It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains 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 to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
