Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
