Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. 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 do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
