Video Game Audio: A History, 1972-2020 - Paperback

by Christopher Hopkins (Author)

From the one-bit beeps of Pong to the 3D audio of PlayStation 5, this book examines historical trends in video game sound and music. A range of game systems sold in North America, Europe and Japan are evaluated by their audio capabilities and industry competition. Technical fine points are explored, including synthesized v. sampled sound, pre-recorded v. dynamic audio, backward compatibility, discrete and multifunctional soundchips, storage media, audio programming documentation, and analog v. digital outputs. A timeline chronicles significant developments in video game sound for PC, NES, Dreamcast, Xbox, Wii, Game Boy, PSP, iOS and Android devices and many others.

Author Biography

Christopher Hopkins taught high school and university courses in music and game development at SUNY Suffolk, Long Island University, Farmingdale State College, and Five Towns College. He developed the first university courses in video game music for Long Island University and Five Towns College. The independent game festivals IndieCade East, New Jersey Arcade, and Playcrafting NYC Summer Expo featured his original mobile games. He lives in West Islip, New York.