Giving Your Players Goosebumps: The Game Dev's Guide to the Orchestra | Sai Natarajan | NZGDC 2025
So you've played the Elder Scrolls. Ori. Halo. Journey. Hollow Knight. Games that featured some of the most breathtaking orchestral music ever created. The kind of music that gave you goosebumps. How can you and your studio get THAT sound for your game, even on an indie budget?
It's actually a lot harder than you think… and without understanding what's involved in producing great orchestral music, many studios get it totally wrong. Their games miss out on everything that makes the orchestra so powerful as a medium.
So how can you avoid the same fate? Come and discover what goes into creating elegantly-crafted orchestral game soundtracks that make players' spirits soar, and learn how the right composers can bring the same quality to YOUR games.