It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “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 a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
