RedOctane
| Company type | Subsidiary (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronic entertainment |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Kai Huang, Charles Huang |
| Defunct | February 11, 2010 |
| Fate | Shut down by Activision |
| Successor | RedOctane Games LLC (2025, unrelated new entity) |
| Headquarters | United States , United States |
Key people | Kai Huang, Charles Huang |
| Products | Guitar Hero franchise, gaming peripherals (Red Octane Ignition dance mat, joysticks) |
| Parent | Activision (2006–2010) |
RedOctane, Inc. was a United States-based company specializing in electronic entertainment, primarily recognized for creating the Guitar Hero franchise, which debuted in November 2005. The company became a fully owned subsidiary of Activision in 2006 and was subsequently shut down by Activision in February 2010.
In August 2025, a group of former RedOctane employees established RedOctane Games LLC, a new development studio dedicated to rhythm games, operating under the Freemode division of Embracer Group. The original founders, Kai and Charles Huang, returned to serve as advisors.
History
Established in 1999 by brothers Kai and Charles Huang, RedOctane initially launched the pioneering online video game rental platform WebGameZone. The company later expanded into producing gaming peripherals such as the Red Octane Ignition dance mat and various joysticks designed to enhance music-based games. Due to the reliance on game release schedules, RedOctane transitioned into game development, beginning with a PlayStation 2 adaptation of Roxor Games' arcade rhythm title In the Groove.
Collaborating with developer Harmonix Music Systems, RedOctane introduced Guitar Hero for the PlayStation 2 in November 2005. The title's strong performance led to a follow-up release in 2006 for both PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 platforms.
In May 2006, Activision revealed its intention to acquire RedOctane, finalizing the transaction on June 6, 2006, for an estimated $99.9 million paid through cash and stock.
Following the acquisition and the separation from Harmonix—who went on to develop the rival Rock Band series—Activision assigned its Neversoft studio, renowned for the Tony Hawk games, to produce Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, which launched in November 2007.
The Guitar Hero franchise rapidly achieved substantial commercial success; within just over two years, it amassed more than $1 billion in revenue.
RedOctane released Guitar Hero World Tour in October 2008.
On February 11, 2010, Activision declared the closure of its RedOctane division.
RedOctane Games LLC (2025–present)
In August 2025, former employees from RedOctane and Vicarious Visions—who had been instrumental in Guitar Hero development after RedOctane's closure—formed RedOctane Games LLC under the Embracer Freemode label within Embracer Group. This new studio concentrates on "evolving the rhythm game genre." Co-founders Charles and Kai Huang, who also founded CRKD (an Embracer subsidiary), resumed advisory roles. Leadership includes Simon Ebejer, formerly head of Vicarious Visions and ex-Blizzard vice president. The studio intends to reveal its inaugural title in 2025, which will support guitar controllers. Ebejer highlighted that although the rhythm game market declined around 2019, fan-driven projects such as Clone Hero and YARG kept the community active, while events like the Fortnite Festival demonstrated ongoing interest in high-quality rhythm games.