"But, like Guitar Hero, no outside creative skill has been acquired or developed."

Spoken like someone who never actually played the games. GH developed my interest in music as a kid, and Rock Band actually taught me how to drum in real life. It also garnered my interest in picking up and learning real guitar.

Those who forget that Rock Band not only a) existed and b) did everything GH did but a thousand times better + created by real musicians (Harmonix) do the genre, industry, and this article, injustice.

This article is written by someone stretching and reaching to relate two unrelated things. I'm offended by this.

The point being made isn't that it cannot inspire someone to then go on to learn but that mastery of the game alone does not convey creative skill. Of course someone can be inspired to go out and learn the skill being modeled but use of the model doesn't teach the skill even if it might make someone really excited to go learn.

Did you learn to play guitar playing guitar hero?

No, you didn't.

You're straw manning an argument that doesn't exist in the article