It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, 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, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
