It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
