It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, 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 opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat 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 and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
