It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
