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RedOctane made its mark on the world by selling beefed-up dance pads for Bemani's well-known Dance Dance Revolution series. When they joined with Harmonix in 2002 to release Guitar Hero, they entered a market which was, at that time, dominated by beat matching games made by Bemani, this time using a modified guitar controller and introducing a new game dynamic to the less-popular Guitar Freaks franchise owned by Bemani. It wasn't long before Guitar Hero turned into the runaway hit of the year, and the RedOctane/Harmonix alliance--now part of Activision and MTV, respectively) took over the rhythm games genre.

Like the dance pads that preceded it, the Guitar Hero controlled is intended to evoke more primal responses that the game's original controllers. The game's music is a mixture of old foot-stompers and newer riffs, making it very fun to play. The tracks were originally prerecorded, but newer games include a feature that lets you record your own tracks. Just like that, Guitar Hero players learned to become rock gods.

The controller in itself is enjoyable to hold. Normally, Guitar Hero is played while standing, with a strap that keeps the guitar at waist level (or a little above it for the taller person like me) and on the left are the fret buttons for fingering.

The game became massively popular at parties because of the game's contact and the physical nature of the controllers. Many karaoke bars have replaced their previous equipment with the game. It has become accepted as a game to be played at social occasions. As a result, many players buy Guitar Hero skins so that they can personalize their controllers and make them look they way they want the controllers to look.

Similar to the buying of rockband skins, which as recently gained popularity as a personalizing agent for that popular game, the Guitar Hero skin is fast becoming a staple at parties, with different players bringing their unique, sometimes custom-made, guitar hero skins to use while playing.

Buying a skin for guitar hero controllers has become a way to positively influence the viscerally stimulating game environment Guitar Hero already produces. In addition, personalizing the guitar hero controller with such a skin can add new life to the social aspect of the game.