Marking 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed 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.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
