It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series that had a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. 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”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
