Is there a more perfect combination than music and gaming? Maybe a few, like fries and cheese, or coffee and chocolate. But for the most part, playing your favourite games with your favourite music in the background is beautiful.
Gaming has increased in popularity over the last 20 years but has seen a rapid boost in the previous 5. Around 3 billion gamers worldwide indulge in a range of games, including slots, poker, WoW, LoL, Fornite, CandyCrush, and more.
You name it; there is a player who is enjoying it right at the moment. What you might not know is that the type of music you listen to when you’re playing can make the experience a whole lot better.
Game developers spend a lot of time and attention to ensure that the music they choose balances the game and adds something to it. It used to be that only big studios could reach the crip clear heights of good game music. However, a change in the ability to access game-building tools – like Unity, for example, meant more indie developers began to produce games too.
What does that mean for other types of creatives? It means that from the AAA studios right down to the solo game devs – everyone needs music.
How does music impact the gameplay?
Perhaps you are the type to switch off the game music and put on your own tracks – in which case; there will be a great list of scandi pop artists for you to check out in a moment.
In the meantime, it’s good to understand why games like World of Warcraft, Zelda, and even online slots create music to match the game.
Originally the only sounds from a game would be sound effects like jumping, hitting a mob, or unlocking something. Since the graphics of early games were so simple, the music – or lack of – needed to match.
Nowadays, the music you are likely to find in a big game is as big and impactful as it would be in a movie. A great example is a piece of music you are likely to hear in any online casino game. While bingo games might have very little in terms of music, slots will have a piece of music to match the theme and pace of the game. Many slots are based on bands like Guns N Roses, Kiss, and more.
Online games like slots are created by game developers that want to provide a completely innovative and on-theme game for the players – and music plays a role.
Music is one of the key components that set the pace for players. The faster the music in the background, the more likely the player is to do things at speed. Have you ever noticed that the soundtrack for a racing game is usually upbeat and fast? This is to help players get into the zone – the beats per minute impact the player.
In some games, when the player finds the main boss, the music will change to something more intense – designed to get the heart rate up – and that in turn gets the player excited and hyped up, ready to kick some baddie butt.
Games designed for players to explore will often have music that could be described as chill-out music that is slow-paced and relaxing. This type of music gives the player a relaxing experience with the game and will leave them feeling de-stressed and having a positive gaming experience.
Big movie releases are often considered to be turned into a game – and when that happens, one of the first games that usually arrives is a slot game! Because slot games, as a rule, have the same mechanics, it means that developers can focus on creating a theme that matches the music, the characters, and more.
So now we know a bit about how music changed your gameplay; what could you be listening to have a gaming session that you won’t want to end?
How can Scandi pop support your gaming?
The trick is to match the type of music to the gaming session you want; go for faster, more dance-based tracks for games that have a fast pace or slower tracks for chilled gaming sessions.
SKAAR
SKAAR produces the perfect combination of pop and electronic and is perfect for games that need a little grinding. For example, if you need to chop a lot of wood or pick a lot of herbs, SKAAR offers the perfect soundtrack to make it a relaxing experience.
Try the track Higher Ground and go from there.
Skott
One of the coolest things about Skott is that she spends some time creating songs for her most loved videogames like Final Fantasy and Zelda – so she knows exactly the type of music that will make a gamers heartbeat at just the right pace.
The video Talk About Me has a lot of gaming influences.
Soleima
If you like your music a bit more experimental, then Soleima is perfect. She mixes many international influences in her work, and while she has a soft voice, there is plenty of beat in the background.
Steindór Andersen & Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson
It might not be pop, but if you want something that can improve the long gaming sessions and you have a lot to do, then choose these guys. Start with the very atmospheric Haustid nálgast and explore the rest of their Scandi noir sound.
Gaming music hugely impacts how we play and how enjoyable that session is – pick the perfect scandi track, and you’ll create a gaming atmosphere you just won’t want to leave.
