How Play'n GO and The Czech National Symphony Orchestra strike the perfect chord in the latest Hugo the Troll title, Hugo Legacy.
In the realm of iGaming, and gaming in general, captivating graphics are often paramount. However, the power of audio, often overlooked, contributes just as much to the transformative gaming experience we aim to provide. At Play'n GO, we understand the inherent power of sound, investing in creating immersive audio experiences that are an integral part of our games.
Our recent collaboration with the Grammy-awarded Czech National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) in Prague bears testimony to our commitment to superior game audio experiences. This collaboration brought the enchanting world of our latest game, Hugo Legacy, to life with the CNSO helping to craft stunning game background music for the new release. As the newest addition to the beloved Hugo series, this title celebrates over 30 years of the popular Scandinavian TV show about a three-toed troll, Hugo, and his many adventures.
"In game development, audio plays a crucial role. It's the voice of the characters, creating personal connections and driving engaging narratives."
Featuring Hugo, his wife Hugoline, friends Fernando the Toucan and Jean-Paul the Chimpanzee, and villains Scylla the Witch and Don Croco, Hugo Legacy transports players to a world filled with nostalgia and excitement, enriched by a phenomenal live orchestral soundtrack.
The game soundtrack, created by the 62-piece CNSO, goes beyond being just background music. It intensifies the suspense, accentuates wins, and harmoniously complements the game's various character features and Free Spins round, creating an immersive gaming environment. All the while, the soundtrack is reminiscent of the music fans would come to expect from the series, staying true to the franchise.
However, our audio focus isn't limited to Hugo Legacy. Our Sweet Alchemy series, for example, showcases the power of satisfying sounds in games. From the pop of candy symbols forming winning combinations to the clunk of new candies cascading into place, these pleasing sounds enhance the gaming experience and make it feel all the more rewarding to play. Such sounds may be appealing to our primal sense of order and completion, triggering the brain's reward system and creating a positive feedback loop that helps us to enjoy the experience as much as possible.
“It's also the emotive conductor, with the universal language of music acting as the express train to our feelings, guiding players along the emotional peaks and valleys of their gaming journey."
Jarring or unpleasant game sounds, in contrast, can detract from the experience, even turning players away in search of a more harmonious experience. Consequently, we ensure the theme of each game influences its sounds to enhance immersion while keeping audio pleasing to the ear. This consideration is noticeable throughout all our games, from the Sweet Alchemy series to The Book of Dead series and everything in between.
Pleasant sound effects and music are designed to make us feel good, and that feeling comes from the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. This chemical messenger plays an instrumental role (pun intended) in driving motivation, desire, and forward planning. When this is successfully applied within the gaming world, or entertainment in general, it can become a powerful tool to amplify enjoyment.
A satisfying audio cue, like the sounds in Sweet Alchemy, coupled with the sight of winning symbol combinations, incites dopamine release in the brain. This not only sparks a sense of pleasure but also heightens the perception of progression and accomplishment within the game. The resulting satisfaction is profound, and this positive mental association bolsters a player's desire to engage with the game, and perhaps even play again in the future. It can even play a large role in dictating which game might become favoured over another.
"We're thrilled to elevate this dynamic even further with the exceptionally rich, live orchestral game soundtrack for Hugo Legacy, truly setting a new standard for immersion in this industry."
In essence, leveraging this 'dopamine effect' in the correct balance can augment the gaming experience, transforming it into something advantageous and motivational. At Play'n GO, we strive to create this intricate balance through every game audio, from Hugo Legacy's upbeat and exciting game background music to the satisfyingly sweet soundtrack of our Sweet Alchemy series. Ultimately, it's not just about creating immersive game audio, but about curating a symphony that stimulates the brain, kindles pleasure, and simply helps players to keep having fun.
We understand that game development is far more than just making enjoyable game systems. It should be about creating one entire package of high-quality gameplay, visuals, and audio. This is what makes each new title, which we release every week, something we are incredibly proud of.
In the world of slot games, game audio—encompassing the game background music, character voices, and game sound effects—builds the atmosphere, sets the mood, evokes emotions, and enhances gameplay to offer an immersive and, at times, holistic experience.
The Head of Audio at Play'n GO, Walter Scharold says,
"In game development, audio plays a crucial role. It's the voice of the characters, creating personal connections and driving engaging narratives. It's the ambience defining environments, the sound effects delivering non-verbal cues to define context.
“It's also the emotive conductor, with the universal language of music acting as the express train to our feelings, guiding players along the emotional peaks and valleys of their gaming journey. Ultimately, the final audio mix isn't just a part of the player experience—it's the heartbeat. We're thrilled to elevate this dynamic even further with the exceptionally rich, live orchestral game soundtrack for Hugo Legacy, truly setting a new standard for immersion in this industry."
Game audio isn't an afterthought at Play'n GO. As Walter alludes to above, it's the pulsating heart of our games. Through collaborations like the one with the incredibly talented CNSO and our commitment to prioritising high-quality audio, we constantly aim to redefine iGaming standards. We strive to create a world where game soundtracks resonate with gameplay, creating a symphony that enchants players and encourages their return.
By understanding and implementing audio as an essential gameplay element, we continue to transcend language barriers and cultural nuances, connecting with our diverse players on an emotional level, and leading the symphony of iGaming evolution, one note at a time.
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