It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
