It has been 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become 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 for future fans.”
