It can be difficult to work in silence, but finding music that won’t distract you from high-concentration tasks—like writing—is also a challenge. But it turns out that video game tunes could be the perfect background music when you need to focus. No, seriously.
As this Reddit post points out, video game music is usually instrumental, so it’s less intrusive, and it’s specifically composed to keep you focused and motivated. You may be skeptical if you don’t play games, but I assure you game music is much more than inane bleeps and bloops. This NPR radio segment from 2014 explains that video game composers are often classically-trained musicians who apply the same techniques to their work as any classical composer.
For a lifelong gamer like me, this isn’t exactly surprising—I often listen to game soundtracks while I work. That said, as a newbie, finding a good soundtrack for concentration will be tough—there are thousands of games out there, and unless you already have a list of faves, wading into the world of video game music can be overwhelming.
To save you the effort, I’ve put together a list of 10 of my favorite video game soundtracks to listen to while you write, or study, or draw, or whatever it is you do. The list collects beloved classics and personal favorites, but it’s in no way definitive—if your favorite game soundtrack is absent, it’s not because we don’t think it’s worthy, so by all means, name drop it in the comments.