Music, games and pure entertainment

The music industry is an ever-changing arena. Every month, there are new albums to listen to, new artists that come to your attention, and new songs get to the top of the charts. Every time there is a new hit song that catches the nation by fire, you can see how the audience, and the media, react immediately.

All the major TV shows, blockbuster movies – and even video games – change their musical style according to what is hot and what is not. Although video games tend to be more stoic and they don’t change according to very latest music trends as fast as movies or TV shows, you can still see the difference between new and older ones when it comes to the sound effects.

All the major video games try to lure you in with the help of enticing music. So whenever a new one comes out, you can be sure to see how the changes in the industry affect it. What kind of changes are we talking about? And are they even that effective? It is time to learn more about the connection between music and all sorts of gaming.

How music affects your gaming experience

Music can affect the games you play on two levels. First of all, it can provide developers with inspiration to come up with new, music-themed ideas: for example, there’s the Guns N’ Roses-inspired game. It allows players to listen to the greatest GNR hits while they play, which is a pretty cool experience.

There are also classic music-themed games that no music enthusiast can ignore: Guitar Hero, Rock Band and, of course, Just Dance, are all extremely popular franchises, which feature some of the best music out there.

Old classics, modern mixes, new songs – those games have all kinds of music, which makes them the perfect choice for those who want to combine their passion for music and gaming.

On top of providing players with a new selection of games, new trends in the music industry also affect your gaming experience in a roundabout way. Even when the game doesn’t focus solely on music, it can still dictate what kind experience you’ll have. Various studies have explored the effects of background music on gamers of all kinds.

Those studies show that music enhances the players’ time perception, as we tend to measure the duration of our gaming sessions by the number of songs we listened to in the process instead of actually checking the time. That can prove to be useful in different situations, but those who choose to play online games benefit from it the most since this way they can control how much time they spend on the internet.

Also, the music’s tempo affects the players’ mood without him even noticing it, and studies have shown that high-tempo music affects the amount of risks players are willing to take. Moreover, when the music is fast and upbeat, players tend to think less about their next move and simply go with the flow, resulting in a more rapid and spontaneous gaming session. On the other hand, it was proven that low-tempo background music leads to a prolonged gaming session, which means that players feel more comfortable taking their time and enjoying the game in a leisurely pace.

In conclusion

Music is a big part of our lives, as it controls all aspects of our society without us even noticing it. When it comes to gaming, music can greatly influence your gaming experience. Whether the developers chose to incorporate an upbeat soundtrack or a slower one, both kinds of music styles can determine how much time and effort you put into the game. So the next time you play your favourite game, pay attention to the background music, and try to figure out how it makes you feel.

The editorial unit