It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
