Music to game to – it’s a real thing. From the ambient, otherworldly soundtrack of No Man’s Sky, to the songs you most associate with playing a certain title (Busta Rhymes When Disaster Strikes is forever linked to Goldeneye 007 for me, for instance), music and games go hand in hand, which is why it makes perfect sense that Spotify has launched a dedicated Gaming section.
The soundtrack includes the official scores for a number of games, including the aforementioned space exploration sim No Man’s Sky. There’s also classics like Mass Effect, The Last of Us and Mirror’s Edge, as well as the background music for mobile hits like Monument Valley and Bastion. It’s actually the most comprehensive and easily navigable original game music library I’ve ever seen.
In addition to the official tracks, Spotify Gaming also includes both community playlists, including one from our pals over at Engadget Gaming, as well as curated collections from Spotify itself. You’ll generally find more traditional music here, but arranged so as to put you in the proper mind space for settling into your favorite game. These can range from collections of soundscapes, to pop hits, to so-called Top Gaming Tracks, an eclectic mix which includes Smells Like Teen Spirit, Pompeii and Turn Down for What.
Heck, even if you’re not that into video games taking a trip through the Spotify Gaming subsection might prove interesting. A lot of great music ends up locked up within games themselves, never to reach a broader audience, and the playlists with regular tracks are strange combinations of music you’d never normally see together, which can be pretty fun.