Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
