It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed 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 came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
