It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues 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 the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication 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 made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
