It has been two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”