Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
