Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
