Live orchestras and game-specific songs: Death Stranding is a masterclass in harmonising games and music

The music industry is not leveraging games as well as it could, but there is some low-hanging fruit – backed up by case studies – that should change that.

Hundreds of millions of consumers play games every month on console and PC, and younger players even use games as a means to socialise. But the music industry is slower to adapt to the times.

Furthermore, music’s non-DSP revenues are a fraction of recorded industry revenues, as shown by our just-released recorded music forecasts.  

While in-game Fortnite and Roblox concerts have been the talk of the town in terms of music’s relationship to games, these are bombastic – mostly all bubble, no squeak. While they can result in subsequent in-game cosmetic revenues and can generate revenue for artists, the opportunities are rare.

In-game concerts were novel for consumers when they were confined in their homes, but now they are predominantly marketing opportunities – engagement drivers for Epic Games and Roblox as well as the artists.

But there are two other low-hanging-fruit strategies that have also been helping games and music benefit each other:

1. One more focused: live, real-world concerts based on game music
2. And one more widespread: Artists recording original music specifically for games

The Death Stranding franchise from Kojima Productions, whose second game is launching on PS5 this summer, is a masterclass in both of the above.

Two big Death Stranding music announcements at SXSW

At the SXSW conference in Texas, Kojima Production’s panel hit headlines with two music-related reveals:

1. A trailer that included original music from Woodkid
2. Strands of Harmony world music tour, a 19-date, 12-country tour featuring an orchestra and singers performing songs from the original game (per NME)

Unlike movies, games can be up 20, 30, or even 100-hours long – meaning gamers spend a lot of time with these tracks. Orchestral concerts based on games also include nostalgia-inducing visuals, so the experience is audiovisual:

Superfans of specific games and franchises have a strong connection to the IP they love. Music is at the heart of this nostalgia and emotional, so these concerts offering another cultural touchpoint for fans to wallow in their fandom.

High-profile global IRL game-related orchestra world tours include:

• Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy
• The Assassin’s Creed Symphonic Adventure
• PlayStation: The Concert
• The Genshin Concert
• The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses
• The Elden Ring Symphonic Adventure
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Orchestra World Tour

While these concerts are mostly for superfans, the opportunity might be bigger than that, as 8% of monthly concert attendees also listen to game soundtracks every month – according to our Q4 2024 consumer research:

Looking for more data on gamers’ relationship with music? We have a report on the topic coming out later this month. Reach out here to get it first.

IRL game-related orchestra performances are good for the games and music industries alike 

Real-world game-related orchestra performances are beneficial for both the games and music industries. On the games side, they offer:

• Stronger emotional connections: The concerts can deepen emotional bonds between players and their favourite games. Soundtracks are often deeply intertwined with player experiences, evoking nostalgia and rekindling memories. Hearing these scores performed live brings those emotions to the forefront, enhancing fans' appreciation for the artistry behind game music (On a personal note, I have attended a couple and am not afraid to admit they made me shed a tear or two!).

• Community building: Concerts transform solitary gaming experiences and online relationships into real-world community celebrations. Fans clad in cosplay and flaunting franchise merch gather, united by their shared passion. The events foster camaraderie, turning anonymous online avatars into real-life friends

• Nostalgia as a marketing tool: Concerts are immersive advertisements. God of War music performed with a thunderous choir in the PlayStation orchestra is not just entertainment – it is a visceral reminder of Kratos’ journey, enticing attendees to engage with the franchise

On the music side:

• Revenue: Performances generate income through ticket sales, merchandise, and even digital recordings of the concerts themselves. Streams and digital sales likely spike pre- and post-concert
• Exposure for composers and artists: Composers like Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) are now celebrated alongside other classical music maestros. Live performances validate game music as a serious art form, which it is, opening doors for composers to collaborate with symphonies or release concert albums
• Exposing younger audiences to classical music: Game-based orchestra performances attract younger, diverse crowds who would otherwise be bored to death by a Beethoven recital. Our data shows that just 4% of 16-24-year-olds are fans of classical music. Blending classical tunes with modern pop culture can breathe new life into the genre, ensuring its relevance in the digital age
• A new revenue stream for orchestras: Orchestras that once focused solely on traditional classical music are now finding success by incorporating game concerts into their repertoire, diversifying their audience and revenue sources

Game orchestra concerts are more than a niche trend. They bridge art forms, generations, and industries. For gamers, they are a pilgrimage of passion, while for the music world, they are a lifeline to innovation. The future promises richer collaborations, deeper connections, and a lasting legacy.

