It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
