Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already 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 recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
