The Guitar Hero video game franchise is officially dead:

According to publisher Activision, which will close its music game division and cease development of existing Guitar Hero titles, they’re ending the series in order to refocus efforts online.

“Due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing’s Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011,” the company said in its most recent financial statement. “These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world’s best interactive entertainment experiences.”