Archive notice: This article was originally published on March 13, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Composing music for computer and video games is particularly challenging. As game development advances rapidly and productions increasingly match the film industry in quality and scale, demands on composers have risen considerably. “Music now has an enormously important role in video games. It is a central part of game design and just as important as the graphics,” said Eugen Knippel, Marketing Director at Ubisoft Austria. Graphics are already approaching photorealism, he said, but good visuals alone are no longer enough. “Fans expect the musical soundscape to be just as high-quality as the images they see.”
Music is used principally to underscore gameplay and must be tailored closely to the specific type of game. “Music is primarily there to create a particular atmosphere, but that is only possible when the compositions fit the action,” Knippel explained. If a new group of enemies appears during a highly tense passage, the soundscape must reflect that tension. “This is enormously important to the mood experienced by the user. If music and action do not work together, the gaming experience suffers and a production risks failing with the gaming community.”
Studios now make considerable efforts to meet fans’ expectations. It is no longer unusual to hire a prominent composer and complete orchestra to provide a game’s musical background. “As in the film industry, the games business now pays particular attention to the quality of musical accompaniment. Ubisoft, for example, employs dedicated teams of music and sound-effects specialists to maintain high standards,” Knippel said. Although this increased commitment costs more, he believes it ultimately pays off. “High-quality music is a particularly effective marketing hook for games and can significantly boost sales. There have already been examples of songs becoming chart hits only after appearing in a video game.”
