It has been two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
