It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
