Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, 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 airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge 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 from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
