Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
