It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “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 we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
