After news of a possible return for Rock Band emerged yesterday it now seems that Activision is to resurrect the Guitar Hero franchise with an all-new take for the new generation of consoles.

Little is officially known about the plans, but Kotaku has heard from two separate sources that the game franchise will return. The game, it says, is in development for a release later this year.

According to one of those sources, the new Guitar Hero will ditch the cartoon-style graphics of old and introduce a more realistic approach. Crowds and performers will be more life-like, it is said.

New guitar peripherals are in the works for the game too, but it is unknown whether the old devices for PlayStation or Xbox 360 will be compatible (or made compatible).

Activision killed the Guitar Hero series after falling sales in 2011 and Pocket-lint has since spoken to senior figures in the games industry who told us that accessory-based gaming was unlikely to return.

However, the new Guitar Hero and the rumoured return of Harmonix's Rock Band could contradict that feeling.

Both will possibly be unveiled at the E3 videogames show in Los Angeles in June. Pocket-lint will be there to bring you all the news as it happens.