It has been two decades after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
