What is the importance of music in online gaming?

Music and sound effects play a crucial role in online gaming today. In order to give a real-life like experience to players, the background music and graphics are the most critical elements of the game. Music helps in moving the players on an emotional level and helps them experience emotions that are relative to different levels and even victories/losses within the game play. For example, giving a solid background music to the players when they win a difficult level can help them feel more victorious and confident about themselves. It also heightens their sense of accomplishment within the game and motivates them to move ahead to the next level. 

Apart from this, music is also known to create an immersive atmosphere and it is definitely a part of the whole video gaming experience that the players cannot ignore. The developers take great pains in the development of a solid story for their game. Without the music, it will be like a movie that does not have a sound. So, every part of the music or the sounds is critical in giving the players a wholesome experience that they cannot forget. In fact, many developers hire professionals to create unique and unforgettable music for the players. The presence of such music can even increase the recognition of the players of the game and stamp it in their memory forever. For example, the sounds of pac man are unmatched even today. 

Furthermore, it is important to note that there are several players who tend to escape into the world of video gaming from the real world. Without the right kind of music and soothing effects, they cannot get the peace that they might be searching for. Music helps in setting the tone of the game and the mood of the player. It can give instant confidence and make the player put his/her entire focus on the storyline. While some games introduce a lot of music, others have minimalistic sound tracks in the background that are essentially used to calm the players. 

The relationship between music and emotions has been established since the beginning of civilization. The same ideology was first adopted in movies and music albums and then later adapted to gaming as the preferences of the people evolved. In addition, music makes the players have a positive outlook towards the world and the game. They increase the attention span of the players towards the storyline and help them feel the emotions of the characters. This is how the players get invested in the journey of the characters and focus on finishing the game. Without music, many players might lose interest and would not follow through. 

The popularity of a particular game definitely depends on the music it has and the amount of attention that the developers have put in the alignment of the story, the music and the challenges that are put across the players. It is a complete masterpiece that has to be developed in order to get followers and players worldwide. The music of a game is often re-played by the players later on as it gives them a sense of peace and accomplishment. It makes the game memorable in their minds as well. 

According to experts, the music of a particular game is often adopted by game developers from music albums or movies if it suits the theme of the game. The developers or gaming companies take licences from the music owners to use it for the game play. However, there have been many instances wherein the composers were hired to write original and unique music. The sounds within certain games have become immortal and remembered by people even if they grow older. For example, the music of Mario and Pacman is irreplaceable. The music itself is a representation of the game and reminds the players of the same. 

Some companies have also organised in-game concerts that were attended by thousands of people. It helps in giving a better gaming experience to the players and a sense of accomplishment that they are a part of a big deal. The use of music has helped the companies in localising a particular in a faster manner and gaining a fan following that cannot be compromised. 

In a recent report, some statistics came to light which further showcase the growing and deepening relationship between music and gaming. These include:

• 42% of players tend to listen to music while they start a game 
• If a player listens to a particular type of music during a game, then it is likely that he/she would go out and purchase the music album or video to relive the experience. At least 32% of players have notably done this in the past. 
• Over 30% of the gamers have agreed that they have discovered new music and songs while they were playing a particular game. 

It is stated that music and gaming tends to help each other out and has become mutually beneficial for both the industries. It is certainly complementing each other. Music improves the overall gaming experience and attracts players towards gaming to a large extent. On the other hand, gaming has helped the music industry grow by giving composers more work and helping them get more recognition among the youth of the different countries. 

To conclude, the gaming companies are giving more prominence to music for improving the gaming experience and hence it has made music an integral part of the marketing plan as well. Many musicians are using games to promote their songs and even reaching out to a larger audience. This helps them increase their overall sales. Games are definitely considered to be a strong tool for musicians to promote themselves. That is why both parties keep finding opportunities to connect with each other in one form or the other. Lastly, the importance of music in online gaming is definitely growing and it is one of the most important elements for gamers as well to gain a wholesome experience.