It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “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 we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used 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, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
