For a generation of gamers, Guitar Hero holds a special place in their hearts. For anyone who could only play air guitar to their favorite songs, being able to perform those songs on one of the game’s instrument controllers certainly provided a unique thrill. It certainly ranks as one of the all time great rhythm games.
Now comes Stage Tour,a spiritual successor toGuitar Hero. The Beat has a preview of a special one shot comic being offered at San Diego Comic Con 2026 and some of the songs that will be available to play!
RedOctane Games, a leading development studio in rhythm music gaming, unveiled today a host of Stage Tour announcements, following their recent debut at IGN Live 2026. Inspired by the energy of live performance, music culture, and the community that continues to fuel the genre, Stage Tour is set to reignite the rhythm game genre when it launches later this year.
Headlining the announcement is an exclusive partnership with Dark Horse Comics, bringing the world of Stage Tour to comics for the first time through a special one-shot issue debuting at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. Expanding the lore of the Stage Tour universe, the comic offers fans a new way to experience the bandmates that help shape the world behind the game, featuring cover art by Kim Hu (Rollerdrome, Killtopia: Nano Jams), script by Zoe Tunnell (Blade Maidens, Godzilla: Valentine’s Day Special), art by Liana Kangas (Know Your Station, TRVE KVLT), colors by Diana Sousa (Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures), and lettering by Comicraft’s Tyler Smith (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories, Conan the Barbarian).
The limited-edition comic will be available exclusively to SDCC attendees while supplies last and will also be included as a free bonus collectible with future Stage Tourhardware bundle pre-orders.
“Stage Tour is about bringing people together through the shared experience and love of music,” said Jack Guinchard, Head of Marketing and Brand at RedOctane Games. “Partnering with Dark Horse Comics allows us to expand the world of Stage Tourbeyond the game itself, giving fans a fresh new way to connect with its bandmates through something exclusive that they can discover, collect, and share.”
RedOctane Games also confirmed today that Stage Tour is confirmed for release on PlayStation®5, XBOX Series X|S, Nintendo® Switch™2, and PC. Steam wishlists are available now, with PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X|S wishlists and pre-orders to follow.
Experience Stage Tour at SDCC
Attendees visiting San Diego Comic-Con will have the opportunity to experience Stage Tourfor themselves, heading over to Booth #2834 to be one of the first to go hands-on with the latest closed alpha build, playable on custom-built arcade cabinets developed in partnership with Paradox Arcades.
The playable demo will feature a selection of previously announced songs, while showcasing the latest gameplay refinements shaped by feedback from IGN Live attendees and the growing community of closed alpha testers.
In addition to the game, attendees will be among the first to experience the official Kramer Guitar Controller for Stage Tour. Pre-production demo units of the officially licensed controller-featuring the classic design of Kramer guitars-will be available throughout the event, giving fans an exclusive early look at the hardware ahead of its planned release and securing their own controller for themselves ahead of launch.
Fans can also pick up the exclusive Stage Tour comic at both the Stage Tourbooth (#2834) and the Dark Horse Comics booth (#2615) while supplies last.
Explore an Expanded Soundtrack
Since its reveal earlier this year, Stage Tourhas continued to unveil songs from its officially licensed soundtrack, bringing the total number of confirmed tracks to sixteen.
The currently announced lineup includes:
• “RATATATA” — BABYMETAL & Electric Callboy
• “Get The Funk Out” — Extreme
• “Square Hammer” — Ghost
• “Mimi’s Delivery Service” — Good Kid
• “Dani California” — Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “Terminator Oscillator” — Static-X
• “Island In The Sun” — Weezer
• “Bite Me” — Avril Lavigne
• “Airhead” — Honey Revenge
• “For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic” — Paramore
• “The Unknowing” — Jfarrari
• “Jane!” — The Long Faces
• “Do Me Like That” — The Paradox
• “Siren” — Castle Rat
• “Broken Dreams Inc.” — Rise Against
• “Psychosocial” — Slipknot
Spanning rock, metal, alternative, pop-punk, and emerging artists, the soundtrack reflects Stage Tour’s mission to celebrate multiple generations of music fans while introducing players to both iconic favorites and exciting new discoveries.
The sixteen songs revealed so far represent a small preview of the soundtrack planned for launch. Fans can expect additional song reveals, gameplay updates, and major announcements throughout the summer as Stage Tourbuilds toward pre-orders and its release later this year.
Built for the Stage
Built around the fantasy of forming a band and becoming a rockstar, Stage Tourcombines classic 5-fret rhythm gameplay with modern progression, customization, and replayability. Players can form a band, take the stage on guitar, bass, drums, or vocals using a compatible guitar controller, drum kit controller, microphone, standard gamepad, or keyboard, and jump into a variety of game modes designed to get them rocking from the very first note.
Developed by a team that includes veteran creators from Guitar Hero® and DJ Hero®, alongside respected members of the rhythm gaming community, Stage Tour is built with a simple goal: to bring rhythm gaming back to the living room for a new generation of players. Whether reliving the golden era of rhythm games or discovering the genre for the first time, players can form a band, hit the stage, and go on tour together through a modern rhythm game built around the universal language of music.
Backed by a multi-year partnership with Gibson®-the iconic and leading global instrument brand, Stage Tour features officially licensed Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer instruments, bringing some of the most iconic names in music directly into the Stage Tourexperience.
Stage Tour is currently in development for PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, with a planned release for Holiday 2026. Additional announcements, including the official release date, pre-orders, soundtrack reveals, and community initiatives, will be shared throughout the coming months.
Fans can wishlist Stage Touron Steam today and follow along as RedOctane Games continues revealing new music, gameplay, hardware, and partnerships on the road to launch.
Stay tuned to The Beat for more news from SDCC ’26.
