It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring 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,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”