Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, 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 of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
