Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
