Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
