Game Changers — How video games bucked the trend during the pandemic

In March 2020, as film sets were being closed, advertising agencies mothballing campaigns and television production companies pulling the shutters down on content development, it was ‘just another day in the office’ for one key part of the media sector – gaming. In 2020 it is predicted that the sector will once again grow by 10%, with revenues forecast of $159.3 billion. Music remains a huge and critical part of every video game experience – from a compelling full-orchestra score in a game like Call of Duty to brand partnerships between Fortnite and artists such as Dominic Fike, and large-scale music licensing across rock and electronic in brands such as FIFA (let alone commissions for gaming trailers, the budgets of which can make a Hollywood trailer look small in comparison). In the 2021 post-covid paradigm – how can music creatives and rights-holders capture some of this energy and look towards having their artists, producers and composers start to interface more successfully with the gaming sector? This panel brings together some of the main music creative gatekeepers for some of the globe’s biggest gaming brands to discuss the pathways to successful music partnerships in gaming.

• Raphaella Lima (Global Music Partnerships & Marketing, EA Games, US)
• Sara Schoch (Music Brand Partnerships, UTA, US)
• Leon Winkler (Director International Events, Ubisoft, FR)

• Mark Gordon (Owner, Score Draw Music, UK)