Marking two decades after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
