Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured 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 shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including 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 the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, with set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
