I didn’t expect to get hit with rhythm-game nostalgia in 2025, yet here we are: CRKD and Gibson have announced a fully revamped Gibson SG Guitar Controller, returning almost exactly 20 years after it first appeared during the PS2 era.
I was a massive Guitar Hero fan back in the Xbox 360 days, and while this new SG sadly won’t slot neatly into that old setup, it does support PS3-era compatibility on PS4 and PS5 — which means Rock Band 4 players, Fortnite Festival fans, and anyone dabbling in Clone Hero or YARG on PC suddenly have a very tasty new toy to consider.
Sadly, I had to contend with the generic Guitar Hero 2 controller originally, although I did later get the Gibson Les Paul design with the Aerosmith edition of the game.
A faithful remake with modern upgrades
CRKD calls this a celebration of the original SG controller, and it genuinely looks the part: a matte-black body, white pickguard, and that instantly recognisable silhouette that defined living-room rock stardom for so many of us.
But it’s not just a nostalgia prop. The team — including several former RedOctane designers — has rebuilt the controller with properly modern internals. That includes:
- A Hall Effect strum bar with mechanical click feedback
- Mechanical frets on a brown OG-style neck
- Hall Effect whammy bar for those all-important star power activations
- An 8-action navigation hub, complete with hidden D-Pad and dual analog sticks
- A platform slider to switch between PS5, PS4, PC and Legacy Mode
Basically, it’s everything you remember, minus the creaky frets and unreliable strum bars that always seemed to give up right before a big solo.
Customisable through the CRKD App
There’s also app support via CRKD’s CTRL mobile app, letting players tweak strum sensitivity, remap buttons, adjust tilt activation and apply firmware updates. You can even register your SG in CRKD’s “True Collection System” to get a unique product number — which is dangerously appealing if you’re the kind of person who likes collecting special-edition hardware.
PlayStation and PC support — but not Xbox
CRKD notes that PC and PS3-era compatibility work, but there’s no support for modern Xbox consoles. As a former 360-era Guitar Hero addict, that’s a little disappointing, but the PS4/PS5 support (including Legacy Mode for older Guitar Hero/Rock Band titles) does soften the blow a bit.
To be fair, though, I have a real guitar, and a copy of Rocksmith for genuine 6-strong gaming, so…
Release date and price
The new Gibson SG Guitar Controller is up for pre-order now and is expected to ship December 2025 — which makes it a very plausible Christmas present for anyone who still dreams in note highways.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
