It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song 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, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
