It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
