Marking two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
