Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
