It has been two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, 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 upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
