It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
