It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided 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 a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game 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 stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
