Gaming without audio is like food without salt. - Unknown
Author: Sahil Soni
Every 90’s kid must have played games like Contra, Nintendo, Pokemon, or Super Mario. Seems like yesterday, right?
Have you ever noticed how the background tune of the game has changed over time?
From beeps and ping pongs to real-time 3D audio effects that are hard to distinguish from reality, the world of gaming audio has been revolutionized. In this blog, we will discuss the ways in which the gaming audio landscape has evolved over time and, more interestingly, what its future could look like. So sit back, relax, and grab your coffee mug as you dive into the world of gaming audio.
1990’s: The Ascesion of Digital Sound
This is the era where gaming audio really started revolutionizing. Although some iconic games like Space Invaders relied heavily on the beeps, buzzes, and ping pong, gamers began to crave something more. It was in the 90s that sound cards like the Sound Blaster, which enhanced the audio capabilities of PCs, came into play. Games like Quake (1996) and Doom (1993) were among the first to adapt and implement this technology for the game enthusiasts. The cards, in some cases, were capable of 3D-like sound effects. The introduction of CDs in the PlayStation saw rise in this period and took the BGM game a little higher by giving a more immersive and playful experience.
2000s: The Rise of Surround Sound
Ever placed two or more speakers in different directions to get a surround sound effect? That’s what most of us did as children, as we were not equipped with the then-modern tech. This is the era where gamers and music lovers were introduced to Dolby Digital Sound and Surround Sound, which very soon began to garner a different level of craze. Consoles like the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube supported Dolby Digital and DTS sound systems, allowing gamers to experience 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound. The interactive sound made games more immersive by focusing on the user experience. Multidimensional music, like 3D, 8D, and 16D, is all done by manipulating the frequency and channels of the audio to create an effect where users feel that the sound is coming from multiple sources.
2010s: Real-Time Audio and VR
Real-time audio is a landmark in the gaming audio landscape. With real-time audio, users can watch live concerts online or virtually in real time, connect with people around the world, engage in multiplayer games, and much more. This is when earbuds with low latency came in and became every gamers’ priority.
On the other hand, demand for VR (Virtual Reality) headsets started to increase, as the technology was quite new to the consumers. The technology was leveraged in arcade games where players donned a helmet and shot the incoming enemies, dinosaurs and zombies. Games like Resident Evil 7 (2017) and Half-Life: Alyx (2020) integrated spatial audio into VR and provided gamers with a whole new world to experience. With Digital Signal Processing, features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) entered the world of gaming audio and allowed users an immersive experience like never before.
2020s and Beyond: The Era of AI
The integration of AI in the world of gaming audio has begun to open new gates of wonder. AI can detect real-time action and movements and sense the touch of the player, allowing a more immersive and near-real experience. Procedural audio, where sounds are generated algorithmically rather than pre-recorded, is another emerging trend. This technology allows for a virtually infinite variety of sounds, enhancing the realism and variability of game audio. The introduction of Haptik Feedback in the world of gaming has brought in exciting possibilities. With haptik feedback, gamers can not only see or hear but actually feel the game. The vibration you might have felt in your mouse/controller while your car crashes in the game is because of Haptik feedback. The introduction of HRTF (Head Related Trasfer Function) and Binaural audio has enabled games to identify the precise location of the enemies’ footsteps or gunshots fired, further diminishing the line between the real and virtual worlds.
The Future of Gaming Audio
With rapid advancement in technology, the difference between what’s real and what’s virtual is getting diminished. With the introduction of AI, spatial audio, and 3D sound effects, it won’t be wrong to say that the future of gaming audio is much more promising than reality itself. Looking at the current advancements in the gaming audio landscape, here are some possibilities that may emerge in the near future:
- Hyper-Realistic Sound Effect: With advancements in AI and machine learning, soundscapes in games could become indistinguishable from real life, offering a level of immersion that is unprecedented.
- Personalized Audio: AI could tailor audio experiences to individual players, adapting the sound based on a player’s preferences, behavior, and even emotional state.
- Full-Body Immersion: The combination of spatial audio, haptic feedback, and potentially even new sensory technologies (like smell and taste) could create fully immersive experiences where players are completely enveloped in the game world.
From hearing simple beeps to identifying enemies from their footsteps, the world of gaming audio has evolved in unimaginable ways. With so many technological advancements, the possibilities are just unlimited, and the wings of the gamers are getting wider and wider. So keep flying, keep fueling your ambition, and keep the game on.
