Akira Yamaoka, renowned composer of Silent Hill, announces his first U.S. tour in February 2026, featuring cinematic live performances of his iconic soundtracks, with opening acts by Raj Ramayya. The tour spans multiple cities from Los Angeles to Austin, with tickets available from November 24th.
PlayStation's 'The Concert' tour, featuring music from popular games, has been canceled in the US and UK without official explanation, possibly due to poor ticket sales and limited marketing, with only the 2026 dates remaining unaffected.
After 17 years, the popular retro gaming YouTube channel Happy Console Gamer finally received its own theme tune, composed by legendary video game composer Yuzo Koshiro, which moved the host Johnny Millenium deeply.
Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu expressed his willingness to return for the final game in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, despite previous rumors of retirement. Creative director Tetsuya Nomura proposed the idea, to which Uematsu agreed, stating it would be an honor. Uematsu, known for his work on the series since its inception, also acknowledged the physical and mental strain of composing for a video game and expressed satisfaction with his recent compositions. The release date for the third game in the trilogy is yet to be announced.
Nobuo Uematsu, renowned for composing music for the first nine Final Fantasy games, has agreed to compose the main theme for the third game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, despite previously expressing doubts about his ability to compose an entire game's soundtrack. In a recent conversation, Uematsu confirmed his commitment to the project, expressing a sense of finality and satisfaction with his contributions to the series.
The original composers of Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the GBA, DigiPen Music Department, were brought back to revamp the game's score for its Switch remake, incorporating acoustic performances to complement the virtual soundscape. The team, with a long history of work with Nintendo, had to keep their involvement under wraps while continuing to work as teachers at DigiPen. Lawrence Schwedler, one of the original composers, praised the freedom given by Shigeru Miyamoto and Koji Kondo and described the project as "the opportunity of a lifetime."
Fans of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are showcasing their creativity by sharing piano covers from the game's demo, which features a playable piano minigame in Tifa's house. Players have been creating covers of Final Fantasy tunes, pop songs, and even classical pieces, with the demo receiving positive feedback for its interactive piano feature. The demo is currently available, with the full release scheduled for 29th February.
Legendary video game composer Koji Kondo discusses the process of creating the iconic Ground Theme for Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Kondo reveals that his first attempt at composing a track was scrapped because it didn't match the gameplay, but the second track he made perfectly captured the rhythm of running and jumping. He explains that he played the game multiple times to find the right rhythm and continued to do so for subsequent games in the series. Kondo also shares his desire to create unique and enjoyable music that didn't fit into any specific genre.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has released a new collection of gaming soundtracks on Spotify, featuring titles such as Gravity Rush, Shadow of the Colossus, Wild Arms, Freedom Wars, and Soul Sacrifice. Fans can now enjoy these iconic tracks on the music-streaming platform.
Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi initially rejected all of composer Nobuo Uematsu's music for the game, hoping it would improve upon resubmission. However, Uematsu simply changed the track order on the cassette tape and Sakaguchi was impressed, leading to the iconic soundtrack that became a beloved element of the series.
Bethesda has collaborated with Imagine Dragons to create an original song called "Children of the Sky (a Starfield song)" to promote the launch of their upcoming game, Starfield. The song's lyrics reflect the game's themes and can be streamed on various platforms. This is not the first time a high-profile band has created music for a video game, as Imagine Dragons previously wrote a song for the League of Legends TV series. Starfield preorders are currently discounted, and the game will be released on August 31 for certain editions and September 5 for others.
Composer Brendan Angelides, known as Eskmo or Welder, collaborated with Middle Eastern musicians to create the soundtrack for the upcoming video game Assassin's Creed Mirage, set in 9th-century Baghdad. Angelides fused electronic and orchestral music, while Palestinian composer and orchestrator Akram Haddad incorporated Middle Eastern elements for historical accuracy. The soundtrack blends Arabic and western music seamlessly, with a focus on respecting each tradition's specific musical idioms and techniques. Assassin's Creed Mirage will launch on multiple platforms in 2023.
Nintendo has released a new battle theme called 'New Battle!!!' from the upcoming expansion of Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, which is set to launch on April 25th, 2023. The music has some Persona vibes and is just one of the new battle themes players can expect to hear in the new story. The expansion pass for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 grants access to the first 3 waves of DLC content, and protagonists Noah and Mio will be getting their own amiibo figures in the future. Super Smash Bros. Pyra and Mythra amiibo have been given a release date of 21st July, 2023.
Nintendo has released the main theme song for the upcoming game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is set to launch on May 12 for the Nintendo Switch. The track is a low-key arrangement of horns and strings and claps, with a flute leading the main melody. The theme ramps up into a full-blown crescendo around the one-minute mark, with everything blaring. The game is a direct continuation of its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, and features the return of Gleeok enemies and the introduction of the Zonai tribe.
The National Recording Registry, part of the Library of Congress, has selected Koji Kondo’s The Super Mario Bros. Theme, also known as Ground Theme, for preservation alongside other culturally significant music such as Madonna’s Like a Virgin and Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. The selection recognizes the technical and artistic achievements of the iconic video game music, which helped establish the legendary status of the 1985 Nintendo classic and laid the groundwork for an entire generation of chiptune musicians.