Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
