It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
