Marking two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
