Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
