It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
