🔗 Share this article

It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”