It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
