Marking two decades after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
