It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
