Rocksmith+

Rocksmith+ represented a pedagogical turn in the franchise. The previous installment, Rocksmith 2014, was first and foremost a game in the mold of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, with the ability to learn the guitar as a side benefit. The emphasis was a demonstration of skill.

Marketing research at the beginning of development showed that women represented 50% of new guitar sales. Acoustic guitars drove much of those sales.

Consequently, I built the new key art to illustrate a more inclusive environment, aimed at those new players, while keeping a callback to the more skill-based aspect of the game with the Ibanez electric guitar.