Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
