It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
