A couple years ago, KISS played their final live show in New York City. It was the end of an era and the heralding of a new one, because they announced and unveiled the digital avatars that would take over for KISS moving into the future. Well, that future is apparently taking place in Las Vegas in 2028, according to Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
News of the Sin City-based avatar shows came out in the May 2026 issue of Pollstar. In their interview, Simmons and Stanley explained what the launch of their avatar shows meant for fans all over the world. When asked by Katherine Turman which eras would be represented by the digital avatars, Simmons suggested fans wouldn’t be disappointed because they can just imagine their favorite members in the show.
“It’s going to be the iconic face personas, The Demon, the Starchild, and so on. Who you want to place into that lineup is up to you.”
Stanley chimed in saying they’d have “all the classics through the years” as well as some new surprises. And though Stanley was trying to be coy, Simmons spilled the beans pretty quickly.
“You’re gonna get all that stuff, and also new songs.”
Yes. New KISS songs. In the year of our lord 2028. From musicians in their late 60s to late 70s. Goody.
Simmons said the songs will be written and performed by KISS and no one else.
The avatar show will be the first major entry into the U.S. market for Sweden-based entertainment investment firm Pophouse Entertainment. That company, co-founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, is behind the avatar-based “ABBA Voyage”, which has raised over $1.3 billion to invest in the band’s IP and music catalogs. KISS’ deal with the company is valued at $300 million, with the company acquiring the band’s rights, song catalog, name, image and likeness. Oh and their artist share of the master recordings and publishing rights.
Whereas the ABBA Voyage show is more realistic, KISS’ avatars have already shown they’re willing to break reality. During their unveiling at KISS’ “final” live show, the digital replicas were super tall and were able to breathe fire or shoot lightning from their hands while floating above the crowd.
Pophouse CEO Jessica Koravos told Pollstar that KISS’ early prototype at Madison Square Garden was an early form of the tech. It’s expected that things will be significantly improved when KISS’ show goes live in a couple years.
“What the crowd got to see at MSG was an early prototype of the KISS avatar concept. A lot has evolved since then — both in terms of creative concept for the show and avatar technology. We are now deep in development with a top-flight creative team headed by Thierry Coup — the team was on set last week testing out pyro effects against a new generation of LED screens to make sure we max out the KISS signature flame throwing. The show concept is a crazy 4D roller coaster ride through the hits, the comic book worlds and personas of KISS.”