Marking two decades since the legendary game first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
