It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
