Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
