It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – 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 and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their records. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
