Marking 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge 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 like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
