Activision opens up Guitar Hero Live refunds (subject to certain conditions, of course).
When we interviewed the folks behind the Rock Band franchise in 2015, just prior to the release of Rock Band 4, we learned something interesting.
“Don’t expect a Rock Band 5. Maybe ever! We do intend to update the game with music as we’ve done in the past, but we’re looking at Rock Band as a platform and a live service this generation.”
The same principle was also true of Guitar Hero Live, Rock Band’s main competitor.
The idea was simple. Rather than releasing a base game, with a few bits of DLC and then another new game in year’s time, Guitar Hero Live would move to a service model. Via this model, players would have access to a changing roster of songs after the game’s initial release.
At its peak, over 500 additional tracks were available in Guitar Hero Live, over and above the 42 original tunes included in the base game.
Then, as is inevitable with (most) service games, Guitar Hero Live began to die off. User numbers dropped. It no longer became profitable for producer Activision to run and maintain the service, and it was dropped.
Everyone was left with just the original 42 tracks.
Unhappy players filed a class action lawsuit against Activision. This suit was ultimately dismissed but has prompted the publisher to take some action, to try to make amends for players of Guitar Hero Live.
If you’re in the US (sorry, Thumbsticks natives) and you purchased Guitar Hero Live in the last two years, you may be entitled to a refund, subject to the following conditions:
- You purchased Guitar Hero Live in the United States during the period starting December 1, 2017, and ending on January 1, 2019;
- You submit a completed Claim Form by the deadline of May 1, 2019; and
- Your purchase of Guitar Hero Live since December 2017 can be confirmed by Activision
Head over to the dedicated Guitar Hero Live “Sunset” page on the Activision website to start your claim.
Sadly there are no refunds for anyone who looked like a tool in front of their friends with a novelty plastic guitar.
Thanks, Polygon.
