Music & immersion in iGaming
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Online Casinos are one of the gaming industry’s latest phenomena. Millions of players flock to the genre, as comparison sites like oddschecker signpost them to the platforms with the best games, bonuses and immersive experiences.
But how do online casino platforms create immersive experiences for their global gamers? Anyone who’s visited a casino will know that brick-and-mortar venues have a special atmosphere that’s unique to each type of casino. The grand European gaming palaces such as the Casino de Monte Carlo and what are more refined in their atmosphere, while the neon-drenched venues along the Las Vegas strip are as high-octane as their illuminations.
A Multi-Sensory Experience
Throughout the industry, games are multi-sensory experiences that are crafted to keep players absorbed in the gaming world they’re exploring. This also applies to iGaming experiences such as online slots gaming, remote poker tournaments and digital roulette or blackjack.
Carefully-crafted visuals are a must, for starters. A well-designed online casino game – much like a well-designed Role Playing or Multiplayer Online Battle Arena video game – draws gamers in by offering them plenty of visual substance to engage with and want to explore. This is particularly applicable to themed games or gaming platforms. An Ancient Egyptian-themed slots game isn’t going to get much interest if its visual design doesn’t match its theme.
But what gamers can see when they join a game is one part of the puzzle. Without an effective musical score or relevant soundscape, even the most beautifully designed casino game remains just a gorgeous piece of eye candy.
How iGaming Developers Utilize Sound and Music
The right sounds and musical scores used throughout a game will work to keep players engaged and even leave them watching more. Music is a powerful motivator. We only have to look at how music is used in advertising to see just how powerful it can be in developing or strengthening key behaviors in audiences.
The sounds used throughout iGaming set the tone of the experience but also change as the player developers during a game. For example, going back to the Ancient Egyptian-themed slot game we mentioned earlier, there will be two layers to the sound design of such a game. The first layer supports the theme of the game – in this instance, we could expect the musical score to include plenty of percussion with harps or wind instruments, adding melodies and harmonies.
It’s the second layer, however, that has the most impact on keeping players motivated to stay in the game. This is where the sound designers ensure realism during the gameplay by dispersing the typical sounds you would expect from brick and mortar casinos, such as spinning wheels and activated jackpots, throughout.
Casino Gaming’s Influence on Music
The relationship between music and casino gaming is far from one-sided. While soundscapes and musical compositions support the wide variety of casino gaming experiences, casinos have had a significant impact on 20th and 21st Century popular music. Recording artists, bands and songwriters in a multitude of genres, from classic rock to bubblegum pop, have all penned lyrics inspired by cards, dice and more.
The most famous ode to card gaming is, of course, Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades.” Despite being over 40 years old, this relentless track still sounds as fresh as it ever was. Filled with references throughout to poker gaming, it is considered to be one of the greatest songs of all time.
Staying with the card game theme, Lady Gaga has also paid homage to the felt with her 2008 smash, “Poker Face.” Meanwhile, everyone from Elvis to Katy Perry has referenced the bright lights, casino gaming and thrills and spills of Las Vegas in single releases over the decades.
Even folk rock band Mumford and Sons took inspiration from the casino dice game craps for their 2015 single “Snake Eyes.” An ode to heartbreak, the song references the “worst” roll you could make when playing craps in a casino.
