Marking two decades since the legendary game first launched in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved more than half a million units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
