It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine 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. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
