Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
