Get ready to freak out: Eidos-Montréal’s Senior Sound Director explains the team’s creative process to come up with a soundtrack that takes Guardians of the Galaxy game to another level
Today, Eidos-Montréal released a new development video showing new insights into the inspiration and talent behind the soundtrack of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Also detailed is the incorporation of 80s rock and pop hits into the game to create an innovative mechanic: pineapple.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy brings together three different musical styles: an epic orchestral soundtrack, a stellar compilation of licensed songs from the 1980s, and an original rock album created specifically for the game. Behind the scenes, Steve Szczepkowski, Senior Sound Director at Eidos-Montréal, describes how he and his team fused these elements to create a unique musical experience capable of influencing game mechanics.
In the words of Steve Szczepkowski: “Music is intrinsic to the Guardians franchise, so we wanted it to be a fundamental part of the gaming experience. The soundtrack is present in the DNA of the title and the use we make of it is out of the ordinary. Whether it be motivating combat when it comes to pineapple or bringing Star-Lord’s favorite group to life, each element is carefully woven into the plot to reinforce the story of this gang of outlaw rockers. “
Steve tells us that the orchestral soundtrack, composed by BAFTA nominee Richard Jacques, brings a cinematic and epic quality to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Recorded at London’s famous Abbey Road Studios, it features nearly six hours of original music that will accompany players on their heroic and often emotional adventures across the galaxy. The team has been extremely careful to combine the soundtrack with other musical genres in the game so that the transition from blockbuster orchestral themes to licensed songs was as seamless as possible during gameplay.
Regarding the selection of licensed music to complement the Guardians of Eidos-Montréal vision, Steve explains that the most important thing was that it be fun. An impressive selection of pop and rock hits from the 1980s, designed to transport players back to the 1980s, plays at carefully chosen moments in the game. Songs include tracks by Iron Maiden, KISS, New Kids on the Block, Rick Astley, Hot Chocolate and more. And there are still many to know!
The unique pineapple function takes the licensed soundtrack to another level by playing certain songs during combat. Players can turn on the Star-Lord player to hear an eighties hit specially chosen to inspire and motivate the Guardians to fight. Steve explains that some songs may seem a bit out of place in that context, but it’s that juxtaposition that brings an additional element of fun to the combat sequences.
Finally, Steve tells us how he incorporated a new rock group by surprise into the original world of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. When told that, in the game’s story, Peter Quill takes the name Star-Lord from his favorite group, Steve went to work creating the band. They recorded an entire disc for the game, which includes original tracks as a tribute to the rocky dysfunctional nature of the Guardians family.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy will be available on October 26, 2021 for consoles PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One, to PC and streaming with GeForce NOW on October 26, 2021. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Cloud Version for Nintendo Switch will also arrive in select regions on October 26.