Today we finally said the words out loud.

The name is real. The game is real. Stage Tour is real.

The trailer you saw was just a teaser. A bridge. A little nod to where we have all been, and a quiet promise about where we are going. In the coming months we will start opening the doors wider and showing you more of what we have been building.

But before all of that, I want to say something simple and honest.

We are on track; on schedule; on scope for the shape and size of the game we set out to build for launch.

The team has been heads down, deep in the weeds, building this properly. Not rushing, not chasing noise, just focused, steady, deliberate work. When we hit the holiday season, we are confident you are going to have a lot of fun with what we have in store.

When we first sat down and committed to this project, we made a promise to each other. We collectively agreed:

• Familiar, but fresh.

• Don’t reinvent the wheel, evolve the wheel in the right way.

• Fun for new and experienced players alike

We have not deviated from that goal.

The setlist is mostly complete. As we move into the summer, we will begin sharing snippets of that with you. We have reached deep into the community during this process, and I want to extend my thanks to all who have shared their desires with us throughout our early development.

Important members of this genre’s historic family have been reaching in, participating, advising, and helping shape things. That has meant a lot to us and we are about to open things up further.

This is not a one-way conversation. It never was meant to be that.

Closed alpha sign-ups are coming soon and we hope to kick off closed alpha testing late spring/early summer. Sign up for our email notifications on our site for more info when that’s available.

We will try to accommodate as many people as possible. The most important thing for us at this stage is actionable feedback from a wider pool of players. If you do not make the first closed alpha, do not worry, there will be more waves. And of course, a closed beta after that.

In recent months we have also started working with some incredible partners.

Eidos Montréal, the team behind Deus Ex and Guardians of the Galaxy, are helping us with motion capture for our massive roster of bandmates, as well as supporting QA. Watching those characters start to come to life has been special.

We have also fired up the team at Third Kind Games in the UK. Many of their developers were part of the original FreestyleGames team that created DJ Hero, and of course GHLive. For those who were there back then, you know what that means. You know what lessons could be learned. They care deeply about this genre. They understand the nuance. They understand the feel.

It has been important to us on this journey to engage with people who truly respect this space.

I have been around this industry for over 35 years. It is rare to see young developers absolutely throwing themselves into a project like this, helped and guided by experienced veterans who are not dictating, but mentoring. Respecting ideas, encouraging debate; building something together. It has been a genuine pleasure to witness.

Now, back to the trailer.

I know it probably raised more questions than it answered. That is okay, it was meant to be a story; a bridge from the old days to now. So let’s answer a few of the obvious ones.

Is this a band game?

Yes, one of the ways to play the game is playing together as a full band. You can also play solo, or with friends using any combination of instruments you like as well as using control pads as well as keyboard and mouse.

How will the game be sold?

There will be a digital download on PC and consoles. Details and pricing will come in the summer. We will absolutely offer a guitar bundle. That just feels right, that is how many of us bought these games back in the day. Most likely it will be a digital download bundle paired with the guitar rather than a physical disc. A physical edition is not totally ruled out. Perhaps a special collector's run. We will explore that to see if it’s viable.

What about the Kramer guitar?

More in the summer. But yes, that is the bundle guitar and an expansion of our great partnership with Gibson.

Drums?

Oh yes. The drum controller will likely be available before the game launches and will of course be the drum controller of choice for Stage Tour. More details on the Drum controller, features, and timing in the coming months.


Microphones?

Yes. Wired and wireless options and stage tour branded.

What about the music?

More on that very soon. But yes expect some absolute banging tunes.

Will there be a Stage Tour 2?

No. Stage Tour is not built to be replaced. It is built to evolve.

The plan is regular special events that are more than just music drops. Real moments. Real themes. Real updates. We want to evolve the game alongside the fans who support it. Improve it. Expand it. Keep it alive.

This is not about a sequel treadmill. It is about building something for the long haul.

So as we close this first chapter and open the next, the socials and community tools for Stage Tour are now live. Head over there to stay in the know with what we’ve got going on (@StageTourGame on all platforms)

Let’s see what we can build together.

We will make a few mistakes along the way. That is inevitable, we’re only human. But we will fix them. We will listen. We will adjust, and together, we can put this genre back where it belongs, in the spotlight.

This time, we are collectively in control.

See you on the stage.

JCO (Johnny Crkd Octane)