In a collaborative study, UK retailer, GAME, has partnered with a psychology group at the University of York to build the ‘ultimate video game playlists for every mood’. By taking the best-selling titles since 2008 (according to GAME) and strategically selecting items from their soundtracks, GAME and the UOY have crafted a series of Spotify playlists that are designed to motivate, pump up, or relax the listener.
As the research says, ‘In the context of music, selections for specific scenarios become pivotal in enhancing the overall experiences and outcomes, playing a key role in gaming.’
Pump Up The Jam
Nick Arran, the Managing Director of GAME, collaborated with Dr Mimi O’Neill at the University of York to create a series of GAME-branded playlists for all situations. The pair studied soundtracks and categorised various songs and compositions based on their BPM, sorting them into ‘buckets’ according to how they’d inevitably impact the listener.
Four key categories were produced: Motivational, Focus, Upbeat, and Workout.
Some of the most popular games of the last 15 years found their way onto the playlists – which are available exclusively on Spotify. Franchises such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, Mario Kart, Halo, The Witcher, The Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto, and Far Cry all had various parts of their respective soundtracks added to these curated playlists.
In a statement, Dr. O’Neill wrote:
The impact of a game’s soundtrack on the gaming experience is a multifaceted and widely studied phenomenon in the realm of video game research.Â
Scholars and researchers have delved into the intricate relationship between music and gameplay, recognizing that the soundtrack is a crucial component that can significantly shape the player’s emotions, immersion, and overall engagement with the gaming environment.
If you want to check out these playlists and take a trip down memory lane with some of history’s greatest gaming soundtracks, you can check out GAME’s profile on Spotify here.
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