It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 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 quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
