It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
