Marking 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
