It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
