It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
