It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “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.”
