It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was 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. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
