Music has always been an integral part of the gaming world. Just one mention of Super Mario and everybody will know the iconic tune. As the technology mature, the monotonous background music is evolving to a more immersive musical orchestra that pulls gamers deeper into the game. People even listen to game soundtracks when they’re not playing the game. Take Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos soundtracks for example. They’re magical.
And now, with the internet as an integral part of the world and the phenomenal growth of eSports, music becomes much more intimate with games and the gaming world.
Music in eSports
Let’s get one thing straight first. Gamers who travel a long way to play and watch eSport competitions do NOT want to listen to any music being played during the matches. You don’t hear music playing in the background during a soccer or football match. Why should eSport matches be any different, right?
“So, where does music fits in this context?”
To know where music fits in the world of eSports, just have a look at the League of Legends 2014 championship. That year, Imagine Dragons released its new single, “Warriors” and surprised the game fans during the finale with their live performance.
That same year, Metallica performed live at BlizzCon’s closing concert. People who can’t be there bought virtual tickets to see the concert live from the comfort of their homes.
In 2016, Zedd jumped in and composed the original soundtrack for the year’s LoL World Championship. He performed live for the closing ceremony too.
“Is that what gamers want?”
Yes, people really enjoyed those live performances. They fit.
The live performances resemble half-time shows during the Super Bowl. Football fans love and look forward to the show too.
“I guess that’s one reason why top music brands and labels are swarming the eSports landscape, huh?”
That’s right. They can definitely smell the money. Tens of thousands of people flocking eSports tournaments while millions watching them online. The global eSport fans count is about 250 million strong. That’s a huge market right there.
In addition, the opening and closing ceremonies are perfect for showcasing stars. Both new and old stars can take huge advantage of the sheer number of eyes. Bring in new music that fits with the theme of the competition and BOOM! Millions of views on YouTube plus millions of streams on Spotify.
It’s a two-way street. Music can bring something to eSports and the opposite is true as well.
“What kind of music genre will fit with eSports anyway?”
While many fans enjoy electronic music, no one should put such limitation. Gamers are diverse souls and they’ll dig into music from various genres. If we combine Imagine Dragon’s, Metallica’s, and Zedd’s genres together, we already cover Pop rock, Indie rock, Electropop, Alternative rock, Heavy Metal, Trash Metal, EDM, house, electro house, and dubstep.
What genres and which artists will the music industry bring next to eSports is anyone’s guess. Who knows, it could be you. Perhaps one of the ambiance you make on ambient-mixer.com will take you to the next BlizzCon. For all we know, the possibility is not zero.
