 In 2005 , RedOctane , a company specializing in the manufacture of unique game controllers , was inspired to create Guitar Hero based on RedOctane 's experience creating hardware for Konami 's Guitar Freaks arcade game . They enlisted Harmonix , who previously developed several music video games , for development assistance . The first game in the series was made on a budget of $ 1 million . The series became extremely successful , leading to the acquisition of RedOctane by Activision in 2007 . Harmonix was acquired by MTV Games and went on to create the Rock Band series of music games in the same vein as Guitar Hero . Activision brought Neversoft ( primarily known for their Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games ) on board for future development duties . Additional companies , such as Budcat Creations and Vicarious Visions have assisted in the adaptation of the games for other systems . 
 In 2005 , RedOctane , a company specializing in the manufacture of unique game controllers , was inspired to create Guitar Hero based on RedOctane <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>experience creating hardware for Konami <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>Guitar Freaks arcade game . They enlisted Harmonix , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>previously developed several music video games , for development assistance . The first game in the series was made on a budget of $ 1 million . The series became extremely successful , leading to the acquisition of RedOctane by Activision in 2007 . Harmonix was acquired by MTV Games and went on to create the Rock Band series of music games in the same vein as Guitar Hero . Activision brought Neversoft ( primarily known for their Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games ) on board for future development duties . Additional companies , such as Budcat Creations and Vicarious Visions <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>have</mark></a> assisted in the adaptation of the games for other systems . 
In 2005 , RedOctane , a company specializing in the manufacture of unique game controllers , was inspired to create Guitar Hero based on RedOctane  experience creating hardware for Konami  Guitar Freaks arcade game . They enlisted Harmonix , previously developed several music video games , for development assistance . da first game in tdaseries was made on a budget of $ 1 million . Thdaeries became extremely successful , leading to thedaquisition of RedOctane by Activision in 2007 . Harmonix was acquired by MTV Games and went on to create the Rock Band series of music games in the same vein as Guitar Hero . Activision brought Neversoft ( primarily known fir their Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games ) on board fir future development duties . Additional companies , such as Budcat Creations and Vicarious Visions done assisted in the daptation of the gdas for other systems .