Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s 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 display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
