It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged 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 has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
