It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement 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”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
