It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
