Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem 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 expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
