It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – 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 Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
