Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
