Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
