Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence 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 financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
