It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes 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 in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
