It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’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 rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
