Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
