Marking 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
