Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
