement comes as Stage Tour prepares to revive the full-band rhythm gaming experience that made Guitar Hero and Rock Band household names nearly two decades ago.
Developed by a team that includes veterans of Guitar Hero‘s peak era, Stage Tour hopes to bring back a genre that largely disappeared from the mainstream during the 2010s. Plastic instruments were once practically synonymous with gaming, with Guitar Hero and Rock Band turning living rooms into makeshift concert venues before an oversaturation of yearly releases, expensive peripherals, and declining sales ended the boom. However, projects like Clone Hero and YARG have kept the community alive, with demand for working instruments persisting long after their original manufacturers moved on. Now, RedOctane Games is preparing to release an entirely new set of controllers alongside its upcoming rhythm game.
Stage Tour Confirms December Shipping Dates for Pre-Orders
RedOctane confirmed that Stage Tour hardware pre-orders are expected to begin shipping between December 1 and December 10, although those dates represent when orders leave the warehouse rather than when customers will receive them. Delivery could take another two to 10 business days depending on location. However, demand for drum kits and drum-containing band bundles has already exhausted the initial shipping allocation, meaning new orders for those products are now expected to ship between December 11 and December 31. Otherwise, game and guitar bundles will remain available within the original window, while previously placed orders will also retain their assigned estimates. RedOctane emphasized that there are “no manufacturing issues driving these changes,” attributing the later window to unexpectedly strong demand instead.
That demand is particularly interesting considering the state of rhythm gaming hardware. Original Rock Band and Guitar Hero instruments have become increasingly difficult to find in good condition, with aging components, missing wireless receivers, and compatibility problems making older controllers a real headache for some players. Even those who have kept their instruments for years aren’t necessarily guaranteed an easy way to use them on modern hardware. RedOctane’s decision to manufacture new guitars and drums therefore addresses a problem that has existed for much of the past decade and is likely a major contributor to the high demand.
Fortunately, players won’t necessarily need to purchase new instruments to enjoy Stage Tour. The game supports a wide range of existing controllers, including more than 50 guitar models and 20 drum kits on PC, plus dedicated gamepad and keyboard modes that eliminate the need for specialized hardware. This could help the game reach players interested in rhythm gaming but not ready to spend hundreds of dollars assembling a full band. One limitation remains for Nintendo Switch 2 owners, though, as the company’s new drum kits won’t be compatible with the platform at launch, but the team hopes to update fans with more information soon.
RedOctane also has ambitious plans for keeping Stage Tour alive well beyond its December 10 release. The game will launch with more than 90 licensed songs, which is more than Guitar Hero 2 even had, and the studio intends to introduce four major content expansions annually, along with additional song packs and individual track purchases. Rather than relying on short-lived promotional windows, RedOctane wants all music tracks to remain available throughout the entire licensing period, which typically lasts around ten years. New gameplay features will also be delivered through free updates, potentially helping Stage Tour avoid the relentless sequel cycle that contributed to the genre’s original decline. More music announcements are coming on November 4, but enthusiasm for the hardware suggests plenty of rhythm gaming fans are already eager to return to the stage.
- Released
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December 10, 2026
- Developer(s)
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RedOctane Games
- Publisher(s)
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RedOctane Games
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op, Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Number of Players
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1+ players
