It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention 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 offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology 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 derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
