It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
