Marking two decades after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including 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.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
