Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
