It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
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. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
