Introduction: towards a polyphonic approach to games and music studies

• Main Authors: Hillegonda Rietveld, Marco Benoît Carbone
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ass.ne Culturale Ludica 2017-12-01
• Series: G|A|M|E The Italian Journal of Game Studies
• Subjects: Sound; Video game
• Online Access: http://www.gamejournal.it/?p=3219

Sound has, of course, always been a crucial aspect of gaming audio-visuals. Far from merely accompanying a game, the auditory elements bring life into the game interface. There is a growing recognition of the role of music in games by the gaming industry, game fans, and journalists. Several conferences have been established on the roles of music and sound in video games, such as the industry-focused GameSoundCon, first initiated in Los Angeles in 2009, and Game Music Connect, that has taken place annually between 2013-15 in London. Simultaneously, the study of music and audio in games is gaining interest in game studies. For example, Rob Hubbard, most famous for his work on the Commodore 64 system, has been recognized with an honorary degree by Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland (Wawro, 2016). The tendency, however, is not only in response to the industry. It is also in line with an “Auditory Turn” in the humanities and social sciences, providing an alternative sensory approach to a notable visual dominance in the humanities and in media and cultural studies (Herzogenrath, 2017).