Stage Tour (From the Creators of Guitar Hero): December 10 Launch, 4 Expansions a Year, and First Wave of Drum Kits Already Sold Out
With less than six weeks remaining before its December 10, 2026 release on PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, Stage Tour has laid out its long-term post-launch roadmap alongside a crucial hardware fulfillment update. Founded by rhythm gaming veterans from the original Guitar Hero, Neversoft, and Harmonix eras within the CRKD hardware ecosystem, developer RedOctane Games has confirmed four major expansions per year, 10-year music licensing windows, and a late-December shipping wave for new drum kit orders after initial launch allocations sold out.
Four Major Expansions a Year, 10-Year Song Licenses, and Free Gameplay Updates
Built over approximately 18 months of development, the base game will launch with more than 90 licensed tracks, a roguelite-inspired single-player Campaign Mode, and dedicated Quickplay, Practice, and Judgements modes. Following our recent coverage of Stage Tour Setlist Reveal #14 featuring Volbeat, Trivium, and Steve Ouimette and ahead of the next tracklist announcement on November 4, 2026, RedOctane Games broke down how the platform will evolve after launch:
- Four Major Annual Expansions: Each quarterly expansion event will deliver over a dozen new themed songs alongside new bandmate characters, stage outfits, and virtual instruments expanding on the official Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer lineup showcased inside the Gibson Garage Nashville in-game hub.
- In-Between Song Packs and Singles: Between the four major seasonal drops, the studio will release smaller song packs and individual à la carte tracks so players can expand their libraries at their own pace.
- 10-Year Licensing With Zero FOMO Windows: Rejecting limited-time rotating shops, RedOctane confirmed that every expansion and individual track will remain available for purchase throughout its full licensing period, which typically spans 10 years.
- Free Core Gameplay Features: Any new gameplay mechanics, instrument modes, or core features introduced alongside future content events will be delivered via free updates to all players rather than locked behind paid expansions.
The studio also noted that while it continues prototyping future music-driven concepts across dance, DJ, and VR gaming, its immediate focus remains squarely on expanding Stage Tour.
CRKD Drum Kits Push to Late December, PS5 Disc-Free Bundles, and Switch 2 Delay
On the hardware front, demand for the official plastic instruments engineered with CRKD has outpaced initial projections. The primary pre-order shipping window is scheduled for December 1 to December 10, 2026 (representing the warehouse dispatch window, followed by 2 to 10 business days for transit depending on buyer proximity). While Game + Kramer Guitar Bundles remain available within that initial early-December window, drummer allocations have shifted:
- December 11 to December 31 Wave for Drum Kits: The initial launch allocation for standalone Drum Kits (retailing at $200, with optional $60 Pro cymbal expansions and $30 secondary kick pedals) and full Band Bundles ($350) is officially full. RedOctane emphasized that there are no manufacturing issues; instead, all new pre-orders for drum kits and drum-equipped bundles placed now are assigned to the second shipping window between December 11 and December 31, 2026.
- PS5 Hardware-Only Bundles for Digital Consoles: Because standard PS5 Game + Hardware bundles include a physical Blu-ray disc, RedOctane has introduced PS5 hardware-only bundles without a disc for PlayStation 5 Digital Edition owners who prefer buying the game on the PlayStation Store. However, canceling an existing drum bundle pre-order to re-order a hardware-only package will place the new order into the late-December shipping queue.
- No Nintendo Switch 2 Drum Kits at Launch: Although the game itself launches on December 10 on Nintendo Switch 2, RedOctane confirmed that Drum Kits will not be available for Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. Engineers are still working on Switch 2 drum compatibility for a future release.
Customers with existing reservations can verify or update their shipping addresses using their Purple Dot pre-order number (PD#) ahead of dispatch, while RedOctane explores retail distribution partnerships for Brazil and South America.
Check Availability CRKD Stage Tour Availability on Amazon→
My Take
From a hardware engineering and logistics standpoint, RedOctane's pre-order update makes complete sense. A velocity-sensitive modular drum kit with reinforced pads, stands, and kick pedals takes up nearly three times the shipping container volume of a detachable Kramer guitar controller, and rhythm gamers who have been nursing aging Rock Band kits for over a decade naturally rushed the standalone drum inventory first. The absence of Nintendo Switch 2 drum support on day one highlights the stricter USB and wireless peripheral handshake protocols on Nintendo's new hardware. Still, pairing purpose-built CRKD instruments with 10-year song licenses and free gameplay updates is the exact consumer-friendly foundation plastic-instrument rhythm gaming needed for a sustainable comeback.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles "Grimtag" is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
