It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
