It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
