Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered 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 scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
