Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
