It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, 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 as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
