Music is present everywhere, from radios, commercials, elevators, stores, dealers, casinos and even our mobile phones. Music is also in video games. Should that be surprising? Well, no, music has been in video games from the arcade cabinets long ago, to the famous hits played in Sega and SuperNintendo games. Video games are actually a better way to expose people to music than radios and music TV channels are today. Here is how music helps video games and vice versa.
Music Sets the Tone of a Game
Playing video games without music can really be a different experience, especially if you played the game with music the first time. Some video games cannot be imagined without their music. Some video games are absolutely famous for their music. The Final Fantasy series has produced some of the greatest music ever. Chrono Trigger has had its music played by orchestras.
Should we even mention gigantic names like The Elder Scrolls or Witcher 3? Each of these two has music perfectly matching moments of exploration, different locations, action and drama sequences. It is like you are playing through a movie of your own, but with an epic soundtrack which matches each moment perfectly. There is nothing like epic battle music playing while you are matched against an overleveled opponent.
Video Games as a Platform for Music
Some video games have a large player base. If you look at the FIFA series by EA Sports, you know that the selected songs will reach plenty of people, sometimes being played more than 1 billion times.
Games like Heroes of Might and Magic 3, the Elder Scrolls series and the Witcher series have propelled the composers of the score to great heights. They will surely be a part of more video games. Thus, video games not only need music, but they also promote music and the authors. Sports video games, which are purchased every year, are a fantastic advertising platform for a select number of artists who are featured in the games.
Video Games Music Draw People to Concert Halls
You expect serious, classical music to be played in concert halls, right? Well, that is right, classical arrangements of various famous video game soundtracks are played, for example in the Royal Albert Hall in London. For some people, that might be a first concert hall experience. Music in video games helps connect people to new, great things. It is likely that those people might return to the concert hall to hear something else, once more.
Video Games Draw the Great Artists
Video games have seen some of the greatest artists out there compose for their soundtracks. Paul McCartney has composed music for video games, as well as Hans Zimmer. If such great artists take their time to compose for video games, you know that they are moving in the right direction, as a great platform for artists of all kinds to step forward.
Video games and music have a deep connection, one which will remain probably forever.