The Influence of Gaming Culture on Music Creation

As gaming has moved from being a niche hobby toward firmly cementing itself in the mainstream, its influence has grown beyond the audience that plays gaming titles to impact the wider entertainment industry, including music. The music industry has looked to the gaming industry for cues on using technology to create the best listening experience. As a result, gaming has changed how music is created, consumed and appreciated, improving the gaming experience as it goes. In this article, we look at how things like adaptive soundtracks and virtual concerts have allowed gaming culture to reshape the way music is made.

The Evolution of Video Game Music

In the past, video games were known for their simple 8-bit tunes that, despite their technological limitations, produced memorable soundtracks for iconic games like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. Without these soundtracks, the games would’ve still been fun, but the experience in no way would have been the same. That’s because a game’s soundtrack sets the mood of the game, evoking emotions at just the right time and even staying with the player after they’ve defeated the final boss. If you play the original Super Mario Bros. soundtrack today, just about anyone familiar with gaming will be able to identify it immediately. Composers like Koji Kondo did a masterful job at creating these instantly recognizable tunes that are synonymous with gaming franchises. In doing so, they helped to embed this music deeply into pop culture. 

Online Gaming and Music

While gaming was once the exclusive domain of PCs, consoles, arcades and casinos, with the advent of the internet, it has moved online. Online poker is one of the best examples of this phenomenon. Poker is arguably the most famous card game in the world, and before high-speed internet became common, people played this game almost exclusively in person. Online casinos have changed all of that, with virtual platforms like PokerStars making it possible for people to play this game from almost anywhere with an internet connection. 

Although music isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when people think of online poker, it does play a role in setting the atmosphere in online casinos. Many platforms use playlists with a mix of genres to keep players engaged and focused as they play. And it’s not just casinos that use music to create an immersive experience for players; online games like Fortnite and Minecraft do, too. One example of the influence of gaming culture on music is that artists like Travis Scott and Ariana Grande have performed at virtual concerts hosted by Fortnite. These events have attracted millions of players and show how online gaming has successfully brought together these two forms of entertainment. 

Gaming as a Platform for Music Discovery

Once upon a time, listening to the radio was the way most people discovered new music, but that just isn’t the case anymore and gaming has played a role in this change. The streaming platform Twitch, which hosts gamers from around the world, is one way people are discovering new music these days. Electronic music artist CRAY streams her gaming sessions on the platform and also uses it to talk to her fans about her music, which has allowed her to create a dedicated fanbase that spans both music and gaming enthusiasts. Connecting directly with her audience has made it possible for CRAY to bypass traditional barriers to entry into the music industry. 

Adaptive and Interactive Music

If you’ve ever played a video game and noticed the music getting faster as you approached an important scene, like an epic boss battle, then you’ve experienced adaptive music. Adaptive music changes based on your actions while playing a game. As with many things gaming-related, it uses artificial intelligence to generate music based on in-game events and player interactions. This type of music is more immersive and personalized, making players feel like they’re really part of the gaming world they’re exploring. Game developers are also experimenting with ways to incorporate interactive concerts in gaming worlds, which would allow them to bring together live music and gaming experiences.