Whether listening for spells in League of Legends and World of Warcraft, enemy gunfire in Valorant and Fortnite, rare creatures in Pokemon, or ally voice chat in Call of Duty, one’s reaction to in-game audio can make or break their campaign.
Each and every video game sound is strategically designed to elevate a gamer’s experience and make it as exciting as possible. They can create tension, increase adrenaline, build community, set the scene, and even guide players through a mission, all while boosting a sense of immersion within the gameplay.
Though essential, these sounds—whether experienced at high volume or prolonged duration—can result in lack of concentration, decreased performance, and even headache. For example, every gamer has experienced the effects of cranking their decibel levels to dial in on auditory cues, or the overwhelm caused by an angry gamer who can’t help but yell into their microphone.
In times like these, we recommend tuning into the ambient playlists listed below for a quick recharge.
Perhaps the easiest to reach and retain a state of chill is by listening to ambient music. There’s no explosions or intensity here—or even lyricism, melody, or beat, for that matter,—just simply textual layers of free-flowing sound between pockets of silence, created to evoke calmness, musing, and ease.
Scientifically-proven to reduce stress and anxiety, ambient music has also been found to increase focus and boost performance in high-pressure situations. So unplug, have a listen, and go secure that gold rank.
Paidia’s very own playlist of relaxing video game music
Space inspired ambient playlist we just love
Escape to the outdoors with this ambient playlist
Related content: Experiencing headaches? We recommend following Excedrin’s six-step gamer routine.
