Why Most Web Games Skip the Sound—and What They’re Missing

Why Most Web Games Skip the Sound—and What They’re Missing

From Hey, Good Game by Nate Kadlac, Aaron Kardell, Joseph Rueter

June 17, 2025 · 47 min · Episode 68

About this episode

The episode explores the importance of sound in web games and features an interview with composer Joel Corelitz.

What does it take to create unforgettable game audio—from eerie soundscapes in Death Stranding to iconic branding in Mortal Kombat? Composer and sound designer Joel Corelitz joins us to talk about his path from writing music for pharmaceutical ads to shaping the sonic identity of major titles. We dive into the creative process, what good feedback really sounds like, the overlooked potential of sound in web games, and why sometimes doing the work is more important than waiting for inspiration. Check out Joel's Resources: https://joelcorelitz.com/ http://twitter.com/joelcorelitz http://instagram.com/joelcorelitz https://joelcorelitz.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@joelcorelitzmusic Games Mentioned: Dark Souls - Joel's favorite game to play Halo Infinite Death Stranding Mortal Kombat One The Unfinished Swan Nine Souls The Last Clockwinder Hyperlight Breaker Hyperlight Drifter Lazy River -- (00:00) - Introduction to Joel Kitz and Wave Plant (00:56) - Joel's Favorite Games and Balancing Work and Play (03:36) - The Journey from Advertising to Game Composing (08:52) - The Creative Process and Musical Language (15:51) - Feedback and Collaboration in Game Music (19:30) - Budgeting…

People in this episode

Hosts: Nate Kadlac, Aaron Kardell, Joseph Rueter

Guest: Joel Corelitz

Topics covered

  • game audio
  • sound design
  • game music
  • creative process
  • feedback in music
  • web games

Keywords

  • game audio
  • sound design
  • music composition
  • web games
  • game branding
  • creative process

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Death Stranding, Mortal Kombat, Dark Souls, Halo Infinite, The Unfinished Swan, Nine Souls, The Last Clockwinder, Hyperlight Breaker, Hyperlight Drifter, Lazy River

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