It has been 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
