It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
