Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
