The Iconic Game at 20 – How a Plastic Axe Bridged Generations Among Rock Generations

Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.

Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic 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 the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”

He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence

Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved 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 similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in 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 to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”