AfterDawn: News

EA to add downloadable background music to games

EA chief music executive Steve Schnur has finally set down a timetable for when video game soundtracks will be update-able using downloaded music, and has already confirmed some games.

While games such as "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero" have update-able soundtracks that continuously expand other video game genres have lacked update-able music, at least officially from the developers.



“You’re going to see it in 2009,” Schnur said. By the time of "Madden '10" gamers can expect “broader-based” EA games to have the ability to “continually recommend” new music that can be downloaded.

It is not known if an EA proprietary music download service will be successful however, as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 already allow users to create custom soundtracks from their own digital collections.

It is also unknown whether users will have to pay for these new songs, but assuming EA keeps on its trend (see: charging users for new weapons in "Battlefield") then a $1 USD or $2 dollar price tag seems likely.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Jul 2008 16:02

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• 8 comments

• bhetrick

  I don't want to pay extra to download their music... I want to use my own.
  
  But atleast they're doing something which, I guess, is better than nothing.

  10.7.2008 16:28 #1

• emugamer

  Originally posted by bhetrick: I don't want to pay extra to download their music... I want to use my own.
  
  But atleast they're doing something which, I guess, is better than nothing.Nothing would actually be better IMO. EA makes the Fight Night series, which is the series that I've been wanting to play my own music to ever since experiencing the option on the 360 some time last year. If EA does this, then they will probably not allow their future games to work with the PS3 XMB in-game music, and probably won't release patches for older title to work with the PS3 XMB in-game music. Their games would probably not allow you to mute the music and then run your own playlist through the XMB. I could be wrong, but that's what it seems to me the direction they want to take this. Seems like they want to capitalize on something else that would in effect, take something away from the customers.

  10.7.2008 16:54 #2

• ZippyDSM

  backasswords IMO first off you need a account for the game and through it you can add other games buy credits for game stuff like music,pictures ect,ect you get some credits when you get the games them selfs, then tie in PC protections to the account so you have a connected setup to desiminate extras,updates and what not through the account.

  10.7.2008 17:48 #3

• escalante

  What they should do is patch their games on PS3 for them to work with the new In-game XMB update. >.>

  10.7.2008 20:30 #4

• emugamer

  EA seems to be trying to pull the same tactics MS does for XBL - pick the customers pocket for every little thing. The intern who got the "atta-boy" for this idea should be canned. I hope Sony doesn't let EA bastardize a good thing. I don't mind buying add-ons and purchasing PSN games, but let's keep the rest of the PSN and gaming experience free. Isn't $60 - $70 enough for the game? I pray this is just an "EA" thing and we don't see wonky credit/$$$ conversion systems enter the PS realm.

  10.7.2008 22:39 #5

• ikari

  While I am sure ideas like this are a good steping stone for better ideas, how about the developers focus on making the actual game I am playing better. I would rather have semi-good music and awesome gameplay than awesome music and not so good gameplay.
  
  My ultimate fear of all of this extra downloadable goodies is that a developer will get the idea of making a game that is a shell and you then you have to buy everything via XBL or PSN in order to actually play and enjoy the game.

  11.7.2008 11:29 #6

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by ikari: While I am sure ideas like this are a good steping stone for better ideas, how about the developers focus on making the actual game I am playing better. I would rather have semi-good music and awesome gameplay than awesome music and not so good gameplay.
  
  My ultimate fear of all of this extra downloadable goodies is that a developer will get the idea of making a game that is a shell and you then you have to buy everything via XBL or PSN in order to actually play and enjoy the game.
  Marketing concerns has hijacked the devs ability to anything really they are censored 7 times out of ten insome lil stupid way, they focus things so much on the immature tweens(12-2x) they forget what they are doing......gaming is the new hollywood and will be for a long time coming...

  11.7.2008 13:00 #7

• SProdigy

  A better idea would be for EA to promote new music by streaming it online while you are playing. They could license a radio talk show that could play live tidbits when you are in menus. I think that would be cool, but on the flipside, SoundExchange would want a billion dollars in royalties, so I don't see it happening.

  11.7.2008 14:36 #8