Marking 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
