Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure 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 several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