Now, let's move on to artists recording original music specifically for games.

Composing music specifically for games: A way for the music industry to hitch a hype ride on a more active pastime

The first Death Stranding game’s OST (which can be found on Spotify) is played organically in the game, directly adding to the game’s post-apocalyptic ambience via its lyrics and music style. The tracks, some of which were created specifically for the game, trigger at certain points in the gameplay. As a result, the music feels organic rather than shoed-in (because much of it was bespoke).

There is also an in-game music player in the player’s private quarters, letting players listen to tracks they have collected so far in a way that feels natural – or diegetic – in the game.

The original Death Stranding shows how original artist collaborations need not be an afterthought – they can enhance gameplay, strike symbiotic bonds between music and gamers, and elevate cross-entertainment fandom.

Just like live game concerts, game soundtracks made specifically for games benefit both the music and games industries. On the music side, the advantages are:

• Discoverability and global expansion: Post-rock bandLow Roar’s global recognition after Death Stranding, despite being relatively niche before. The game’s release coincided with a tour and a surge in Patreon support, showing how games can breathe new life into artists. Low Roar’s frontman, the late Ryan Karazija, even said Death Stranding saved his band from “the gutter’’ (per VG247)
• Creative cross-pollination: In the original-music Death Stranding: Timefall album, British metal band Bring Me the Horizon (BMTH) reworked their sound to fit Death Stranding’s darker aesthetic (“Ludens”), going back to their heavier metalcore roots following a detour into poppier tunes. It was a testbed for the band to experiment. “Ludens’’ exploded in popularity among old and new fans alike, putting BMTH back on a heavier pathway. This helped solidify BMTH as one of the world's most popular metal bands, with 13,769,108 monthly listeners on Spotify at the time of writing
• Merchandising synergy: Death Stranding’s vinyl soundtrack (featuring original tracks) became a collector’s item, appealing to both gamers and music superfans. Limited editions sold out instantly, demonstrating how original soundtracks can monetise fandom
•  Revenues from vinyl, streaming, sync, and composer royalties. Collectively, the original Death Stranding albums have been streamed more than 650 million times and sold more than 1.3 million copies for Sony Music (per Hideo Kojima on X):

As mentioned earlier, our data shows that over 8% of console and PC gamers listen to game soundtracks every month.

That share increases to 25% for people who stream games monthly, so giving streamers the rights to stream the soundtracks in their game streams could be a huge discoverability driver for music.

On the games side, game-specific compositions from bands can help:

• User acquisition: When a beloved artist like CHVRCHES contributes an original song to a game (like they did for Death Stranding), their fans are incentivised to engage with the game – even if they are not traditional gamers. This creates a crossover effect, where CHVRCHES’ superfans might buy the game to experience the song in context
• Narrative synergy: In Death Stranding, songs are not just ambient noise; they are narrative devices. Tracks trigger during pivotal moments (like cresting a mountain after hours of solitude) to cap the emotional payoff. This intentional pairing of gameplay and music creates core memories for players, who associate the artist’s work with these impactful game experiences

Candidly, music has more to gain than games. But Kojima’s approach proves that original artist soundtracks are not a gimmick or a one-way street in terms of benefits – they are a storytelling tool and fandom engine.

Original artist soundtracks and game concerts break down walls between gaming, music, and pop culture fandoms. Games like Death Stranding and Alan Wake 2 show how music and games can more organically complement each other in harmony.

Curious about the music behaviour and preferences of gamers? Reach out about our upcoming report.