It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
