It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
