It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created 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. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
