11
Video Game Music
Computer Space is the first video game developed for the
arcades. One player pilots a rocket ship and fights two flying sau-
cers; when two gamers played, they competed against each other.
...NuttingAssociatesreleasedthegamein1971,followedin
1972 with Pong, also developed for the arcades.... U.S. sales of
game software for January–May [2007] hit 85.9 million units, up
13.5% from the prior year, with a retail value of $2.74 billion—a
21% gain, according to Anita Frazier, toys and video games ana-
lyst for NPD Group, which tracks sales at retail.
—Billboardmagazine July 28, 2007The video game business accumulates sales topping $30 billion per year.
Development costs for complex games can reach $15 million; marketing
and advertising are also pricey.
A game has to achieve the same level of interest from a game player as
a viewer receives from watching a compelling motion picture. Most likely,
a game probably has to be even more gripping because of the number of
hours spent playing a game. If a gamer is not emotionally involved in a
game’s plot, the game will have a minimal chance of achieving commercial
success. Gamers should be able to understand how to play with an
extremely short learning curve; a one-on-one tutorial is ideal. If a game is
too complex, many gamers will not be interested.
!!The average age of a
video game player is 30,
and 60 percent of heads of
households in the United
States play games, accord-
ing to the Entertainment
Software Association (May
2006).Since game development is costly,
game publishers have devised additional
revenue streams. In addition to traditional
retail sales, game music is sold primarily
on the Internet (e.g., iTunes) and as ring-
tones. The music is also being licensed for
commercials, CDs, feature films, televi-
sion programs, and other businesses that
provide licensing opportunities. For
example, music from the game ‘‘Myst III:
Exile Main Theme’’ was used in the theatrical trailer for the motion picture
Peter Pan. The music publisher (usually owned by the game publisher) and
189