How electronic music paved its way into gaming?

It is well known that without music, video games, movies, TV shows, and other forms of entertainment would just look awkward and the whole atmosphere would feel empty. That is why the entertainment industry heavily relies on it to create an atmosphere, infuse some emotion, and feel into the scenes delivering something that consumers can immerse in and relate to. For those same reasons, electronic music has found its way into the gaming industry, among all the other ones. Let’s dive in.

EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music, but the abbreviation came much later. This essentially is any form of music that is produced electronically with computers and some analog equipment, and it is simply designed to dance to. This genre is usually recognized by instruments and sounds like synthesizers, drums, processed samples, and there is an inherent ‘electronic nature’ to the sound of the songs. electronic music is precise, loud, and full. That is why it has a vast fan base and it is used in all kinds of high-intensity scenes in shows, movies, and games. 

Ever since it came to the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the club culture emerged, it has continued to develop. That is why today we have such a wide variety of its subgenres and many popular performers of this style. Some of the most popular ones include David Guetta, Deadmau5, Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Tiesto, Calvin Harris, and many others. They all still rule the electronic dance music scene and are beloved by their fans due to their imaginative and energetic hits. Certainly, this popularity of electronic music has led it to enter the gaming industry. 

Paving Its Way Into Gaming

Back in the day, you couldn’t find any electronic music in video games unless you played them on the 8-bit machines. However, since the technology has evolved, allowing us to play more advanced games with better graphics, sounds, features, and all, this genre of music also evolved. This parallel evolution of machines allowed electronic music to enter the world of gaming and help developers set the scene, create ambient, and define the plot. 

Here are some of the most known titles that include this kind of sound in their gameplay. 

Mortal Kombat

The best example and evidence of electronic music being successfully infused in video games is Mortal Kombat. Ever since it appeared on the market on 8-bit machines its soundtracks had greatly contributed to high action and adrenaline-pumped gameplay. They have also continued to use electronic music in all of their games – fans will never forget the Mortal Kombat theme song, an everlasting hit.

Rocket League

Rocket League is another example where soundtracks contribute to a high action feel. Even though this is a game about playing soccer with vehicles, it is highly dramatic and intense and they have a great soundtrack with some of the brightest and best electro songs. They feature artists like DROELOE, Slushii, Dion Timmer, and even deadmau5 (pro tip: you can also add deadmau5’s signature mau5head to your cars).

GTA V

GTA V is the third-best-selling game of all time. Besides having great storylines and plenty of liberty for players, it features a massive soundtrack which is turned into a realistic network of radio stations. They also feature celebrity radio hosts, talk shows, and they have fake commercials on the radio for the players’ amusement. 

When driving, you can turn on the radio and listen to various stations with different music genres. When launched, GTA V featured two electronic music stations which played Green Velvet, Boys Noize, Flying Lotus, and many more. However, with the game being a huge success together with the radio, they later added more electronic music. 

They updated the game with the ability for players to buy their own nightclubs where they can hire various DJs, including Solomun, Dixon, and The Black Madonna. 

Online Slots

However, not only the biggest video game houses in the industry have adopted the electronic music genre into their games. The casino industry has, too, started to play such music in the background of their games. The gambling industry is always on top of new trends and new and improved user experiences. That is why they also adopted the electronic music genre into their soundtracks. 

High-intensity and fast music help people stay interested in the games they are playing. And that is exactly why slots have started infusing this type of music into their gameplays. To make things better, some electronic music icons have decided to launch their own casino games – Deadmau5, for example, has launched his own slots game. Published by Microgaming, together with other different slots featuring other music styles, you can find this game at websites like SuperSeven. Check yourself how these two intertwined.

How Music Affects Us?

It is no wonder that electronic music found its way into gaming. It makes a player more committed and more invested in the game as this tension is really well-built with the rhythm constantly building and dropping as you play. 

What is more, games like slots, for example, can make you feel ecstatic just like these soundtracks. Amazing beats, vocals, and the electric feel of this music can help you relax and feel the euphoria, just like you feel glee when hitting the jackpot. 

The same goes for any type of game. Gaming and electronic music have a lot in common, but the biggest similarity is that they help people relax, feel happy, and be in the moment. That is why clubbing is a huge hit and everyone loves it, just like you love playing games that help you feel alive and free from all the earthly problems. 

Image Credit: Lorenzo Herrera on Unsplash