Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s 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 on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
