And Then It Turned Outside In: New Insights Into Spatial Game Audio

There has been little exploration of the intersection between music production and video game sound, especially their spatial aspects. Harris’ concept of ‘turning inside-out’ refers to a shift from distinct sound objects positioned within a background sound space to a less bounded but immersive sound environment that envelops both performer and audience, and, in compositional and experiential senses, becomes primary. Drawing on a variety of sources, this paper begins by examining the origins, development and implications of this shift in two distinct musical contexts: Gordon Mumma’s “Stressed Space Palindromes” (1976-1982) and Loveless-era My Bloody Valentine. This provides a basis for the identification of a related but essentially inverse shift in a video game sound context. The games Thief: The Dark Project (1998) and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six (2015) act as lenses through which the nature of this ‘turning outside-in’ is explored. In Thief, sound is primarily atmospheric, enhancing immersion and influencing player actions indirectly. In contrast, Siege closely connects sound and environment and internalises them as a core part of player agency wherein their manipulation is an integral part of gameplay. The paper concludes by considering the broader implications and legacy of this transformation.