EA Signs Licensing Deal for Original Game Music

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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EA Signs Licensing Deal for Original Game Music


Electronic Arts [http://www.ea.com] has signed a licensing deal for its library of original music that means you could soon be hearing familiar videogame tunes in movies, television shows, commercials and more.

Videogame music - not the kind in Portal [http://www.guitarhero.com], yet in the eyes (and ears) of most people, gamers included, it's often overlooked as a sort of invisible background effect, like lettering in a comic book.

The new five-year deal between EA and Extreme Music [http://www.extrememusic.com/] may not change that perception, but it will at least get some of that music out to a wider audience. EA's library of more than 2000 "music cues" from various games will now be represented by Extreme Music and will be available for placement in feature films, television shows and more. "We felt that Extreme is a way to create an extremely aggressive campaign to relicense these songs because we feel these are very reusable in the world," said Steve Schnur, EA's worldwide executive for music and music marketing.

Much of the music probably won't be instantly recognizable outside its natural environment, even to die-hard gamers; "Mirror's Edge [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaBnEDW9eiA], are far more distinct as stand-alone tracks and more likely to stand out on their own merits.

Licensing deals aren't exactly hot news but it is nice to see game music getting a little love, even if it's only as another revenue channel for EA. And as more and more companies focus on the possibilities of game music as a distinct (and money-making) aspect of the entertainment experience, I expect we'll see the number of licensing deals like this increase dramatically. Hey, if Ari Pulkkinen [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyapTX2_C7w]?

Source: Variety [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010761.html?categoryId=1009&cs=1&cache=false]


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Swaki

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TheNamlessGuy said:
Great.
I really like that kind of music.
In fact, I put both "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" (Fallout 3), "Still Alive" (Mirror's Edge, as stated above) and "Still Alive" (Portal, also stated above).
To get some more great music would be awesome
well, "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" isn't really game music, it was made by the ink spot years before fallout (and probably even before the first nuke).

OT: beside portals "still alive" there isn't any other game music i would ever listen to outside the game, this is the same problem i feel movies have, if they make a piece of music specifically to one scene the music will almost never be able to stand on its own.
 

brutusford

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Actually a couple weeks ago, I heard the main theme from Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour playing during a college football highlight reel on ESPN! Made me laugh and I wondered how they managed to get their hands on the tune with EA's permission.
 

Trivun

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Personally I'm pretty psyched by this. I've long been ridiculed by my brother because I happen to love the music from the Final Fantasy series. Now, I know that isn't EA, but even so, EA doing this licensing deal is a step towards other companies, such as Square, perhaps, following suit. And another thing is that I love the song Still Alive from Mirror's Edge much more than I do the one from Portal, even though the Portal song is still brilliant. So hearing that in an advert, on the radio, in a store when out shopping, would be pretty awesome :)
 

Asehujiko

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I still think that attempting to cash in on Portal's popularity by stealing their song name for their utterly generic pop credits theme was lame.
 

300lb. Samoan

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Asehujiko said:
I still think that attempting to cash in on Portal's popularity by stealing their song name for their utterly generic pop credits theme was lame.
agreed.

OT this is pretty awesome news

The_root_of_all_evil said:
Rob Hubbard [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hubbard] should have had his own record deal decades ago.
does his kernkraft appearance count? well, not so much an appearance as it is a ripoff
 

Valiance

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Really?
Just now?
After the PLAY! Symphony's been going for years now?

Wow, I'm surprised they haven't cashed in on this sooner.

Anyway, Jeremy Soule: Look him up. He's done the sound track to Guild Wars, Company of Heroes, Dungeon Siege, Morrowind, Oblivion, Prey, KOTOR, Supreme Commander, Total Annihilation, Dawn of War, etc...Even more I can't think of right now...

Frank Klepaki: Command and Conquer stuff. Incredible.

Alexander Brandon: Most of the UT soundtrack, Jazz Jackrabbit, Vigilante 8, Deus Ex, etc...

I could go on with Western composers, but I'll stop here.

I vouch for Nobuo Uematsu and Koji Kondo, but other than that I don't know much about other video game composers.

Homeworld, TA, SupCom, C&C, F-Zero X, F-Zero GX, Metroid Prime 1, 2; Mirror's Edge, UT'99, UT2K4, Ocarina of Time, Starfox, Starfox 64, Windwaker, Duke Nukem 3D, Doom (though all the songs are just 1-4-5 progressions and the melodies are "borrowed" from popular metal songs), Okami, FFX, Kingdom Hearts, Dawn of War/DoW 2, Descent 2, Rise of the Triad, Major Stryker...

And I could go on, just I can't remember what games I've played with awesome music.

Oh, wait, STARGUNNER, THAT'S A BIG ONE.

Anyway, my point is that game developers should spend more money on their music budget and they might end up with an incredible soundtrack that fits their presentation, like in Braid, or perhaps a godlike, triumphant victory/credits music, like in Dawn of War 2...

Most pieces that people enjoy or remember are usually played in a pivotal moment, or are played multiple times, or both (ie: Dearly Beloved, KH2).

The emotional attachment that the players have with the situation or the event make it all the more powerful, or the (I really, really, hate this term) "Epicness" of the situation/event.

Most game developers don't realize how important music is, but seriously, imagine if at the end of Portal instead of "Still Alive" you had "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne playing. I think that would do it. Developers don't realize what happens when you put unfitting music into a game. It's hard to tell what will be fitting or "right," but if you put the "wrong" music into a game, it would obviously be a problem.

My hope is that this deal with EA will make game developers understand that their music is important, which will make me feel happier if I keep hearing incredible music, and will make me feel awesome if some composers I love start to get more money by their music being licensed for movies and such...

Who knows - it could lead to real radio stations playing music composed for video games. There could be new cover bands that are expected to play original game music. Stairway to Heaven might be an anthem of last generation, but the Zelda theme might be it for years to come... I just feel that just because the music was composed for a game shouldn't make it unappreciated, and that's basically what usually happens. Hopefully that's changing and people will realize the value and awesomeness of VG music, and by "people" I mean "non-gamers," the masses, etc, etc.

It could be a foray into a whole new audience, is all I'm saying...I think this could be a good thing, hopefully it will not just be EA, or else I'll rage at them making money off this sort of thing.
 

cleverlymadeup

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that's pretty neat, i'm sure they'll stick it in rather odd places i'm sure, tho it could be placed in some rather funny ones too
 

Captain Pancake

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Stubee said:
I assume Microsoft has already done this because ive heard Halo music in films and even in top gear.
I saw that episode actually. I was like "Holy shit! halo music in top gear?"

too bad they used one of the less grandiose pieces...
 

samsonguy920

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Since Medal of Honor:Allied Assault had all its music and sounds in mp3 format, I was able to compose a CD with a nice track mix. The music in that had a lot of John Williams flavor, not surprising with Steven Spielberg supporting that game. Listened to that CD many a time while traveling. I can see this being a cool thing, if handled properly. At least EA isn't going to Sony to publish the music. Though good odds Square will. So Final Fantasy music lovers, don't get your hopes up too high.
 

BonerMacTittyPants

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Jeez, it's like EA is getting soft and Infinity Ward stole the #1 Douchebag title of gaming companies from it. Way to go EA!

Can't wait to hear that sweet Battlefield Theme in a WWII themed show!