Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
