It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
