Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
