Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their records. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
