It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however once it got included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
